Office Select Licenses - use at Home by Staff

[spc-rocket]

Hello All,

Apologies in advance if this is already covered in another thread (i have tried searching but couldn't find the right info).

I want to know if its possible to give staff a copy of our Office CD with our (school's) license so they could install on their home PC. We don't use Schools agreement as we opted for select licensing model.

I've been look at the microsoft site regarding this info and it appears that you can but just wanted to know if any of your come across this situation?

http://www.microsoft.com/uk/educatio...ng/buying.mspx

Look under the "software for staff" section.


Ash.

[Sylv3r]

The only problem you might have with this is that the staff could then possibly pass onto to all of their friends and family and they then may pass it on to their friends and family and it could get out of hand.

Depening on keen you and the member of staff are and depending on how much free time you can afford but it may be best if the staff were to bring their computer / laptop into school and for you to install it on their behalf.

[bossman]

Give a copy of the schools disk from our Microsoft agreement to a teacher to install themselves at home!!!!
you must be out of your mind!

I will if they bring their computer in from home install it for them and then when they leave the school uninstall it for them.

[spc-rocket]

Hi all,

Yes the install will take place in Network Services (our dept.) i wasn't thinking of giving the CD away, but just wanted to make sure we are okay to do this.

Ash.

[reggiep]

If you do install it on their machines then you are breaking the agreement.
Well that's my understanding.
We have to get the staff to buy the schools agreement disc @ £15 a pop. They don't like it but it's that or nothing.

I did look into this at great detail as one of the School union reps was on my back about it.

[Geoff]

BTW, installing it for them doesn't get you anywhere. There's no reason why they can't run a key recovery program to grab the Office key out of the registry once it's installed. Combined with a bittorrent client to get a copy of the media, this gets them everything you didn't let them have.

Of course they can just dump the contents of your office administrative network install point to flash disk/DVDR and that gets them it too.

[spc-rocket]

If you do install it on their machines then you are breaking the agreement.
Well that's my understanding.
We have to get the staff to buy the schools agreement disc @ £15 a pop. They don't like it but it's that or nothing.

I did look into this at great detail as one of the School union reps was on my back about it.

Breaking the agreement in what way, i have read the select licensing information on their site - the education section so it looks okay in my opinion. I'll ring the big MS to confirm it though.

Ash.

[DMcCoy]

Breaking the agreement in what way, i have read the select licensing information on their site - the education section so it looks okay in my opinion. I'll ring the big MS to confirm it though.

Ash.

Perhaps this is relevant 'Work at Home Rights' for Microsoft Campus Software - Computing Services - University of Liverpool

I've not found the original MS docs yet, there are so many to check

[DMcCoy]

http://www.microsoft.com/Education/StudentMedia.mspx

[spc-rocket]

From Ms site

Open License for Academic and Select License for Academic Work at Home licenses
For each copy of Microsoft Office you license, the primary user of the computer on or from which the product is run may also run a second copy from either a laptop or desktop computer that he or she owns or leases. The software may be used only for work-related purposes and only during the term of the agreement (including any renewals). These Work at Home licenses do not apply to students unless the student is also an employee.

http://www.microsoft.com/Education/WorkHome.mspx

Above refers to USA and canada, Below one is for UK


Software for Staff

Work at Home Rights

Education institutions that have acquired licences through Microsoft Academic Volume Licensing programs may grant their faculty and staff the right to use a second copy of a limited selection of products on either a home or portable computer for work-related purposes.
The following is an overview of the Work At Home rights available through each of our academic volume licensing programmes.

Buying for Staff and Students - Education - Microsoft UK

Ash.

[GrumbleDook]

When looking at work at home rights you need to be careful of several things.

Firstly, that you take adequate precautions to show that the licence being used is not being used for a greater number than you are licenced for. The simplest way of looking at this is for each staff laptop you allow the same member of staff to have it in a 'home' machine.

