Well, Martin: George - I want to just to try and add somthing positive here, if I may: I have been running FSX since the day it was released, stopped for about four weeks in January because I no longer had my FS9 favourite aircraft - and then - as they slowly began to dribble in - I started using it again. SP1 came out and the rest is history. Yes - I HAD to UPGRADE THE HARDWARE TO THE C2D, etc, and yes, I use Matt Fox's tweaks - but with ASX and Ultimate Terrain X out now - I am right back in heaven. It is VASTLY SUPERIOR to FS9. I consciously had to accept that I don't have the DreamFleet 727, FS Nav and FS Passengers anymore, and I don't have your fabulous sceneries: the difference is the aircraft's "feel", and the amount of detail that is now there: the airports are better and far better detailed; the visuals on approaches and in low flying are getting pretty real: for my airline flights I now use the Eaglesoft Citation II and do regional flights (using VoxATC/TrackIR, homebuilt yoke, pedestal and pedals). Aerosoft brought out Aspen - and this is a great challenge for an IFR flight. I'm looking forward to the ski season, as this is one of the most dangerous airports around! Approaching Aspen (7800') over a 14,000' mountain, blind with only LNAV is pretty harrowing.
I suppose I'm trying to convey a couple of things here: There is lots of room for many, many airports which don't have to have the complication of, say SEA or ORD. They are all over the place and each is quite personal to many flyers. You guys have a tremendous following in the community, and whatever you do will sell, whether FS9 or FSX. But FSX is the future.
The second point is that as the single-core proc slowly gives way to the ever-cheapening c2d, the more "us flyers" will migrate to FSX. It's barely been a year, and, if I'm VERY satisfied, I would believe there are also thousands of other simmers who are likewise satisfied. That hardware upgrade is the one major stumbling block for most people - but it has to be overcome, because if not - the developers who stay with FS9 will slowly disappear along with the customer base.
I would not want you to let go of your wonderful talents because of the nostalgia for FS9 and the disappointment and difficulties brought about by FSX. There will be a market for FS9 products for a while yet, but there are new opportunities here, and - forgive me - I want you to be moving forward with new and different products/ideas for FSX. It's the future.
To quote Field of Dreams, 1989 "Build it and they will come"
Best wishes
pj
