Bought Office 2008 Beta and now it says it's about to Expire

jimrg...@cox.net

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Nov 13, 2007, 12:56:26 AM11/13/07

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Anyone seen this? And if so, what can I do

Clive Huggan

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Nov 13, 2007, 1:12:56 AM11/13/07

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Hello Jim,

Come on, you're kidding us aren't you?: you say you "*bought* Office 2008
beta"! If you're telling the truth you have been absolutely *conned*.

There has been no public beta release of Office 2008, for sale or otherwise.
Therefore, your copy of a beta MUST have been stolen. It originated,
ultimately, in someone violating the terms of their non-disclosure agreement
with Microsoft. That is rather serious. There may be legal consequences of
acquiring such a copy and you may well feel obliged to report the seller to
Microsoft. I know I would.

You should remove this illegal copy immediately from your computer. Like
the rest of us, you'll be able to buy a legal copy of the released product
early in the new year.

As Bob Jones said in a related post at microsoft.public.mac.office.word,
before you remove the software you should first "re-save any files you've
generated in the Beta's format to one that's compatible with a currently
legitimate version of the programs. Otherwise you may never get into those
files again even if you eventually obtain a legal copy of 2008 when it
ships... It's not unusual for the released product to not support their own
prior beta formats."

[I am not a Microsoft employee.]

Cheers,

Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
(My time zone is 5-11 hours different from North America and Europe, so my
follow-on responses to those regions can be delayed)
============================================================

On 13/11/07 4:56 PM, in article
1194927436.5...@y27g2000pre.googlegroups.com, "jimrg...@cox.net"

CyberTaz

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Nov 13, 2007, 6:48:04 AM11/13/07

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In full support of Clive here, but I wouldn't remove the software just yet
if you *do* (as you most certainly **should**) report the issue to MS - They
may want to retrieve identifying information from the pirated beta.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

On 11/13/07 1:12 AM, in article
C35F8B98.317DD%REMOVETH...@ANDTHISstrategists.com.au, "Clive Huggan"

Jolly Roger

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Nov 13, 2007, 5:26:51 PM11/13/07

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In article <1194927436.5...@y27g2000pre.googlegroups.com>,
jimrg...@cox.net wrote:

> Anyone seen this? And if so, what can I do

Uh-huh... You *bought* a *beta*. Right. If you did, you deserve what
you get, but I'm doubting you bought anything - try again.

--
Note: Please send all responses to the relevant news group. If you
must contact me through e-mail, let me know when you send email to
this address so that your email doesn't get eaten by my SPAM filter.

JR

Jim Gordon MVP

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Nov 13, 2007, 10:41:04 PM11/13/07

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Hi,

As the others have pointed out, if you purchased this software you were
conned. Office 2008 for Mac has not yet been released, so any copies out
there are pirated.

You were encouraged to report the problem to Microsoft, but weren't given
information about how to go about doing so. Here's the information you need
to report the problem software:
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/reporting/default.aspx

If you purchased the software locally you might also wish to contact local
law enforcement, as a crime was committed against you.

-Jim

Quoting from "jimrg...@cox.net" <jimrg...@cox.net>, in article
1194927436.5...@y27g2000pre.googlegroups.com, on [DATE:

> Anyone seen this? And if so, what can I do
>

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP info http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/

Jim Graham

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Nov 14, 2007, 2:10:38 AM11/14/07

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For those who are wondering... You CAN purchase the Beta at this website
which I did do. In the past, Parallels Beta was available for sale also...

The website is: http://fer.cnyoemdv.com/?1B8C740A89C2B0C27F4443A483334E&t0

I have purchased many other MS software titles from this site and they
activate normally.

