Microsoft Word non-commercial use

[scnj]

Okay, nobody seems to know the answer to this, and Google's been no help at all, so I'm turning to you guys. I've got the Home edition of Office 2007 and in the title bar for Word it says 'non-commercial use'.

My question is, if I write a novel using this package and get it published, is that illegal?

 

[Titanguy654]

Well, a lawyer will tell you that everything is illegal. However, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

 

[teisjm]

I think it means that it's not for companies to use, but i'm in no way sure.

 

[fletch_talon]

I wouldn't worry, even if it is. When you're finished just copy and paste the content into a word processor that does allow commercial use. Problem solved.

 

[scnj]

Alright, thanks everyone. I didn't think there'd be too much of a problem, but I figured it would be better to check.

 

[Merteg]

Your planning on getting a novel published?

Do tell.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

Okay, nobody seems to know the answer to this, and Google's been no help at all, so I'm turning to you guys. I've got the Home edition of Office 2007 and in the title bar for Word it says 'non-commercial use'.

My question is, if I write a novel using this package and get it published, is that illegal?

as far as i understand the issue of "non-commercial use" you would fall under "non-commercial" if you wrote a novel

however if you want to be guilt free and use a program that will allow you to write a novel no questions ask, i'll say use open office

http://openoffice.org

it's free as in speech and beer

 

[shadowstriker86]

tehparadox.com everything you could possibly want on that site....well almost everything anyway...

 

[LooK iTz Jinjo]

"non-commercial" refers to businesses using it and what not. No it's not a problem if by some amazing minute chance you are one of 2 people who get published each year.

 

[megapenguinx]

Well since I doubt you are a corporation, you should be just fine. It basically means that you can't use it in a business setting. Writing a novel falls outside the range where if you were using it at work to write a memo or stockpile reports that would be illegal (technically of course).

 

[lenin_117]

Well since I doubt you are a corporation, you should be just fine. SNIP .

Thats what they want you to think! He IS a corporation, I can feel it in my waters!

 

[scnj]

Well since I doubt you are a corporation, you should be just fine. SNIP .

Thats what they want you to think! He IS a corporation, I can feel it in my waters!

No! My evil plan has been revealed to all! Damn you Lenin! Damn yooooooooou!

 

[scnj]

Your planning on getting a novel published?

Do tell.

Um. Sort of, I guess. I write as more of a hobby than anything else and I'm working on an original sci-fi novel, a Star Wars fanfic and a Fallout horror fanfic. I mainly do it for enjoyment, but if I finish the original novel, I might look into getting it published.

 

[Symp4thy]

I'm no lawyer, but it may also mean you can't charge other people to use it.

 

[Kiutu]

Unless you have the toolbar from it in the novel, it should not be illegal. Also do not put "Made in Microsoft Word" on bottom.

 

[JemJar]

Okay, nobody seems to know the answer to this, and Google's been no help at all, so I'm turning to you guys. I've got the Home edition of Office 2007 and in the title bar for Word it says 'non-commercial use'.

My question is, if I write a novel using this package and get it published, is that illegal?

Icon love. The world needs more Megabyte.

 

[eggcarrier]

It just means that the program itself is not to be used in a production enviroment. The same is true of other programs too, for instance we have Photoshop CS2 on one of our Macs which was for educational use. We also have a bunch of IT software for educational use on our PC.

Where this comes in is if you were to say use the serial code for the disc you got to image the program over a business network that would be considered commercial use, and that would violate the terms of use for the program. You see, it's more to do with the context of the program than what is actually being written on it.

Since you're only using the home edition to write something from home, it doesn't matter if you're using the commercial or non-commercial version or not.

If you were a high time writer who makes their living sitting around in a cushy office frantically writing your next big hit for Large Publishing Buracracy X, then you might be falling into the proper definition, but by then, hopefully you wouldn't be paying for your own MS Office Suite.

Anyway hope that helps abit.

 

[shanedurgee]

I just noticed the "non-commercial use" in the title bar of my novel as well. It's fine because my novel is already being published, but I had a little fear that the non-commercial use thing might show up in the documents I send out and therefore look highly unprofessional or something.

I don't think that's the case. I think if someone opens your document with a commercial version of Word, that it will no longer have the "non-commercial use" tag. That is, it has to do with the version of word you're using to view the document, not the document itself. Not %100 sure about that though.

Good luck with the book.

 

[Nuke_em_05]

I think some people have a mis-conception about "commercial use". Commercial use is production for profit. You don't have to be a corporation. If you publish it, for monies, it is commercial use.

In the Adobe comparison someone brought up; I could buy a copy of student edition Premiere, I could use it in a class learning it, or make my own home videos that I wouldn't be selling or anything like that. I could use it to edit my wedding video or a friend's wedding video. As soon as I have used it to edit someone's wedding video, and they pay me to do it, it has become commercial use and I have broken the ToS/EULA/Faustian Deal.

Will anyone catch you for it? I doubt it since it doesn't watermark documents like that... as far as I know. Also, any profit you'd make on a novel is beans to Microsoft and not worth the cost of lawyers. However, you are still technically using it for commerce.

EDIT: What Microsoft has to say (Googled: non-commercial use office)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937676