Report: Microsoft changes licensing for Mac Office
Microsoft changed the licensing terms for various SKUs of Microsoft Office 2013 for Windows, allowing customers to transfer the software from one computer to another. The policy was that customers could install Office on one computer. Period. This policy reversal was communicated in a recent blog post By Jevon Fark on Microsoft's Office News blog. He said that the overwhelming number of complaints caused the change. However, nothing about the Mac versions appeared in the comparable Office: mac blog.
However, a recent report posted on MacTech said that this same policy will now apply to Microsoft Office for Mac 2011, Office Home and Student 2013, Office Home and Business 2013, and Office Professional 2013 as well as standalone applications purchased through retail stores and resellers.
Customers can now transfer their license and activate it on a new or different computer as many times as they want but not more than once every 90 days. In the event of a computer failure within a 90-day period, the customer should call Microsoft customer support. Also, Office can be reinstalled on the same computer, as needed.
To transfer an Office license to a new computer, you must uninstall the license from your original computer and then reinstall it on your new computer using the same set-up instructions. This includes both Mac and Windows versions of Office. The original owner can transfer the license to someone else either with a computer or by itself.
I was hazy about Microsoft offering its Office 365 Home Premium SKU for the Mac market. It's offered in monthly and yearly subscriptions for $9.99 and $99.99, respectively. It includes automatic version upgrades, cloud storage options and Skype minutes for world calling.
MacTech recently announced that it will offer a new accreditation program about Microsoft Mac products called the Microsoft Office for Mac Accredited Support Professional program. The program will be offered free to registered attendees to MacTech's 2013 BootCamps II seminars. The next one will be on April 17 in Dallas.