On 11/13/07 3:26 PM, in article
jollyroger-AF847...@sn-indi.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net, "Jolly

Jolly Roger

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Nov 14, 2007, 3:09:44 AM11/14/07

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In article <C35FED7E.4EA%jimrg...@cox.net>,
Jim Graham <jimrg...@cox.net> wrote:

> On 11/13/07 3:26 PM, in article
> jollyroger-AF847...@sn-indi.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net, "Jolly
> Roger" <jolly...@pobox.com> wrote:
>
> > In article <1194927436.5...@y27g2000pre.googlegroups.com>,
> > jimrg...@cox.net wrote:
> >
> >> Anyone seen this? And if so, what can I do
> >
> > Uh-huh... You *bought* a *beta*. Right. If you did, you deserve what
> > you get, but I'm doubting you bought anything - try again.
>
> For those who are wondering... You CAN purchase the Beta at this website
> which I did do. In the past, Parallels Beta was available for sale also...
>
> The website is: http://fer.cnyoemdv.com/?1B8C740A89C2B0C27F4443A483334E&t0
>
> I have purchased many other MS software titles from this site and they
> activate normally.

You're purchasing illegal pirated software and admitting it in public.
What you've done is illegal and you can be prosecuted. That's not too
bright, if you ask me...

Ben

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Nov 14, 2007, 3:48:40 AM11/14/07

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Jolly Roger wrote:
> In article <C35FED7E.4EA%jimrg...@cox.net>,
> Jim Graham <jimrg...@cox.net> wrote:
>
>> On 11/13/07 3:26 PM, in article
>> jollyroger-AF847...@sn-indi.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net, "Jolly
>> Roger" <jolly...@pobox.com> wrote:
>>
>>> In article <1194927436.5...@y27g2000pre.googlegroups.com>,
>>> jimrg...@cox.net wrote:
>>>
>>>> Anyone seen this? And if so, what can I do
>>> Uh-huh... You *bought* a *beta*. Right. If you did, you deserve what
>>> you get, but I'm doubting you bought anything - try again.
>> For those who are wondering... You CAN purchase the Beta at this website
>> which I did do. In the past, Parallels Beta was available for sale also...
>>
>> The website is: http://fer.cnyoemdv.com/?1B8C740A89C2B0C27F4443A483334E&t0
>>
>> I have purchased many other MS software titles from this site and they
>> activate normally.
>
> You're purchasing illegal pirated software and admitting it in public.
> What you've done is illegal and you can be prosecuted. That's not too
> bright, if you ask me...
>

Also the web site as good as tells you it is pirated, if you look at
their terms and conditions you find the following:

2.3. You cannot register the software with the manufacturer and updates
are available not for all the products;
2.4. You do not receive printed license documentation;
2.5. You do not receive a copy of the software on a disk.
2.6. The Store will assist the Customer with downloading and
installation issues. We will not provide technical support after the
software product is downloaded and installed; neither will it be
available from the manufacturer of the software product.

I think this makes it very clear that this is Warez !!

Also NeoTrace shows the site to be based in China, just across the water
from Hong Kong.

John McGhie

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Nov 14, 2007, 6:03:17 AM11/14/07

to

Hi Jim:

Let's be a little realistic, shall we? You can "pay money to some crook for
a beta version of Microsoft software". That's like buying a stolen camera
in a pub. Paying money for something that is stolen in the first place is
not the same as "buying" it.

When you buy something, you get the legal right to use it.

You have paid money for the right to go to jail :-) As Jolly Rodger said:
not to bright :-)

In this case, I advise anyone who has a copy of Office 2008 to get it off
their machine SOON.

It may APPEAR to "activate normally", but I also know that if you allow it
to do so, you WILL regret it :-)

Surely you are winding us up? Surely you do not actually believe that the
largest software company in the world is going to issue beta versions of
(what may be the next release of) its software in such a condition that they
can be safely cracked? Really?

I cannot understand why anyone who sets out to steal from a company that has
a larger security team than many police forces, thinks it's a good idea to
post announcing the fact, to a server owned by that company! Did I miss a
news report? Has the H5N1 Chicken Flu virus finally mutated to a "Darwin
Virus"? (The Darwin Award is given posthumously to the person who finds the
stupidest way to remove themselves from the gene pool each year...)

Cheers

On 14/11/07 4:40 PM, in article C35FED7E.4EA%jimrg...@cox.net, "Jim
Graham" <jimrg...@cox.net> wrote:

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:jo...@mcghie.name

Jim Graham

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Nov 17, 2007, 12:53:16 AM11/17/07

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John,

I have a strong respect for software companies as I have been a software developer for many years.

Before passing judgment on my previous posts(for the benefit of me and others), review the facts. Keep in mind, I have no benefit to posting other than solving my own issue.

