Dell goes direct with Microsoft downloadable software

If you thought Microsoft's partnership with HP in the Laptop Hunters ad series was a notable "outside of the box" relationship, another has shown up today: Microsoft has made its software available as direct downloads through Dell's five-month old online software shop.

This makes Dell the first official non-Microsoft download shop since Redmond opened The Microsoft Store's downloads late last year.

The downloadable versions of Word, Excel, and Outlook are available for about 10%-15% less than MSRP, and because their serials are saved with a user's ID, the software can be re-downloaded at any time for no extra charge. Dell also offers volume licensing through the Microsoft Open License program.

Though Dell may have tried to move past its roots in directly distributed PC hardware, the manufacturer-fronted direct download store is a model that every company seems to have warmed up to.