There seems to be a new trend toward charging for upgrading addon programs to FS2004. Understandable if new fueatures tossed in but it does force you to spend more than the cost of FS2004 just to retain your previous functionality.So you buy the latest upgrade for FS200x from Bill Gates. Then you pay for upgrades to your addons, pay for the interface to FS2004 addons, etc... Next you discover while the FS2004 upgrade brings obvious new features you have to upgrade you hardware or sit there and watch a slide show.Now we can get MegaScenery for $30. Given the coverage at that price even the most scenic areas of the world can add up to a big number. Of course skipping back to the hardware upgrade you should have installed at least a 100gb disk. There is the option to skip the deluxe MegaScenery and go for FScene improved textures at a lower cost per square km and no large disk needed. Great stuff but costly!And so on $$$$$Not whining so hold your letter bombs. Just pointing out that we are at the threshold of a new cost paradigim. The addiction to flight simulating can come at a high price. Remember FS98 - pay once and fly... We "didn't know no better". Now we have functional and beautification improvements that we hardly dreamed of then. The cost is high for a total immersion experience but the results may be worth it. Like many hobbies your level of enjoyment is often tied to your credit card.Dick KLBE

I have a question. Im looking into buying PMDG 737 and FSMeteo 6.0Does that mean that I have to buy FSUIPC to be able to run theseaddons?Ed

I think not. For the PMDG bird the freeware version of FSUIPC works just fine. Looking at the FSMeteo website it says: "FS_Meteo V6.0 is accredited to be use with the new FSUIPC V3.0!" under Features. What I THINK this means is that you

Which is just one of the reasons why I am not going to buy FS2004. FS2002 with photographic scenery and great addon airfields is still incredible immersive and I don't think spending large amounts of dosh again is going to make the immersion factor any greater.David

"It was always thus.." I have a whole box full of add-on scenery, aircraft design sofware, and payware panels from the FS3, FS4, FS95, FS98 days, that are of no use today. This is not a new paradigm, but the essence of a great hobby where you can invest in add-ons to your heart's desire!I, for one, think that FS2004 is a great improvement over FS2002 and I am delighted that my mesh scenery for FS2002 still works and has never looked better!