Subject: INFO: Getting the Office 97 Developer Editions Tools now that Office 2000 is out
(Originally posted 11/22/99)

After many people have complained about the difficulty in obtaining the ODE 97, I thought it would be useful to post this. The problem is that Microsoft allows vendors and distributors to return the old version software when the new version comes out. But they still have a procedure for obtaining the old version. Here is the full procedure:

1. Purchase the Microsoft Office Developer Edition for 2000 (MOD 2000). You cannot get around this step, sorry. :-(
2. Call MS Sales Desk: 1-800-360-7561 in the US, or call your local Microsoft subsidiary if you are outside the US (obviously the next few steps might change a little, too).
3. Select menu choice #1 ("to purchace replacement disks or suplements")
4. Select menu choce #1 ("talk to a representative")
5. Request the "Office 97 Developer's Edition downgrade"
6. The rep will ask you for the product number from you O2k DevEdition

The total reported price for the ODE 97 was $20.58 (USD). And Scott Hughes reported receiving it in just over a week from step #2, above.

Special thanks to Steve Young and Scott Hughes for blazing the trail for this procedure in the comp.databases.ms-access newsgroup!

UPDATE 12/14/1999: Because you may only need to use the Jet Synchronizer, the above steps are not really an ideal solution for all people. Because of this, the Jet Synchronizer files are now included as a part of the TSI Synchronizer download for the Jet 3.5 version. See the TSI Synchronizer download page for details!

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