Secondly, that you take reasonable precautions to tell staff that they must uninstall software upon leaving the school. This needs to be part of a signed contract to protect yourselves.

Thirdly, where possible you need to make sure that the software has only been installed on the correct machine. This may mean that school staff perform the installation. The school may choose to make a charge of this. (I bet that it would not be free under BSF!)

Finally ... do not give out original media and original licence documentation. It is possible to build an administrative install with all the relevant information included in the package (serial number, name, company, etc). Whilst this does bundle the whole system into an easily transferable package it also limits the licence code being easily transferred to those not entitled to install or use the software.

Ensure that your supplier is aware that you are using the work at home rights to make sure that the agreement you have with them is not a very specific variation of the various agreements (eg Microsoft Academies that have the Schools Agreement, for those using the SSAT Select Agreement from Ramesys, LA contracts) which may have slightly difference terms. As far as I am aware there should be no issue ... but from word of mouth I have heard a few LAs trying to blag it.

[Geoff]

it also limits the licence code being easily transferred to those not entitled to install or use the software.

No it doesn't, the license key is stored in plain text in an inf file.

[spc-rocket]

When looking at work at home rights you need to be careful of several things.

Firstly, that you take adequate precautions to show that the licence being used is not being used for a greater number than you are licenced for. The simplest way of looking at this is for each staff laptop you allow the same member of staff to have it in a 'home' machine.

Secondly, that you take reasonable precautions to tell staff that they must uninstall software upon leaving the school. This needs to be part of a signed contract to protect yourselves.

Thirdly, where possible you need to make sure that the software has only been installed on the correct machine. This may mean that school staff perform the installation. The school may choose to make a charge of this. (I bet that it would not be free under BSF!)

Finally ... do not give out original media and original licence documentation. It is possible to build an administrative install with all the relevant information included in the package (serial number, name, company, etc). Whilst this does bundle the whole system into an easily transferable package it also limits the licence code being easily transferred to those not entitled to install or use the software.

Ensure that your supplier is aware that you are using the work at home rights to make sure that the agreement you have with them is not a very specific variation of the various agreements (eg Microsoft Academies that have the Schools Agreement, for those using the SSAT Select Agreement from Ramesys, LA contracts) which may have slightly difference terms. As far as I am aware there should be no issue ... but from word of mouth I have heard a few LAs trying to blag it.

The installation is peformed by the technicians at school where staff bring in their own PC base unit.

The serial number and name of staff is then taken during the installation for audit purposes.

We haven't had many requests yet but if the staff are asking for this then we will install it, we don't advertise this "facility".

Ash.

[Mr.Ben]

This is a really hard part of academic licensing to understand, as even Microsoft's own 'example' contract is quite ambiguous.

I mean, how am I going to know if A.N.Other teacher is using publisher for his local bridge club newspaper.

I settled on this system - Disks are loaned, to be retured within a couple of days otherwise a letter will be sent from myself and the head of IT (and a system for dealing with problems). I only have 3 disks available, so Staff who don't bring the disk back in a reasonable time are also haranged by the next member of Staff.

Staff have to sign an agreement detailing all of the requirements for the install. (Including a big NO TECHNICAL SUPPORT FROM THE SCHOOL!) - It's just a modified version of the Microsoft one.

I record who has had the disk.

On leaving, Staff are made to sign a letter confirming that they have uninstalled the product.

The install is completely automated, with the user only able to select the components that are installed.

To be honest, the licence key can be found in various ways and is quite unprotected if a user REALLY wants to find it.

Basically I found that a lot of paperwork is required to protect myself and my employer.

[mac_shinobi]

We only install microsoft office on staff laptops that are issued out to members of staff who have to sign an agreement / loans form. If it is there own machine then we just advise them to use open office unless its on os x then neo office which is basically a port of open office to os x.

Easier and most people come back and thank us as open office is what they prefer to use now as its a lot better with recovering of documents and numerous other things.



Saves on the frustration of licenses and trying to make sure that the correct amount of licenses are being used.