Peace Mr. Meehan. I don't care what the newspapers say, I'm not the guy who stole your lollipop!
Well, it looks like somebody went back to an earlier post and discovered that I purchased the subject CD from Mark at Adir Bentley Publishers - EVA2 VW GTI, Golf, Jetta, Service Manual: 1985-1992 Electronic Edition ISBN 0-8376-0759-0 W42 CD-ROM VW A2 92.03
Okay, pop quiz folks. Where in this information can the distributor or consumer determine that this is an obsolete product that will no longer work on current operating systems? Is that Mr. Meehan with his hand up in the back row? Great answer! YOU CAN'T!
Now, since I ponied up the big bucks for this fine product, I was the guy that got to open the outer cardboard wrapping. No turning back now. Inside was the familiar shrink-wrapped jewel case with the obligatory product information. Still no indication that it wouldn't run on my system, so I broke the plastic seal and loaded it up on my computer. Well, you all know by now what happened next...
I believe someone asked, "how could Bentley be expected to notify all the first-, second-, and third-party distributors out there that they may be offering a product as new that no longer runs on current computers?" The answer is they don't have to. The consumers that eventually purchase the product and find out it doesn't work will come to them. Like I did. And what should Bentley do? They should let the customer keep the friggin useless 10 cent obsolete CD (after verifying the serial number), and send them an equivalent replacement product. Or offer a downloadable patch. Or agree to reimburse the dealer who originally sold it so he doesn't have to take it in the shorts for refunding the customer's money. Or refund the customer's purchase price directly.
But instead, they want me to pay postage to send the obsolete CD that I just paid $82 back to them with a letter "requesting" replacement, and then wait patiently and quietly until a micro-fiche based Version 2 CD WITHOUT WIRING DIAGRAMS is sent back to me at their leisure. Or even better, I can opt for the print version of manual and eat the CD premium that I already paid.
No way folks. I don't want Mark at Adirondack to have to eat his cost for this "open" CD if he refunds my money. He's already out the time it's taking him to deal with the issue. And I'm out both time and money. Bentley screwed up on this one when they originally distributed this product and they need to settle up. Plus a little extra for my trouble. I'm holding out for the Version 2 CD (without wiring diagrams) plus the latest print version (so I have access to the wiring diagrams). As far as I'm concerned, this is the only equitable exchange.