Sorry you had so much trouble. Unfortunately, we didn't take into account things like arthritis when we designed our package (a pretty common problem with consumer products, don't you think? My Mom gets it in her wrists and hands sometimes, and she has a tough time with Tylenol bottles.)
In the spirit of Apollo 13, here's how to open the newsstand packaging without flexing your fingers:
1). First, be sure you get a package where the disc is centered correctly. Occasionally they get off-center, which causes them to stick to the glue strips used to hold the package closed. A disc is centered correctly if, when you stick something into the hub (a finger, a pencil), you can wiggle it around just a bit.
2). Hold the package lengthwise squeezed between the heels of your hands with the disc facing up. (I.e. the top of the package should press into the palm of one hand, the bottom into the other palm.)
3). Holding the package firmly, center it over the arm of a chair - the narrower the arm, the better. The edge of the arm should cross behind the top of the disc.
4). Bend the package over the arm of the chair. This should cause the top of the disc to pop out of the die-cut hole in the front of the package.
5). Repeat this procedure while holding the sides of the package, to free one side of the disc.
At this point, you should be able to slide the disc free with one finger. Try to avoid touching the underside of the disc, as this can damage the data.
You may be interested to know that we are planning to redesign our newsstand package so that A) it is easier to use, and B) it will hold the disc once it's opened.
In the meantime, call our tech support at 802 767 1226, and they will tell you how to get your disc replaced.
