Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2003 "Military Appreciation Edition" (what the...?)

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tiraides

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Yesterday afternoon, I found a stand full of copies of Office 2003 Standard Edition labeled as "Military Appreciation Edition" at the Ft. Gordon (GA) PX. (For those that don't know, the PX -- or BX on Air Force Bases -- is the military equivalent to Wal-Mart: a store that sells just about everything.) The price for this "Military Appreciation Edition" was $59.95 -- and since I bought it on post, tax-free. Thinking that this was too good to be true, I tried asking a sales clerk if the Office MAE was a standalone or update version -- I confused her so much that I had to show her the MAE box and a box of the Std. Upgrade version to help her understand my question better. (There was another custormer, a self-proclaimed "computer expert," who was so confused with my question that he thought I asked if I could use the Office MAE to update Windows XP....)

Long story short: Has anyone here heard of a "Military Appreciation Edition" of Microsoft Office? And is it a full version of the Standard Edition software or an upgrade?

I tried going online and searching for information about the MAE (specifically, as compared to just Office in general), but my search results came back empty. I also tried Microsoft's website but it didn't mention anything about the MAE. My search at AAFES, the military's online store for the PX/BX, came up empty as well. And nobody that I know knew anything about a "Military Appreciation Edition."

I was going to "experiment" by uninstalling Office on my laptop and reinstalling it using the MAE version, but I had too much work to do (and I didn't want to do it after uninstalling, reinstalling, and then patching Office again, which would have taken a few hours). I bought two copies (I'd figured that, at that price, the MAE would have been sold out by Friday), and I opened one of them up for a comparison with a retail version of Office SE that I purchased earlier. (I'll post pictures sometime this weekend....)

What I found so far was amazing: taken out of the box, the MAE disc and case looked the same as any other SE disc and case. I popped both discs into my laptop and each disc ran the same setup routine (which should be the same, considering that I haven't uninstalled Office yet...). I'll still have to do the dry run (if I could only remember which access key went with which version...), but so far I think that it may be an acutal version of Office Standard Edition at a (heavily) reduced price.

So, does anybody know anything about this "Military Appreciation Edition?" Like I said before, it sounded too good to be true... but so far, I think it is. I'll probably try the "experiment" sometime this weekend, but does anyone know anything that could help me out?
 
While I have not heard of an "MAE" edition, I would surmise it is possible the only real "change" is the packaging and the price.

But if your really concerned if it is a valid copy, then you can call MS software piracy line at 1-800-RULEGIT and ask them.
 
I'll save that as a last resort... chances are, my "experiment" will determine whether it's an upgrade or standalone version. (I don't think that either AAFES or Microsoft would allow invalid copies to go on sale at military BX/PXes... but I may call that number to be sure.)

On a side note, I went to the PX earlier today and there was no stand visible and no copies of Office MAE available. I guess they all sold out by now....
 
Hey all !

I just came across the same deal at the NEX (Navy Exchange) today. Picked one up for $59.99 on an unadvertised Special. I googled the NAE offer and only came up with two hits.... This great site and the other was on eBay that went for $127 bucks.

I don't need to install it as both my machines have Office XP Pro but I plan on building a new machine by the end of the year.

Two great finds in one day. Office 2003 Standard Edition and this Web site.
 
Probably the same as the Student and Teacher Edition: Same software, new box, lower price. But who cares? Wish I could get in on that deal!
 
We supply fresh herbs to commissaries, and this past summer we went on a trip around the central and southern U.S. setting up displays for our product at a number of bases. The prices there make me wish I could buy stuff there. :D
 
General Crespin said:
We supply fresh herbs to commissaries, and this past summer we went on a trip around the central and southern U.S. setting up displays for our product at a number of bases. The prices there make me wish I could buy stuff there. :D
Particularly when the base is overseas -- they sell to the GIs at a price that's low for the US, but incredible for the local economy.

Anyway: it's a legitimate copy of Microsoft Standard Edition 2003. It's not an upgrade. It's only to be used in a household where someone lives who has a millitary ID.
 
lol, microsoft has so many different editions of office, i have no clue where to begin. At least they have the millitary ppl on mind when repackaging this version of office 2003
 
For those of you who bought the Microsoft Office Standard 2003 MAE and have found this out I apologize for not being able to buy my copy sooner and get this out. For those of you thinking about buying this edition of Office, I want to make sure I let you know what you are getting into:

The MAE of Office 2003 Standard is actually a differently packaged version of the Students and Teachers Edition. These are the main differences between Standard and Students and Teachers:

1.) The Students and Teachers Edition can be installed and activated on 3 computers.
2.) When the next version of Office comes out, this is NOT a qualifying product for an upgrade to the next version of Office.

I understand that the packaging says Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2003 but it is not until you install it that you discover it is the Students and Teachers Edition. I hope I have been able to clear some questions about this product. If someone has found any different results than I did, please let me know. Thanks.
 
I finally finished my "experiment" -- I decided to install it onto a new computer instead (during my business trip no less :rolleyes: ) -- and it's exactly what BlkTiger said it is: a rebadged version of the Student & Teacher Edition. (I checked out the EULA for the MAE/S&T Edition and compared it to the EULA to my retail version....) If I can find my camera, I'll post pictures of the packaging sometime soon so everyone could see what I was rambling about during the past few weeks.

Unfortunately, since I've started this thread, I've seen no new stands with the MAE out. I've been to a couple of other bases (including the one near where I'm taking my business trip at) and found nothing as well... maybe it was a (very) limited-time offer...? :confused:
 
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