I have nothing to add, except one thing:Are we going to cross our arms and watch FS die like that?I really believe that we should get the whole FS community together and show M$ how disappointed we are. We love this software, we spend a lot of money in hardware and addons for FS, for years!!! I don't know any other software with such loyal customers and fans, except for WoW. At least for me, this is the time to get over disagreements and get the community together, or we'll probably see what we devoted so much time into, forgotten in the past. Shouldn't we at least try to keep things in place?I like changes and I hope that something better comes out of this, but I see no good things on the horizon right now.L

I agree. Might I suggest that everyone set aside any past differences and at the very least add your name to this facebook page!It costs nothing but a few mouse clicks and who knows, it may do some good to show strength in numbers.100.000 Microsoft Flight Simulator Fanshttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=feed...8200&ref=ts

I can only hope and pray, that Microsoft keeps FS alive. Is their anyway, the FlightSim community can pull together and let Microsoft hear our voices? We want the

I can only hope and pray, that Microsoft keeps FS alive. Is their anyway, the FlightSim community can pull together and let Microsoft hear our voices? We want the

I agree. Might I suggest that everyone set aside any past differences and at the very least add your name to this facebook page!It costs nothing but a few mouse clicks and who knows, it may do some good to show strength in numbers.100.000 Microsoft Flight Simulator Fanshttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=feed...8200&ref=ts

Already there. Wish Avsim, Flightsim, Sim-Outhouse, SimFlight, Vatsim, Ivao and others could team up on an online petition site.

This has implications beyond ACES and indeed beyond MSG. When a company lays off "valued" employees who've been working 80-100 hour weeks with just 24 hours notice, that company will not be able to retain its good employees when the economy turns around, whenever that might be. Trust me -- the best and brightest of the ones who are still there, still able to collect their salaries, are all saying to themselves "If they can do this for me then they can do it to me" -- and they're right. It is a symptom of the death of the old Microsoft, and a continuation of things like the Vista fiasco, just as surely as the cessation of heartbeat is a prediction of cell death and, eventually, a stinking corpse.When a company allows itself to be ruled strictly by the numbers it is in big trouble. Evidently the suits said to themselves "If we give them one day's notice instead of two weeks notice (forget two months)", we'll save ...94 layoffs (never mind that it's really 5,000 with perhaps 4,000 of those being immediate)x$80,000/52 salaryx2 overhead factor (minimum, probably higher because of corporate)x2 weeks=$578,000not realizing that the best and the brightest of those who haven't left already will leave at the first available opportunity.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAs the saying goes, the real assets of technology companies go home every night. The company made a correct financial decision but they handled it cruelly and in the end stupidly. If I might have ever thought about investing in Microsoft I certainly would not now dream of it.And if I had ever thought about pulling an investor group together and make ACES fly outside the high overhead context of Microsoft corporate, I now would be unable to do it because they killed the operation instead of trying to sell it off, which would have preserved their reputation and helped ease the pain for many of the 94 victims of what I must now concede is an absolutely ruthless corporation.It's one thing to thumb your nose at the competition, or at government. It's quite another to give the finger to your own employees and stockholders.

Great post. 100% behind you. I detest Steve Ballmer. Period.

canceled post

This is a really sad day. This could be the end of FS as we know it. This could be the end of any MS-simulation based products from ACES. We are left with FSX and FS2004. We need to all team up and voice our displeasure to Microsoft. Flight Simulator has had a wonderful 30-year history. We cannot let it die this way.

I started this hobby with the original version played on an Apple IIe...and have owned every iteration of the program since.I tend to be a realist. I take what is and work with it. What I see happening was correctly predicted not long ago in the forums here. PC games are dying. It's business plain & simple...and I would be willing to bet (and I'm not that type) that the next (if any) version is going to play on your x-box. I'm truly sorry to see so much talent be cast to the wind because of the 'bottom line'. :( That said, there is a lot that can be done with what we have now. Personally I intend to work on improving what is, and not what could have been.

Personally I intend to work on improving what is, and not what could have been.

Nicely said.This is REALLY crazy.BUT IF! I said IF! MS were not to make another FS, don't we have enough talent on these forums and other forums? Couldn't the FS Community make it's OWN FS, somehow? :(

I have created a petition on a couple websites.Click below to sign them:http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/flightsimulatorhttp://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/flightsimulator

Well I signed up on the Facebook 100.000 Microsoft Flight Simulator FansAnd as much as it irritates me to buy a 2nd copy of FSX for my older system :( (at the time I preferred removing it from the quad when transferring to the Skullapus :( )...Now I speak like a fool :( I just might go out and buy an extra copy. FSX Gold @ newegg "just" $47 & Standard "just" $27. Why not... then my son would get to use it B)

Well I signed up on the Facebook 100.000 Microsoft Flight Simulator FansAnd as much as it irritates me to buy a 2nd copy of FSX for my older system :( (at the time I preferred removing it from the quad when transferring to the Skullapus :( )...And now I speak like a fool :( I just might go out and buy an extra copy. FSX Gold @ newegg "just" $47 & Standard "just" $27. Why not... then my son would get to use it B)

Bravo Rob!-A true flight sim enthusiast-we need more....it sure beats the cost of real flying-as I know you know.I signed up also...

Surely we are not forgetting that FS was never a MS franchise to begin with right ? It'll work out, I am sure I just feel sorry for those that got fired but for now, I will just enjoy what we do have :)

Thanks Geof for the kind words.Yes sure beats the cost of "actual"... phew by a long shot, even if you include the price of a high-end computer. And I have remarked to myself on more than one occasion "wow this is so much like the real thing." Btw, I wonder if one could even find a C152 rental for less than $50/hr.I am fast approaching the hours I have in FSX with my actual hours... overall an incredible amount of enjoyment - I feel it is the next best thing to being there (ok well short of a Flight Safety Simulator but if I could afford one of those I'd buy a Baron :( ).Here's to hoping this "will soon pass."