Pocketmags withdraw Windows 7 and 8.0 Support

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I ahve been in communication with MTM colleagues already this morning.

Please be assured they are looking into this.

One problem is that, as usual, it is not clear exactly what problems people are having.

Several people are saying they can't access already downloaded issues, but I am noit sure what triggered the problem? is it because people have updated their reader and lost access, or because they are migrating from oner machine to another? Or something else?

Neil

[SteambuffParticipant @steambuff]

Neil

In my case, I did nothing, one weeked it worked the next week it did not.

The only change was that Windows 7 had loaded the latest security update, so I assume that this broke it.

The issue seen is that when the offline reader loads instead of seeing the covers of the magazines I just see a grey screen, with the usual dropdowns at the top.

Thanks for looking into this.

Dave

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Neil, the old reader on W7, Vista etc machines no longer works (Assume not supported and updated to make it work with latest windows updates) so can't be used to view mags that have been downloaded over thet last 4 years.

Anyone wanting to view offline will now need W8.1 or W10 and have to download all the mags again.

 

Edited By JasonB on 05/06/2017 09:24:27

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I don't use the 'Windows Store' but I've just had a look:

**LINK**

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/store/p/pocketmags/9wzdncrdnq5b

Under "System Requirements" the Minimum OS is given as:

Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 Mobile, Windows Phone 8.1

Presumably, therefore, Windows 7 users attempting to update the App will see an error message about compatibility.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: Jason beat me to it

 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 05/06/2017 09:25:28

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 05/06/2017 09:22:56:

Presumably, therefore, Windows 7 users attempting to update the App will see an error message about compatibility.

MichaelG.

Not Quite, It is when W7 users go to use their existing app that it won't work as it is no longer supported they won't get any updates.

Only cure seems to be to load the new app on W8.1 or W10 and to download each mag individually.

I did e-mail PM Help yesterday morning to ask if there was a quick way to select them all to download but not heard back yet. Also noticed that they do not sort themselves into date order when downloaded so have queried that too.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by JasonB on 05/06/2017 09:28:24:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 05/06/2017 09:22:56:

Presumably, therefore, Windows 7 users attempting to update the App will see an error message about compatibility.

MichaelG.

Not Quite, It is when W7 users go to use their existing app that it won't work as it is no longer supported they won't get any updates.

.

Ahh … I made that assumption because when I looked at the Windows Store App page on my iPad it came up with the helpful message: "This app does not work on your device."

MichaelG.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Probably as there is no offline reader available for Macs. This is something I think should be made clear on the MTM subs page.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by JasonB on 05/06/2017 09:40:39:

Probably as there is no offline reader available for Macs. This is something I think should be made clear on the MTM subs page.

.

Sorry, Jason … I think we have our lines crossed [it's that dodgy telegraph pole of mine]

What I was trying to say was that Windows 7 users, attempting to update their App, might see a 'does not work on your OS' message.

Does the Windows Store push notifications about App updates ? … I don't know.

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by JasonB on 05/06/2017 09:40:39:

Probably as there is no offline reader available for Macs.

.

Really ??

There is certainly one for iOS devices

**LINK**

Pocketmags – Your favourite digital magazines by MagazineCloner.com Limited
https://appsto.re/gb/jggSA.i

… I will check the Mac App Store later

MichaelG.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Yes it's that dodgy pole of yours. I did click Neils link yesterday on my PC and got the message that it would not work on my (Vista) macine.

I did notice yesterday that it says no offline reader for mac, see here can probably use the reader online though

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by JasonB on 05/06/2017 10:20:29:

I did notice yesterday that it says no offline reader for mac, see here

.

Thanks, Jason … I hadn't seen that.

Seems odd

MichaelG.

[VicParticipant @vic]

When I had a subscription I was able to save the pages I wanted as PDF. Can you still do this. I use a Mac which has PDF build into the operating system so maybe it's different for Windows?

The pocket mags site isn't very helpful but suggests you can use flash to view on older PC's?

[John FlackParticipant @johnflack59079]

Reading clause 7 mentioned above……….why would anybody purchase a service that can cease or be withdrawn or modified without notice. Does such a clause pass the legal definition of 'reasonable?' There's me thinking only a Government could get elected on a promise of 'triple lock' and net migration reduced to 100.000 and fail to deliver on both,

Edited By John Flack on 05/06/2017 12:39:43

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by John Flack on 05/06/2017 11:37:12:

Reading clause 7 mentioned above……….why would anybody purchase a service that can cease or be withdrawn or modified without notice. Does such a clause pass the legal definition of 'reasonable?'

.

In the context of the nature of the service, John, very probably.

Might one infer that you wish to read your eMags whilst travelling upon the Clapham Omnibus ?

MichaelG.

.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_man_on_the_Clapham_omnibus

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 05/06/2017 12:33:55

[John FlackParticipant @johnflack59079]

Mr Gilligan…. If said clause is reasonable….I am nowhere near Clapham or even on an omnibus…….but on the other hand I have passed a few exams around this subject. I am now of an age where knowing the answers is not of much value as nobody asks me the questions

To prove I followed your link, i do not remember horse buses, but was reminded that as a child the 35 bus route in N London required the use of an exterior staircase to the upper deck, this at a time DO NOT SPIT was an essential request of passengers. Times (and clauses!)change??????????

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Posted by John Flack on 05/06/2017 13:06:16:

Mr Gilligan…. If said clause is reasonable….I am nowhere near Clapham or even on an omnibus…….but on the other hand I have passed a few exams around this subject. I am now of an age where knowing the answers is not of much value as nobody asks me the questions

To prove I followed your link, i do not remember horse buses, but was reminded that as a child the 35 bus route in N London required the use of an exterior staircase to the upper deck, this at a time DO NOT SPIT was an essential request of passengers. Times (and clauses!)change??????????

My abiding memory of busses in Paris in the '60s was the 'defense de cracher' sign. Although as keen schoolboys we knew whet it really meant, the injunction to the driver not to crash caused much amusement.

[VicParticipant @vic]

I've just had a quick look and apparently you can save many magazines as PDF using Windows. Too much of a chore for back issues but I'd suggest anyone with a digital subscription to convert any new issues they get to PDF as soon as they get them and save the file.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by John Flack on 05/06/2017 13:06:16:

Mr Gilligan…. If said clause is reasonable….I am nowhere near Clapham or even on an omnibus…….but on the other hand I have passed a few exams around this subject. I am now of an age where knowing the answers is not of much value as nobody asks me the questions

To prove I followed your link, i do not remember horse buses, but was reminded that as a child the 35 bus route in N London required the use of an exterior staircase to the upper deck, this at a time DO NOT SPIT was an essential request of passengers. Times (and clauses!)change??????????

.

Mr Flack, Sir

First; apologies for my previous informality [but do please feel free to call me Michael]

Second; Yes, I still think the clause would be considered reasonable [*]

Third; my reference to the Clapham Omnibus was just a bit of fun [as you are presumably aware; it is more relevant to reasonable actions, rather than reasonable contract terms]

MichaelG.

.

[*] Consumer legislation is a minefield though

**LINK**

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Rights_Act_2015

My contractual work was 'Business to Business'

… where both parties [are presumed to] understand what they are agreeing-upon !!

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

Posted by Vic on 05/06/2017 13:40:31:

I've just had a quick look and apparently you can save many magazines as PDF using Windows. Too much of a chore for back issues but I'd suggest anyone with a digital subscription to convert any new issues they get to PDF as soon as they get them and save the file.

Vic, I am not entirely sure that you can. At least not from the Windows version of the PocketMags app. I spent ages looking for a button, menu or similar. You can save a single page from the MTM archives as a PDF but not any way I have found from PocketMags. The data for the PocketMags app is stored on your device as a series of .BIN files (normally that file type is a database or program file), one for each page of each issue. The reader app reassembles them into an on-screen image. The stored file is not just a re-named PDF or JPG file definitely a proprietry format.

Would be nice though!

