Is there any way around having to connect to the Internet

Hiya,

My partner's parents have just purchased a Compaq laptop with Windows 7 and a trial version of Microsoft Office. They are in their 80's, so didn't want to connect to the Internet rightaway, until they had got the hang of other programmes. However, in order to enact the trial version of Word, you have to go on the Internet to get a product key.

I have Internet via a dongle and I know that, when I arranged my Internet provider, they also did something to my computer to accept the Internet connection, but could I put my dongle into their computer, use my Hotmail address to get a product key, put it in and then disconnect, or do they have to be connected every time to be able to use Word?

They were hoping to use the computer like a glorified typewriter to begin with and then progress to using the Internet.

Compused

I would say that you'd be able to just connect that once, get the key, and then use it without the key. Otherwise no one would be able to use their trial version of Word if they were having connectivity issues.