1) MS Office 2008 Beta WAS being sold on the website I posted previously.

2) The website which the software was available currently offers 40 Microsoft titles for sale, many Adobe titles, Macromedia titles, and Google, to name just a few. I'm certain that if the website were not legitimate, MS and Google would have eaten them for lunch a long time ago.

3) Previously, I have purchased copies of MS Windows Vista and have actually spoken directly with MS regarding validation of MS Windows Vista. MS supported my validation issues without issue.

4) I purchased and downloaded MS Office for MAC 2008 and received order confirmation from MICROSOFT, not just the website. While I’m not a fan of paying for a Beta version of a product, I have paid for other Beta products in the past. Below is my actual order confirmation from Microsoft:

***********************************************
Please keep this e-mail for your records.
***********************************************
Microsoft has received your order and it is being processed.

Ordered From : Office for Mac - Holiday Offer
Order Number : XXXXXXXXXX
Order Date : November 9, 2007 6:36:35 PM

To view the current status of your order or to get your order detailsplease visit https://om.one.MICROSOFT.COM/opa/start.ors?StoreId=0c60a865-5a6e-4ec2-b33c-3364ee94629e&LocaleCode=en-us&ReceiptID=3FF9063D-D9E8-4742-8D00-6F9777D1B003

***********************************************
Do not reply to this e-mail. This message was sent to you using an automated system. This e-mail alias is not monitored for replies. If you need help, please contact us through one of the methods described below.
***********************************************
If you have questions about your order you may send inquiries to: offic...@one.microsoft.upgrade.com and allow 24 hrs for a response.

Thank you,
Microsoft

5) Since my original post, I have received excellent support from Microsoft.

6) VISA, Master Card, AMEX, and Discover would have this website shutdown in seconds if the ACT of STEALING software was demonstrated by this website. The site has been operating for at least a year and a half, so if there were issues, there’s no question in my mind that the site is a legitimate business.

7) I did my homework. Do yours before offering defamatory language.

8) I’m not winding anyone up. The fact is, I purchased and received support on a product you believe to be impossible to buy and use legally. I have the proof of the receipt and a legitimate KEY for this Microsoft product.

Instead of making assumptions and accusatory remarks, READ and possibly BELIEVE what one writes. Maybe there are legitimate people in the world who do the RIGHT thing by supporting software, music, and movie companies by purchasing the right to possess and use the products according to the terms of its owner.

All I wanted from my original post was support in a community of MS users which I believe is the essence of this forum. Instead, besides receiving actual MS support, I received YOUR HECKLING over situations you clearly have very little knowledge. You’ve only stultified yourself here, John.

How your Chicken Flu analogy is related to this post or any other post on this MS news server is beyond my comprehension and just demonstrates your complete lack of respect for others’ time and bandwidth.

Cheers

emma...@gmail.com

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Nov 17, 2007, 3:25:56 AM11/17/07

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> visithttps://om.one.MICROSOFT.COM/opa/start.ors?StoreId=0c60a865-5a6e-4ec2...

> 364ee94629e&LocaleCode=en-us&ReceiptID=3FF9063D-D9E8-4742-8D00-6F9777D1B003
>
> ***********************************************
> Do not reply to this e-mail. This message was sent to you using an automated
> system. This e-mail alias is not monitored for replies. If you need help,
> please contact us through one of the methods described below.
> ***********************************************
> If you have questions about your order you may send inquiries to:

> officema...@one.microsoft.upgrade.com and allow 24 hrs for a response.

