Opinions Are Like Noses...We All Have One

[Guest]

After reading bear's reviews yesterday i downloaded the commander 114tc. he ranted and raved about how excellent the aircraft was and pretty much gave it a "thumbs up."i downloaded the aircraft and yes there was some great eye candy there. the aircraft itself was well done including the panel. however, the aircraft lacked the most important element--functionality. the flight dynamics caused the aircraft to fly like a kite. no matter how great an aircraft looks without functionality it doesn't stay in my hanger and i suspect it won't stay in most of yours either.you may be thinking--why is he being critical of a freeware design. well, i too, design freeware aircraft and i believe that our work should be subject to the constructive criticisms of the community. if we freeware designers are never challenged then how will we improve upon what we do? if our skin is not thick enough to take constructive criticism then maybe we shouldn't design.bear...you need to do a better job of reviewing.

[Guest]

Semd - I don't know you.... I DO no Bear -I have only disagreed with one of his hundreds of reviews - and so have you.... ONE.....There could be many reasons you don't see eye to eye:Realism settingsWX at the timeetcJust don't make assumptions - lest someone may make assumptions about you. There are TWO SIDES to every story.Don't cast stones about someone well respected in this community unless you wish to do a Wylie Coyote impression yourselfRichard GreenVATUSA4Events and VA Director

[Francois_Dumas 10]

I think one has to bear in mind (pun intended ;-) ) that Steve Cartwright looks at just about ALL uploads to AVSIM's libraries (and then some I would guess ;-) ). He must pick the best products to build his Bear's Picks file of. That obviously means that these cannot be seen as through and thorough "reviews" such as AVSIM does when looking and testing one specific product for several weeks !!I think one needs to read the Bear's Picks with those obvious limitations in mind and not assume that he does not want to criticise anybody, or does not do proper reviews. The Bear's Pick are no reviews, they are much more 'impressions' to give you some idea of what has been uploaded and might be worth looking at in specific. It is also a personal opinion..... since we all like different things in this hobby. :-outta Francois :-wave________________________Francois A. "Navman" DumasAssociate Editor &Forums AdministratorAVSIM Online!email: fdumas@avsim.com________________________

[Guest odog]

I d/l'd 4 files from that list...and I agree I see some glaring problems, but I like to see freeware designers getting there props. I consider myself a bit of a GMAX head, and I know how many hours are involved in designing the base model. Then youve gotta deal with animations,textures,a decent air file...it never seems quite finished.Some guys make great models, some guys are air file gurus. I accept the fact that no plane flies perfect...I suggest you open the hood and start hacking up that aircraft.cfg file, and make it fly better(after b/u...of course) just have fun...ODOG

[Donmo 6]

I always thought the appropriate thing to do is to first write the author rather then post it in public. I have seen MANY times people download scenery or aircraft that others say is great and they rant and rave about it and how much it sucked. Then you find out they are running it with old systems and screwed up sound cards and drivers from hell. I am not saying this is the case here. To me, I would have written Brian (who I know well) and asked him about specifics on the plane if something bugs you. There are many planes out there and MOST are created by people who have NEVER flown a plane in real life. How do they know how it should fly? I fly and I can tell you as many others, NO plane ever made in the sim flys like a real one. Close, but not exact. I want to know how some of the sqeelers yap at how a 747 flys. Well, the closest I got to flying a 747 was a 727. Couldn't tell you its (747)quirks! Someone who has never entered a flightdeck as PIC should have even less to talk about. I'm not targeting you in this, but all who disagree on Bears or anyones reviews. I feel personally that there should be, as in all things, a chain of command to follow for gripes. I surely wouldn't download your stuff and say "THIS SUCKS! Don't get it. This guy has NO idea what a plane/scenery is. He should take up another hobby!" NEVER buddy! Constructive criticism SHOULD be on a 1 to 1 with the designer rather then publicly. The reason for that is everyone can NOT write diplomaticly! THAT is percieved by the masses as humiliation, not thin skined. I always write the authors either personally or publicly to tell them thank you. I may delete it (the download) right away, but I do thank them for their contribution. I have NEVER downloaded anything that I didn't really like some aspect of it, be it looks, handling, sound, etc. 95% of what I do download I do keep. If it's something I think is fixable, I write the author or try to fix it myself or ask for help from others. I guess I feel more liberal towards contributions as I live behind this keyboard and have for years giving back for what I take. If they make it and it's interesting to me, I get it. I have NEVER written a designer and had one jump on me because of comments. Why? TONE. TONE is the key. You'll get more with tone and a smile then you will going public first and negative at that. Give the guy who made it first shot at it. The hell with thick/thin skinned and the hell with political correctness. Do the right thing. Communication is the key. BUT......I do feel that IF you go to the designer and he/she is RUDE and obnoxious to you when you are trying to keep it out of the spotlight and only trying to help, yeah...blast away! That's an ego and not an interested party. Just MY opinion.Don

[Guest]

As you say, everyone has an opinion, and they rarely all agree. If you disagree with Bear's picks, fine. No problem there. But to say things like "you need to do a better job of reviewing" because you disagree is way off base. Bear has a difficult job, that he does for the sake of the hobby. Most of us don't have time to download hundreds of files each month to see which suit our needs. Bear steps up and tackles that chore for us, and I thank him for that, regardless of whether I agree with all his picks or not. And how does anyone define "best" when it comes to picking from all the files that get uploaded to the library? You obviously expect top notch functionality, and that's fine too, but I can tell you without a moments hesitation that you are in the minority. A recent Avsim user survey showed that 2 out of every 3 Avsim users aren't even real world pilots. And I can confirm that from the volumes of e-mail I receive. The majority of flight simmers are normal every day folks who don't come any closer to a real airplane than the occasional family vacation or business trip. They start up FS2002 for enjoyment and relaxation and they don't know or care if the descent rate of a certain plane at a certain weight, with 30 degree flaps is 5 fps off. This is exactly why I concentrate my efforts on the model. This way I reach the widest possible range of people. With a good model you can always add or enhance the panel and/or flight dynamics to suit your preferences. Mike Stone

