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Microsoft have been actively fighting software piracy for many years. This has resulted in many changes. Product Activation is one.
But there have also been major changes in another area by Microsoft: Microsoft Licensing. Microsoft volume licenses, for example, are now in electronic format.
Since 2000, Microsoft has stopped selling volume licenses in paper format. Now in electronic format, users can view them online at Microsoft's secure eOpen website.
If you have not purchased Microsoft volume license since 2000, click here to see our guide on what you can expect.
There have been other changes in Microsoft licensing. Changes more subtle and complex. Many in the trade have been slow in keeping up with these changes.
There are many resellers that do not understand the intricacies and paradoxes of licensing agreements and sometimes sell software in a way that violates them. (You can find more on this point in License Types (OEM, Retail, and Volume Licenses).
So that you can make an informed choice, we explain in our quotations any paradoxes or licensing boundaries.
We are usually able to find licenses for earlier versions of software such as Office 2000 Professional and Windows NT4.
As upgrade licenses are usually significantly cheaper, we can also provide earlier operating systems if you need them for your upgrade path.
And then there is the subscription option. With this option you rent the licenses you need from Microsoft. You pay your subscription annually.
The subscription option has two distinct advantages:
  The software is always up-to-date. Updates are included in the subscription.
In the short-term, subscription is a cheaper option than buying the licenses. For example, with Office 2003 Professional, your annual subscription is likely to be around 25% or 33% (depending upon the subscription scheme) of the license price. However, after the fourth or fifth year, you will have paid more to Microsoft than if you had bought the license. On the other hand, with subscription, if the next version of Office Professional (Office 2007) is released during your subscription, you receive it free of charge.
So contact us now, tell us what you are looking for, and see what we can offer. You have nothing to lose and likely savings to gain.
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