> On 11/14/07 4:03 AM, in article C3610C0D.B7B0%j...@mcghie.name, "John

>
> McGhie" <j...@mcghie.name> wrote:
> > Hi Jim:
>
> > Let's be a little realistic, shall we? You can "pay money to some crook for
> > a beta version of Microsoft software". That's like buying a stolen camera
> > in a pub. Paying money for something that is stolen in the first place is
> > not the same as "buying" it.
>
> > When you buy something, you get the legal right to use it.
>
> > You have paid money for the right to go to jail :-) As Jolly Rodger said:
> > not to bright :-)
>
> > In this case, I advise anyone who has a copy of Office 2008 to get it off
> > their machine SOON.
>
> > It may APPEAR to "activate normally", but I also know that if you allow it
> > to do so, you WILL regret it :-)
>
> > Surely you are winding us up? Surely you do not actually believe that the
> > largest software company in the world is going to issue beta versions of
> > (what may be the next release of) its software in such a condition that they
> > can be safely cracked? Really?
>
> > I cannot understand why anyone who sets out to steal from a company that has
> > a larger security team than many police forces, thinks it's a good idea to
> > post announcing the fact, to a server owned by that company! Did I miss a
> > news report? Has the H5N1 Chicken Flu virus finally mutated to a "Darwin
> > Virus"? (The Darwin Award is given posthumously to the person who finds the
> > stupidest way to remove themselves from the gene pool each year...)
>
> > Cheers
>

> > On 14/11/07 4:40 PM, in article C35FED7E.4EA%jimrgra...@cox.net, "Jim

> > Graham" <jimrgra...@cox.net> wrote:
>
> >> For those who are wondering... You CAN purchase the Beta at this website
> >> which I did do. In the past, Parallels Beta was available for sale also...
>
> >> The website is: http://fer.cnyoemdv.com/?1B8C740A89C2B0C27F4443A483334E&t0
>
> >> I have purchased many other MS software titles from this site and they
> >> activate normally.
>
> >> On 11/13/07 3:26 PM, in article

> >> jollyroger-AF8470.16265113112...@sn-indi.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net, "Jolly
> >> Roger" <jollyro...@pobox.com> wrote:
>
> >>> In article <1194927436.584476.215...@y27g2000pre.googlegroups.com>,

> >>> jimrgra...@cox.net wrote:
>
> >>>> Anyone seen this? And if so, what can I do
>
> >>> Uh-huh... You *bought* a *beta*. Right. If you did, you deserve what
> >>> you get, but I'm doubting you bought anything - try again.

Hello Jim,
I sent you e-mail from my Microsoft email account earlier this week
informing you that the site was selling illegal software and that the
beta was a limited, invite-only beta which was not available for sale
anywhere. The site has been reported to our anti-piracy team. Your
current copy of the beta is considered illegal. The support you have
received is not from Microsoft. IF we had a public beta, we would have
acknowledged it on our public team blog and on Mactopia, our website.
http://www.microsoft.com/mac. I appreciate your enthusiasm but
unfortunately we cannot support for your current predicament.

-Emma Grant
Macintosh Business Unit
Microsoft Corporation

John McGhie

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Nov 17, 2007, 5:11:28 AM11/17/07

to

Hi Jim:

Well, I guess I better explain why I gave you the Darwin Award...

Notice the post immediately following yours? That's from Emma Grant, who
really does work for Microsoft Corporation, on the team that manufactured
that software.

If you really were a software developer, you would know that NO company EVER
"sells" beta software. To understand why, you would have to talk to a
lawyer, but it's to do with product liability. When you "sell" a product,
you accept liability for it. You cannot do that for a product with known
defects in it.

If you gave money to those people, you gave money to thieves. If I were
you, I would have a quick check of your bank account: chances are quite high
that they went back for the rest of your money :-)

If you are in the habit of paying for beta software, which as a developer
you should know companies actually provide for free to legitimate beta
testers, well...

If you were a developer, you would not fall for a rather crude phishing
scam. Hint: Check the IP address of the originating domain on that "order
confirmation" :-) Microsoft doesn't own that IP address, now do thy? :-)

If you had identified the fact that you were using Office 2008 to someone at
Microsoft, you would have got not support at all. Anyone who actually has
accurate knowledge of Office 2008 is not permitted to discuss it publicly.
That includes Emma, and she's on their staff!

So if you got any support at all, it did not come from Microsoft. In order
to get support from Microsoft, it helps enormously if you first pay ‹
Microsoft ‹ for its products :-)

Credit cards take a percentage of the cash that flows through them. What
makes you think they would be at all interested in stopping that flow by
blowing up one of their "merchants"? Even if it is selling stolen goods...

Oh: That product key you have? It's stolen! And has now been disabled.

