i noticed the advertisement for a special tin boxed version of fs2004...but can you elaborate alittle more on this by describing its size and appearance in detail....are there any photos of it?Do you know how many of these MS plans to distribute?Thanks very muchDave

Dave, I am rushing out the door to work, but I will try to get you more information later today. They are a "limited edition" of some description, they are actually in a tin/metal box, and what else sets them apart I couldn't say at this time. More later on that. All I do know at this point is that anyone who has pre-ordered FS2004 from AVSIM before today will be getting the tinned version, and anyone that pre-orders from today forward will get a tinned version until supplies run out.

More on the tin version. This a limited edition packaging of the FS2004. As far as we have been able to determine, there is nothing different within the contents of the tin compared to the boxed version. But the tin is a collectible (IMHO). Here's an image of the top of the tin:

http://forums.avsim.com/user_files/19090.jpg

From the FS2002 cardboard sleeves to a limited edition collectable box, a nice carrot on a string dangling in front of the flightsim donkeys - talk about opposite extremes - what a gimmick!I'll settle for a plastic case that protects the CD's and leave the dubious world of "collectables" to others.

Just in case it escaped you... the use of the word "collectible" is mine. It is not MS'.

While many things have escaped my comprehension in the past - and I'm sure the future will be no different - my dim mind did manage to recognise the (IMHO) after the word "collectible" which I believe to be an acronym of some sort meaning, "in my humble opinion".So - in case it escaped you - let the record show that it was not my intent to accuse either you, your fine organization, or the Microsoft corporation of any misrepresentation or false advertising whatsoever.Let it also show that I was simply stating a preference for one type of packaging over another, and hoping for an improvement over the clearly substandard FS2002 cardboard.Let me state further that I am all for capitalism and free enterprise, and I believe in the rights of persons everywhere to pursue and collect whatever they want, as long as it does not violate any laws and no one gets hurt, and that I hope the sales of metal packaging for FS2004 exceed the wildest expectations.As far as collectables (my preferred spelling of this word I.A.W. Webster's) are concerned, I have the greatest hope that 50 years from today the FS2004 Metal Box Limited Edition will have quadrupled in value, even if nobody knows what those shiny plates inside are for!Lesson learned, mouth now firmly closed, and in the future I shall be extremely careful not to trespass in areas of this forum where it seems likely that my statements will not be welcome, or where it seems probable that they will be misconstrued.

They would better include a printed manual/book as a limited edition!That would equal the costs of this metal box, which will collect dust anyway.....Just my oppinion.Cheers,Michael