Uninstall old version before installing new?

[OldandDecrepit]

I've been on sabbatical from EQ2 for a year, and just came back. To my horror, my version of EQ2Map (the auto-update edition) is obsolete, and can not be updated from its control panel. I'm told to DL the latest version. So far so good.

Am I supposed to uninstall my old version (via the Windows Vista Control Panel Uninstall Program tool) before installing the new one? Is there any harm in doing so? (Website guidance in this area seems a bit vague to me.) Or does the installation routine see the old install and adjust itself accordingly (as some programs do)?

Thanks in advance!