...when it forces you out of desperation to purchase a program that you probably under different circumstances would have not been interested in.When I had my FSX freeze up issues over the last 6 weeks, I tried everything and anything to rid myself of them. One of those 'things' was to buy Active Sky Evolution, to replace my usage of Active Sky 6.5. I had been quite happy with A.S. 6.5 in use with FSX as well as FS9, and so by not having tried out A.S.E. did not have any reason to upgrade. Heck, clouds and winds were being produced with A.S. 6.5, so why upgrade?Well..., I can honestly say that A.S.E. is properly named. Evolution. it HAS evolved over what A.S. 6.5 can produce on the screen. I just want to focus (I'm in a flight between the Caribbean island of Dominica and the other islands on the horizon around it. I'm using Paul's Caribbean scenery volumes 1-5) on the haze/smog/mist (whatever you might think it is, for the flight situation) that A.S.E. renders.Wonderful! I just took off of Dominica and MILES away over the ocean water, are the other islands with a haze and mist about them. If I gain altitude, the haze still is ethereal, and not only has substance, but it is not depicted as a LAYER! A.S. 6.5 would give you a layer of mist/smog/ that you would break through like the old FS9/FS2002 days. That was always the way before A.S.E. Now...I have this beautiful, realistic haze/mist that BLENDS at the lower and higher clear air it touches. This is absolutely realistic as in real world observance.So...I guess my lesson was to not become complacent and that 'ignorance is bliss'. Had I not had an issue which prompted me to search outside the 'box'...I know that I would have not dropped coin on a weather generator upgrade past A.S. 6.5 for merely that it worked as well in FSX as it had in FS9. Yeah...but it gave no better than what that particular software could. How would I know that though without upgrading? I simply would not have.Final comment. If you are using A.S. 6.5 with good success, I merely suggest that you bite the bullet, and upgrade to A.S.E. It truly does a much better job in rendering complex (with REX2 Extreme) atmospherics and cloudscapes than what A.S. 6.5 can render. I bought it for other reasons than just wanting a updated weather generation package, but am so glad that I did. I absolutely was not aware of what it could do to advance the real world weather representation. If this post makes you the slightest curious...run with it. It is my personal opinion that you will not be disappointed after you have used the product for a week or two, and have thoroughly read the manual and explored the feature masks. Back to that great 82 F and slight haze/mist out of the ocean.... :) Very happy camper!Mitch

Final comment. If you are using A.S. 6.5 with good success, I merely suggest that you bite the bullet, and upgrade to A.S.E. :) Very happy camper!Mitch

Mitch: aahh Mitch... Jim didn't tell you, so I guess you didn't know.. Everyone else already had ASA, with many having moved up to ASE! Nobody uses ASv6 anymore - you were the last one! :( :( :( ...just kidding!

Mitch: aahh Mitch... Jim didn't tell you, so I guess you didn't know.. Everyone else already had ASA, with many having moved up to ASE! Nobody uses ASv6 anymore - you were the last one! :( :( :( ...just kidding!

LOLOLOL! I know...but I was reaching out to the hold-outs like myself, lol. For some of us, it takes a nudge or two, LOL! BTW, Paul...you'd wouldn't believe how many were/ARE still using A.S. 6.5 that probably also didn't figure to upgrade anytime soon.... B)

BTW, Paul...you'd wouldn't believe how many were/ARE still using A.S. 6.5 that probably also didn't figure to upgrade anytime soon.... :(

You're right, Mitch - I wouldn't believe it! :( :(

You're right, Mitch - I wouldn't believe it! :( :(

Oh...there are guys and gals out there that are nodding their heads..saying.."Yep...I'm still using A.S. 6.5...and it can stay right where it is....". But I will say again, if they saw the difference, they would most likely retire it. Flight1 has a great idea in that their money-back guarantee SELLS software. Try it, use it, enjoy it, but if it does not work out for you...you get your money back. Great idea. In fact, that was the reason that I dropped the coin on EZdok. I would not have, had it not been for that I could test the product out. In testing out for my own expectation and needs, it proved a winner! Flight1 is not hurting in any way by offering this to the buying public and I applaud them.Other publishers should also consider this enticement to the buying public.Mitch