Office 2007 on Trial

8.01.2007

Microsoft has so many free, try-before-you-buy trials, it can be a trial finding them all. So, we've collected together some of the Office 2007 versions, with links where to get them. People trying Office 2007 must obtain a product key and activate the software. Without activation or at the end of the 60-day trial, the software goes into what Microsoft calls "Reduced Functionality" mode.

 Four major trials:

• Office Enterprise 2007, which Microsoft released last Thursday, includes: Access, Communicator, Excel, Groove, InfoPath, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word. The Enterprise trial differs from the others, in that the software is distributed through the Microsoft Developer Network or TechNet. The other trials are available from Office Online.

• Office Professional 2007, which includes: Access, Accounting Express, Excel, Outlook with Business Contact Manager, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word.

• Office Standard 2007, which includes: Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Word.

• Office Small Business 2007, which includes: Accounting Express, Excel, Outlook with Business Contact Manager, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word.

MSDN subscribers also can download:

• Office Professional Plus 2007, which includes: Access, Accounting Express, Excel, InfoPath, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word.

• Office Ultimate 2007, which includes: Access, Accounting Express, Excel, Groove, InfoPath, OneNote, Outlook with Business Contact Manager, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word.

The mind boggles at the number of versions and the subtle differences between them. Microsoft's idea of Professional Plus is Professional plus Communicator and InfoPath but minus Business Contact Manger. Ultimate, which connotation is everything, doesn't have Communicator. By contrast, Windows Vista Ultimate--and business counterpart Windows Vista Enterprise--have all the features. Microsoft would do its customers better by adhering to some kind of consistent approach across products when using like-names like Enterprise and Ultimate.

These little details might seem like nit-picking, but their significance increases when businesses start sorting feature needs against acquisition costs and usage rights. Microsoft's product usage rights presents a frightening site when looked at across product versions and volume-licensing plans.

Then there are the odd-duck versions. Microsoft doesn't offer a Small Business Management Edition 2007, but there is a 2006 version. Those Small Business Management Edition 2006 customers with Software Assurance can claim single 2007 licenses for: Access, Accounting, Excel, Outlook with Business Contact Manager, PowerPoint and Word.

Much has been written about Windows Vista and who might deploy when. Office 2007 is another deployment beast, with far greater complexity. The real evaluation isn't the desktop software, but the stuff it connects to. The real benefits and increased acquisition costs will be found on the server. Evaluators will want to look at these other trials, too (server software trials tend to be longer than desktop software):

• Exchange Server 2007

• Forms Server 2007

• Groove Server 2007

• Live Communications Server 2007

• PerformancePoint Server 2007

• Project Server 2007

• Project Portfolio Server 2007

• SharePoint Server 2007

• SharePoint Server 2007 for Search

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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