Roger,

I respect your work and contributions to the hobby. I also respect your opinions, some of which carry some merit in reference to communication between the development team and the public. There is always the aspect of good business relations in order to generate interest, which flows down into sales.

What I do not agree with is the slant that the communication that is now becoming open with the FS development team is some type of mastermind plan to infiltrate the forums and take control of the hobby.

For years one of the biggest complaints is that the FS development teams did not provide enough communication in order to clarify the SDK’s and provide better support with the ins and outs of Flight Simulator.

Now, when the decision to allow that critical communication to take place has become a reality, it is being met with some fairly “off the wall” reasoning behind it.

Like the man said, there are no black helicopters waiting over the horizon. Microsoft and the FS development team have simply answered the years of outcry for open communication so the FS community will have access to a better Flight Sim experience.

I think some of the things that have been said by allot of people in these and other forums have been totally uncalled for and totally unwarranted.

After years of having no access I would thing the word “appreciation” would be better regarded. Some of the things I have seen written I have found it quite surprising and very sad.

That’s my opinion.

M$ does not sign my paycheck either.

Like I said before, I feel sorry for the ACES team after seeing all this negative wrap from the community. Like I said before, they did almost everything we asked and all we do is accuse them of conspiracy. What's next? They give us the source code and we start accusing them more?

Well said!!

I couldn't have even hoped to put that better myself.

Jasper.

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I genuinely understand your concerns Roger. I have worked for large conglomerates most of my life and have seen quite a bit when it comes to big business. Over the last 30 years I have seen some things in corporate memos and actions that would make your hair stand up. What I have come to learn is that the actions of those in charge at the time of such decisions and practices do not make up a company, what it was founded on or where it may be in 30 years. Lessons are learned, new people move up, the bad leaves, some returns, the list goes on and so does life.

I am not saying you are incorrect about the possibilities involved with sponsorship of what is typically considered a personal blog communication but I think your concerns are being expressed in such a ‘doomsday’ way it places a very dark slant on the people who are involved.

These are people who have a genuine appreciation and enthusiasm for what they do for a living and not what the Board of Directors are planning behind closed doors Roger.

I don’t and never did see those postings as personal blogs from the first time I started reading them. They look more like a typical bulletin board where you are suppose to “stay tuned” for more information. There is nothing hidden or sinister about that.

Let’s say for just a moment you are absolutely right and it’s all a big corporate plan to lie to the public about the intentions of the blog site and use it to create a publicity whirlwind so FSX sells more copies. SO WHAT?

I would call that trading a few “pop-up” ads like I get at even the best web sites for news and information such as CNN, for having ACCESS to what is important; the people who make Flight Simulator work and who are willing to be involved with the community.

It’s people Roger. The part I see you and others forgetting about is the people involved. Do you really believe these guys have sat in on some type of high level marketing meeting where they all sinisterly came up with this huge bull-dung campaign specifically designed for nothing more than selling the next generation sim software with no regard for what they are saying or doing as long as it sells more product?

Come-On Roger, I know you are more intelligent than that.  

Lets give the people involved a bit more credit than assuming they would allow themselves to be part of some huge corporate conspiracy to put one over on the public. A blog or a bulletin board is not a major site or a huge advertising gimmick, be realistic.

These guys are just making a living and have been fortunate to have the resources backing them so they can do what they like to do and what they do best.

Give the people some credit Roger.

Although from time to time when I look at M$ I see a spoiled child who is self centered and that needs a really good spanking for being naughty, I don't see the corporate bogie-man hiding in the shadows waiting to pounce.

Give the FS development people a break Roger. They have made themselves available to the public. They understood when they agreed to be in that position there was going to be criticism of their work, artistic and otherwise, but I do not think they expected to be labeled with the slant that you and a lot of others are suggesting.

This entire thing has gone WAY out of proportion and borders on PURE paranoia.

It’s starting to sound like a McCarthy era “communist” witch hunt where your next door neighbor sees the commies coming and tries to arm and rally the neighborhood. The next thing you know your digging a 50' bomb shelter in the back yard with a hand shovel because the "big one" is coming. It’s just mind boggling how hilarious that paranoia visual is to me.



These people should be welcomed, given the benefit of the doubt for their reasons in being available to the community, not insulted or pushed away.


Please give them a break Roger

"Ah, but the strawberries! That's where I had them. They laughed and made jokes, but I provided beyond the shadow of a doubt, and with geometric logic, that a duplicate key to the wardroom icebox did exist. And I'd have produced that key if they hadn't pulled the Caine out of action. I know now they were out to protect some fellow officer...."

To put it at my point of view;for shure there are lots of other things, similar to the one that you are concerned about,that should make you worry even more, but not the fact that MS wants to make some profit by selling a new FS.

And what shouldn't have happened, did...

I agree with tdragger in that people are being a bit paranoic about m$ policy...

I hope you come back tdragger because a lot of us do appreciate imensly what you and other guys are trying to do in order to reach the comunity...

cheers