[Donmo 6]

Right with you Mike. bear devotes a lot of time FREE OF CHARGE to look at not only this site, but FSC and Simviation and who knows how many others. Then He does quick reviews. He is always doing doing GREAT pictorials in the screenshot forum. I find Bear is more right then wrong and I for one appreciate the work he does do. I also appreciate the work that you do Mike and I have told you many times so. You're right about making for the masses. If someone wants to modify something, fine. I believe everyone tweaks something on any plane. You both (Mike and Bear) stay the course. I'll be there.Don

[Guest]

>I'm not targeting you in this, but all who >disagree on Bears or anyones reviews. I surely wouldn't download >your stuff and >say "THIS SUCKS! Don't get it. This guy has NO idea >what a plane/scenery is. He should take up another hobby!" don,where is all your anger coming from...do i not have a right to agree or disagree? and if you are going to quote someone you ought to at least get it correct. i never said "this sucks don't get it." neither did i say "he should take up another hobby."we designers seem to be an overly sensitive bunch...

[Donmo 6]

Better go back and read it again buddy. First off NO anger at all, just facts of what I have seen here and everywhere. No, you didn't say that nor did I say you did. That was a general statement of what everyone reads everywhere. What the point of the whole thing is, when we have a complaint about an aircraft, scenery or utility, whatever, we should air it with the designers first, not in the public air. Some newbie could come along, see your thread and and say, "gee, this guy says this Commander flys like a kite. I don't want that." He/she may have also been very satisfied with it too. Opinions prejudice people. I am probably the same as you. There are folks in here I believe 100% and will take their word on things. Others, there is no way I would. BUT not everyone in here knows each other. THAT is when opinions are harmful in a forum. As a scenery designer, I get probably 100 e-mails a week for my work. Most are for problems. 99% are because the people are doing something wrong! Luckily those folks have contacted me direct rather then thru forums with their problems. I'd look like a total idiot if the public viewed me from their results of using my work incorrectly. ANY designer would! Sure it's ok to have an opinion, but the key is to watch how it is delivered and how it can affect the designer/site/person. There is a fine line between thin-skinned and "I don't need this sh**!", if you know what I mean. If you knew me, you know I don't get mad. It takes certain things to do that. This isn't one of them and you're not my mother-in-law! LOL!Don

[Guest]

Just give me a great looking airplane with a great looking panel and hey; I could care less about the flight characteristics cause that's a simple matter of swapping out aircraft.cfg files, tweaking the flighttuning section, etc., and swapping out the air files. The hard part is making the thing look beautiful. There are so many great flying aircraft and so few absolutely stunningly beautiful aircraft.

[Guest]

way to much time on our hands, time to go and clean out the garage and face reality!!!!!RegardsTony Ascaso, RN

[Guest]

I might also point out that if Bear limited his picks to only those planes that (in addition to accurate models) contained fully functional and accurate panels, along with flight dynamics that are absolutely pegged to the real aircraft, he'd have to switch to publishing his column about once every 2 years. It would take that long to get enough.Mike Stone

[Guest]

Gee, I wasn't going to download the commander because I already have FSD's, but after reading all this, I am going to go get it right and form my own opinion. What do I have to lose, it is free and so is my opinion. Then I will know if this guy has anything to gripe about. Personally, I am grateful for Mr. Bear and the time he takes to look through hundreds of files to find a handfull that standout. Who has the time to do that? Not many of us, I am sure.THANKS BEAR!!!!!!

[LAdamson 240]

Doing the same as I write this! L.Adamson

[Guest]

I hadn't tried the Commander until after I read Bear's review. I've never flown a real one, nor do I know whether or not this one's bang on the mark for its flight dynamics and model. The only aircraft I've ever been PIC of in real sky is a Piper Cherokee and that's the only aircraft which I think I'd be able to say much about in that regard.So, with that in mind...When I fly any MSFS aircraft, I go on the assumption that it's close. If I think it JDFR (Just Doesn't Feel Right) then I'll delete it from my aircraft folder, take the .zip file out of my downloads folder, and move along. It didn't cost me more than a few minutes' worth of download time and enough flight time to decide whether or not I'd want to keep it.Bear's reviews have given me pause to stop and download some aircraft simply because those which I'd already downloaded and he's subsequently reviewed, I've found that I agree with him. I was disappointed in only one aircraft on his recommended list and wound up deleting the files from the two previously noted locations. It cost me nothing, and it was an isolated incident.Now on to the Commander. I didn't care much for the aircraft, but having never flown one, I cannot base it on the real bird, so I'll keep it around for the time being. The jury's still out on this one.The only thought I'm left with is that you may wish to keep in mind is an expression I wish I could remember to whom I should attribute: "A gentleman can disagree without being disagreeable." You've every right in the world to disagree with Bear's assessment of the aircraft. I don't believe for a moment that anybody in this forum is making an effort to deny you that right. On the other hand, I don't think you'd have generated nearly the vitriol you did had your tone been less confrontational and dismissive.Dennis Miller's disclaimer applies ("That's just my opinion. I could be wrong.")