You have amply demonstrated that my Chicken Flue analogy was indeed beyond
your comprehension! You did not receive "heckling" from me, you received
rolling-all-over-the-floor DERISION. It's 24 hours since I first saw your
post, and I am still laughing about it, and we're sharing it around on the
internal mailing list. There are now several hundred people laughing at
you!

I am sorry if this has been a rather painful lesson for you. Trust me, it
would not have hurt so much if you hadn't been so arrogant as to persist in
the face of all the warnings you got.

But I am afraid you are completely and indescribably STUPID, and for that
alone, you are a worthy recipient of this year's "Stolen Software Dupe
Darwin Award."

Have a nice day now, y'hear?

On 17/11/07 3:23 PM, in article C363CFDC.ED5%jimrg...@cox.net, "Jim
Graham" <jimrg...@cox.net> wrote:

> John,
>
> I have a strong respect for software companies as I have been a software
> developer for many years.
>
> Before passing judgment on my previous posts(for the benefit of me and
> others), review the facts. Keep in mind, I have no benefit to posting other
> than solving my own issue.
>
> 1) MS Office 2008 Beta WAS being sold on the website I posted previously.
>
> 2) The website which the software was available currently offers 40
> Microsoft titles for sale, many Adobe titles, Macromedia titles, and Google,
> to name just a few. I'm certain that if the website were not legitimate, MS
> and Google would have eaten them for lunch a long time ago.
>
> 3) Previously, I have purchased copies of MS Windows Vista and have
> actually spoken directly with MS regarding validation of MS Windows Vista.
> MS supported my validation issues without issue.
>
> 4) I purchased and downloaded MS Office for MAC 2008 and received order

> confirmation from MICROSOFT, not just the website. While Iąm not a fan of

> issues, thereąs no question in my mind that the site is a legitimate

> business.
>
> 7) I did my homework. Do yours before offering defamatory language.
>

> 8) Iąm not winding anyone up. The fact is, I purchased and received

> support on a product you believe to be impossible to buy and use legally. I
> have the proof of the receipt and a legitimate KEY for this Microsoft
> product.
>
> Instead of making assumptions and accusatory remarks, READ and possibly
> BELIEVE what one writes. Maybe there are legitimate people in the world who
> do the RIGHT thing by supporting software, music, and movie companies by
> purchasing the right to possess and use the products according to the terms
> of its owner.
>
> All I wanted from my original post was support in a community of MS users
> which I believe is the essence of this forum. Instead, besides receiving
> actual MS support, I received YOUR HECKLING over situations you clearly have

> very little knowledge. Youąve only stultified yourself here, John.

>
> How your Chicken Flu analogy is related to this post or any other post on
> this MS news server is beyond my comprehension and just demonstrates your

> complete lack of respect for othersą time and bandwidth.

--

Jolly Roger

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Nov 17, 2007, 10:33:16 AM11/17/07

to

In article <C363CFDC.ED5%jimrg...@cox.net>,
Jim Graham <jimrg...@cox.net> wrote:

> I have a strong respect for software companies as I have been a software
> developer for many years.

So stealing is something you do out of *respect* now? Man that's rich!

CyberTaz

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Nov 17, 2007, 10:43:26 AM11/17/07

to

Just for grins I went to the site from which you claim to have legally
purchased the Office:Mac 2008 Beta. I ran approximately a dozen searches
using various permutations of "2008", "Mac", "office", & "beta" as well as a
search there and with Google for "Office for Mac - Holiday Offer". I also
visually scanned that site's list of Mac software items as well as their
list of product from MS.

The site in question produce *0* hits for any type of MS product for the Mac
- beta or otherwise. The Software lists included no Mac titles for MS
whatsoever. The show no such "Holiday Offer", nor did the Google search
produce any relevant hits.

Additionally, if MS has been so supportive of your purchase ( 5) Since my
original post, I have received excellent support from Microsoft.) *why*
would you feel the need to post to the group about the expiration notice?
Why not inquire directly of MS or to the vendor you so highly regard?

At any rate, there is nobody with legitimate knowledge who will offer any
support on the beta product.

Good Luck |:>)

Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

On 11/17/07 12:53 AM, in article C363CFDC.ED5%jimrg...@cox.net, "Jim
Graham" <jimrg...@cox.net> wrote: