Customer Rating:  
Summary: Pretty Crappy
Comment: I bought this as a research tool, but it's almost unusable. I had no problem with the 95/98 format, because XP has a tool to overcome that.
The problem is that the searches are clunky, you can't search PHOTOS at all, and the indexed searches are clearly NOT pulling all searches.
If you have one hundred years to browse through this behemoth in search of what you need, then by all means, buy it. If you are planning on quick, efficient searches to pull up images or even articles you need, then you're screwed.
National Geographic has a halfway decent search tool on their own web site, and most large or college libraries also have enhanced Nat Geo search tools that would be more helpful.
This product is just a poorly-indexed waste of time and effort.
Avoid.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Flawed, but still worth a look
Comment: We need not discuss the greatness of National Geographic Magazine; people already know it's the best source of geographic knowledge these days. This review concerns the product.
As many, many people have pointed out, the JPEG compression for the magazine pages is at times atrocious. The text is barely readable at times, but thankfully, the majority is readable. The pictures look somewhat good, although compression artifacts are visible at times.
For a product produced in the late 1990's, it's pretty good. However, with the advances of modern technology, higher-quality picture compression and DVDs, the Society should consider putting out another Complete National Geographic collection on DVD. If Mad magazine updated its already-good Totally Mad set with the Absolutely Mad DVD-ROM, why can't the Society be bothered to put out another edition of a product with unrivaled potential? Especially seeing as a lawsuit over this product (and its updates) has recently been resolved in the magazine's favor.
The potential for a "National Geographic: Complete 119 (or 120) Years Collection DVD-ROM)" product is enormous. Who knows; they might even be working on another as I type.
Anyway, the final verdict: while this product is by no means reference-quality, it is worth picking up until the Society decides to release another, higher-quality DVD edition.
EDIT: I have recently found that if the program is installed from the disc which contains issues from January-December 1997, a feature to darken the text on the pages is added to the zoom-in mode. There are three settings: low, medium and high. There is also a "Reset" button to restore the text to its original form. Darkening the text improves the quality of illegible text, but causes picture quality to drop if set to maximum. Still, this feature is appreciated.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Long Time Geographic Lover
Comment: Just for the sheer history of it. Do you remember those pre-Home Computer, after school hours spent in the library, researching the different sets of encyclopedias and those wonderful National Geographic magazines? When the opportunity to own the complete catalogue from the very first issue arose, my wife and I jumped at the chance. For she also remembers many a day, traveling the world through those magazines, and the countless pages of world class photography. Not the easiest to maneuver the text on CD-Rom, but well worth the time. Have shared the wonderful resource of information with our children also.
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