We're coming up on the deadline to order Microsoft's Office Ultimate for $60. The software includes all the usual Office programs -- Word, Excel, Outlook--plus PowerPoint, Groove, OneNote, and InfoPath. The deal is supposed to be only for students, but as the New York Times pointed out what Microsoft really requires is an email address that ends in .edu.

The Times called the deal a 91% off sale, counting a list price of $679. But who pays list anymore? Ultimate is on sale on Amazon for $400. Still, that's a pretty big sale -- 85% off. And it's certainly cheaper than just the regular version of Home office you may be buying with a new computer.

The question is: Are you a student or can you pass as one? The Times noted that anybody can probably get an .edu address from their college as an alumni. Now Microsoft has this condition that they can check up on you and if they catch you not being a student you have to pay full price, $679. Is this whole thing a ploy to get somebody to actually pay full price? Or is Microsoft not going to check? All they want is for you to be taking half a credit.

If Microsoft comes hounding you for $610, I'd have to wonder if you could just sign up for a community college gym class. Might be the smartest option.

In 1994, when I was 24 and living in Los Angeles, there was a serious earthquake. I'd been a resident for two years by then, so it wasn't exactly my first quake. But at 6.7 on the Richter Scale, it was definitely my most serious.

Known now as the Northridge quake, 57 people died, 12,000 residents were injured, buildings collapsed, cars were crushed, the electricity died across the city, and there was, quite literally, panic in the rubble-filled streets. Many businesses shut down for a day or two, and when it was all said and done, there was an estimated $12.5 billion in damage. The whole thing lasted approximately 20 seconds.

So it's wonderful to hear about an earthquake-sensing project that's in the making, that many people with a personal computer -- at least a new one -- will eventually be able to participate in. Elizabeth Cochran, a seismologist at University of California Riverside, came up with the idea in 2006, but according to a recent press release just issued by the University of California, the "Quake-Catcher Network" will be publicly released, tentatively this summer.

If you're in the market for anti-virus software, Norton anti-virus is available in a "grabber" offer right now at Buy.com . The software is the 2008 version of the popular Norton anti-virus application which regularly retails in the area of $59. Shipping is free but supplies are limited. As usual, be certain to read all the fine print before you buy.

Buy.com is offering two companion rebates on this product. The first is an "outright purchase rebate", available just for buying the product. The second rebate is called a "competitive / upgrade rebate" for previous users of Norton products and you'll want to check out the details which may apply. Remember, rebates are sales tools used to create and stimulate consumer interest. Companies win when you don't follow through on rebate redemption, so sometimes they make it tricky for you to claim your rebate. It appears that the rebates in this offer will come in the form of a Visa debit card rather than a check.

Consumer reviews on this product are generally positive, with an average product rating of 4.5 out of 5 points. However, reviewers seem to indicate that the software will not accommodate operating systems older than Windows 2000. There are also hints that the software may not be real friendly with Windows Vista either. Overall, the comments I reviewed were quite positive and people who needed additional customer service were generally satisfied with that experience.

I use a lot of software, some of which costs a lot of money, yet doesn't work they way I wish. (Yes, I'm dissing you, Microsoft). I'm delighted when I find a program that does just what I need, and for free. One that I use constantly is the excellent WordWeb.

Wordweb is a dictionary/thesaurus that you can download to your PC so that, even when offline, you can pull up definitions and synonyms with a single ctl-right-click. I've found Wordweb's lexicon broader and better defined than what is included with Microsoft Word, and quicker to access.

Best of all, Wordweb is a free download for most of us, thanks to the largess of its designer, Antony Lewis. An expanded version, Wordweb Pro, for $29 offers more words, pronunciations, and a more polished wild-card utilizing search function. Both versions are free of spyware and other annoying crap.

A caveat- One unusual feature of Wordweb is that Lewis requires anyone that takes more than two commercial air flights per year to upgrade to Wordweb Pro. This is his way of raising awareness of the environmental costs of such travel, and asking for money from those who can presumably afford it ,while keeping it free for those who can't.