"Naval Military Press maps on DVD" Topic

Gentlemen
Years ago i bought the DVD OFFICIAL HISTORY OF GREAT WAR – MILITARY OPERATIONS OTHER THEATRES MAPS. a very useful source of ispiration for scenarios ideas. My favourite games ate those small affairs mostly current on sideshow fronts like East Africa ecc…
Unfortunatly this mine of digital maps that i happly purchased also if at a very high price will be totally useless in few time because, as everybody knows, Microsfoft will delete the operating systhem Windows XP. In prevision of that, recently, N&MP has released the same map archive (always very costly) this time compatible with Windows Vista still in use in many PCs…So i asked them an help to use my DVD who will become obsolete..i was expecting, as a customer who already bought, among other books, this licesended product ..to be allowed to substitute his old DVD by the same one with new asysthem access..but i received only a polite but negative answer…
so my question, as i have no experience with that kind of purchases, are: what to do now?…does somebody experienced with a same kind of problem..are they any technical solutions?..usually are they (the Publishers) required to furnish this specific customer care..or the only soution is to spend more than 200 Pounds for the same product?
thanks for your advice

No, legally they're not required to supply you with a replacement format. It's just as when if you buy a hardback book you don't also receive a paperback for free.
The publishers is under no more obligation to supply you with a copy in a new electronic format (or any other format). You bought the format you bought, not all future formats or other possible formats.

Consider also that presumably, even if/when Microsoft stops distributing Windows XP, computers which are currently running XP will continue to be able to do so if the users choose not to upgrade. This means that the DVD formatted for XP will not cease to be usable, but remain usable in the same way it always has been— on the machine and OS you originally bought it for. So you aren't being denied the information; you're merely not able to access it in a different manner than before.

But even if Microsoft actually found some way to invade every XP machine on the planet and scrub the old OS from it, and somehow also melt down all the millions of installation CDs for XP, or even if the company only managed to do this to your machine and your copy of the OS, the publisher still wouldn't owe you a new DVD in a new format, anymore than they would owe you replacement books if your house burned down.

Now, you can try to peruse the license which presumably came with your DVD for a legal loophole, but I doubt you'll find one. Consider also that no hardback book comes with any such nonsense as a "license." The DVD "license" doesn't exist to give you rights to the content. It exists to tell you that you don't actually have any rights or claims on the content. You don't own the information in a hardback book, and you don't own the information on a DVD.

So, if you want a new format, yes, you'll have to pay the company. Yes, that's expensive. But you can also simply maintain an XP machine, and the information will remain available to you just as it has been. And while I agree it might be nice if the publisher provided a less expensive upgrade path to a new format DVD, they aren't under any obligation to do so, legally or ethically. For them it must solely be weighed as a business decision— will the benefits to them outweigh the costs? My guess is no. So again, if you want the convenience of the new format, you'll have to pay for it.

Sorry to be so blunt about it all, but that's the answer.

Why won't it run on Windows 7? Have you tried compatibility mode?

@ITALWARS – I'm not familiar with the DVD, but if they are just PDF or JPG maps, you won't have any problem on Win7. Does the DVD install an actual program on your computer? If you could show us the list of files (using a screenshot or something), it would help.

@Saber6 – XP compatibility mode is only available on 7 Pro and only with a separate download. He might not have it.

If you have the XP install disk, you can set up a virtual machine in your Win7 installation with the XP operating system. It's not even terribly difficult, and there are some very good free virtual machine programs for single users wanting a single additional operating system.

@emckinney – You're absolutely right. It's a little too complicated for most users though.

hello ArmyRGreat and emckinney..you're very kind in trying to help me..i'll ask to a colleague expert on computers to read your messages..i must confess that my software skills are similar to those of zulu reaquired to deal with a laser weapon…
anyway i will try to show the files of the installation programme
thanks so muche for the help

The DVD installs a programme onto the computer. It is not just PDF or JPG files. From memory, I think N&MP are dependent on the providers of this third party software. This is another reason why the upgrade has not been possible across all of their DVD releases over the years. I have given up buying from N&MP in favour of the Linesman series of maps. It uses a different third party provider of the underlying mapping software. With my Mac it is somewhat easier as I can maintain virtual machine copies of the original PC installations (original laptop is no longer useable) with Parallels Desktop. This has enabled me to continue using some of the N&MP products.

The Western Front Association sells maps too. I think their product uses image files for the maps.

You can access quite a wide range of maps for free here:

link

Robert

Many thanks Monk
in fact this particular DVD was very useful for me and other map sources/sellers don't offer Minor Fronts stuff which are my favourite.
i will try to find somebody which will install in my Vista PC this vitual machine program…but having spent about 200€ to buy from N&MP the right to see their reproduced maps and not their installing program software i would have expected more consideration and customer care…best would have been a substitution of my useless DVD with a new one at a substantial discounted price..i think in the future i'll think think twice before buying from them again!