Howdy EveryoneNow, We here at Hypnotoad Studios design both AFCAD and Panels. We are slowly trying to move into the Payware Market. We had a question though. AFCAD: We take the Microsoft Stock AFCAD files Provided in FS2004 and delete all the old Parking spots, we then build the airport up from the ground.... Now even though we used the Stock AFCAD file that came with the Simulator when bought, can we edit it to our needs and sell it???? or does Microsoft strictly prohibit that....Panel: we take mostly FS2004 STOCK Gauges and build our panels, could we sell them with they're Microsoft STOCK Gauges or does Microsoft prohibit us making money off that....... Would love for these questions to be answered.....ThanksBest Regards,Kylan WaltersPresidentLead DesignerProgrammerGraphic Artist

I wouldn't try including the MS gauges in your installer. That would be a big no-no.However, if you want to essentially reference the MS stock gauges via your panel.cfg (link to them basically), there would be no problem with that.End result would be the same.Cheers,Bryan

AFCAD only deals with about 60-70% of what makes an airport in FS2004.It takes many parts to create and airport and AFCAD lets you manipulate some elements essential to AI and user traffic.Using the stock scenery files as a source for the initial data and modifying it extensively should not be a problem. Most payware scenery includes AFCAD files which are derived from the default scenery files - and payware AI addons include from 1,300 to 2,000 AFCAD files only for their users.

do not take information from folks on a public forum as 'informed legal council'.you need to contact, and contract with, a lawyer for a recomendation on these questions.--

All Glory to the Hypnotoad!First of all I have great respect for the two users who commented above, Reggie Fields and especially Bryan of Fs2Crew. I'm sure they are correct.That said, I agree with Scoob, you shouldn't base legal decisions like that for your new business on stuff you read on the Internets. After all, Microsoft could sue you into oblivion if they/you are wrong.You should really ask Microsoft directly. I'm sure they have an army of minions ready and willing to answer legal questions like that, they probably have some sort of ready made documentation that answers questions like yours.I know they do for legal questions regarding OEM stuff for PC makers.Perhaps here http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/intel...ty/default.mspxis a good start?Maybe there is more FS specific info in the SDK too.-Erik T.

I would suggest that this is probably a good time to sit down and read the license agreement that came with Microsoft Flight Simulator. You must know that in purchasing any software, you do not OWN the software, you merely own a license to use it for personal use.

You definitely need legal advice from a specialist copyright/intellectual proprty lawyer if you intend to distri, any Microsoft code or data, especially commercially. The EUL contains restrictions on what you may do, and the general copyright law will also apply, imposing further restictions.The only absolutely safe way would be to ensure that no, no repeat no, Microsoft code or data is included in any product you distribute. As long as it's entirely your own work you should be safe. For example, by creating your airports from scratch by writing your own XML code and compiling it according to the SDK should cause no problems.EDIT: Nice image but it breaks AVSIMS rules. Images should be no larger than 400 x 60 pixels and 10 Kbytes in size.

>>EDIT: Nice image but it breaks AVSIMS rules. Images should be>no larger than 400 x 60 pixels and 10 Kbytes in size.> All of the images on this page are over 10kb in size. LOLI would definitely agree on consulting a lawyer on things of this nature Kylan. It would be your safest bet.

Ok, thank you all, we have decided to just keep making freeware..... :) thanks all ;)

Whether it's fayware or freeware makes no difference. It is still wrong to distribute other's propery without their permission and generally infringes copyright. There are often posts here from individual authors complaining that their uploads have been distributed by other sites without permission.Anyway, there's no need to distribute Microsoft's stock gauges. All that's needed is to set-up pane.cfg to reference them.