John

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

So they have updated their website to cover their own butts sounds like a CEO who is ducking for cover maybe its not just ME/ MEW which is taking full aim with the fully loaded artillery at them.

So why is Win10 also not allowing the old pocketmags viewer to access my stored mags?? It keeps crashing during start up???

In now reading some of the above comments briefly ME & MEW and associated magazines might need to pull the pin. Take control and meet demands of THEIR subscribers and produce the PDF's all are demanding. After all without subscribers how long would it last.?

The cost to such as Australian subscribers me in particular is not worth this sort of hassle I am close to demanding my money back plus all the exchange rate charges and fee's incurred. I doubt I'll get it!!!!

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 05/06/2017 08:32:41:

I ahve been in communication with MTM colleagues already this morning.

Please be assured they are looking into this.

One problem is that, as usual, it is not clear exactly what problems people are having.

Several people are saying they can't access already downloaded issues, but I am noit sure what triggered the problem? is it because people have updated their reader and lost access, or because they are migrating from oner machine to another? Or something else?

Neil

Neil in my pm to you, email to them and to ME/MEW's help I have outlined that a WIN10 update was done just days prior but weeks prior an update to the reader was done also. I had accessed and read two ME mags in that period and one MEW. I then tried to go back and re-read one of the articles in an ME mag that is when the read started but died during its boot up.

I'd hate to be in your shoes Neil because right now I'd be worried for my job because of another companies actions.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Raymond it is interesting that the W10 version is crashing on your machine and the old viewer also dies on startup.

I have no problem running the new W10 version loaded Saturday and although I can't get mags on the old one it does not die

 

Maybe something your end is not helping matters?

Edited By JasonB on 05/06/2017 14:54:29

[Bodgit Fixit and RunParticipant @bodgitfixitandrun]

I've just looked at my pocket mags subscription and only have this years mags available but have been a subscriber for several years. I've blown out windows 10 and gone to Ubuntu mate now 17.04 (Linux based) which is much more stable secure and does not take over an hour to update on startup which was my biggest problem with windows 10. if I want to access the back volumes on line do I still have to have a digital subscription, mine is due in October but I don't think I want to renew it because I simply don't use it enough.

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by Bandersnatch on 03/06/2017 01:45:04:

I just fired up my PM Offline Reader for the first time in a few weeks to be greeted by a Windows (8.1) message that the reader has stopped working and would be closed. 100% repeatable.

I think I may have discovered a clue as to why this is happening. I was digging around the PM site to see if there was a later release of the reader software (I never found any downloads whatsoever and a serious tech-support page essentially doesn't exist). What I did stumble across was the fact that PM doesn't have any current accounts listed for me. The latest (MEW) having expired in April.

This undoubtedly results from the fact that, in March, when I clicked on a subscription renewal link in a message in my Magazine account on this website – which purported to be a subscription renewal link – it actually took me to a new subscription page which I was fool enough to proceed with. Thus creating a totally new subscription.

[ I did email the subscription people, at the time, to ask if this new subscription could be converted to a simple renewal of the old and received this cryptic reply:

"I can confirm your previous subscirption (sic) is now inactive so this will run on after the expiry"

At that point I gave up – I have bigger, harder walls to beat my head on. ]

I really don't want to go through the hassle of getting the subscription recognised again with PM so I'll let it go. Nonetheless I should still be able to fire up the reader and read the past issues that I do have. Which I can't do …. and this is Windows 8.1

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

For those with near-infinite patience, and nothing better to occupy their time:

Here is the text of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 **LINK**

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/contents

Schedule 2 lists "Consumer contract terms which may be regarded as unfair" **LINK**

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/schedule/2

… of these No.13 is perhaps the most likely to be relevant:

But, before getting too excited … look at Section 42 **LINK** http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/section/42

… particularly (4) thereof.

I think I may have now exhausted any enthusiasm for this topic.

MichaelG.

.

.

13A term which has the object or effect of enabling the trader to alter unilaterally without a valid reason any characteristics of the goods, digital content or services to be provided.

[Author]

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