>>>I highly suggest that if this product was delivered as a .zip or CD, that an attempt be made not to reinstall but just open up any read-me's or license doc files only to see exactly what the terms of purchase were and what license agreement was signed to activate/install the software.<<<

I have suffered the same fate as the others posting here and am also disappointed that V5 stopped functioning and wiped out all the files and folder.However if you all look in your recycle bin you should find everything still in there so at least you should be able to restore any saved weather files. I guess if you do restore and try to run V5 again the same thing will happen and I have no idea if V6 will read the saved weather files.I kept V5 to use with FS2k2 which I still have on my system and use V6 for FS9.This is quite out of character for Marc IMHO, I also think it will drive people away from FS Meteo and onto ActiveSky (which I also have)I shall be emailing Marc for an explanation.

>>>>>""TERMS AND CONDITIONS>> . . . The author and/or>distributors will assume no liability for events that may>occur while using any of this software."">>>>>>says it all.

> . . . The author and/or>distributors will assume no liability for events that may>occur while using any of this software."">>>>>>This hardly protects a distributor who chooses to send out malicious content. It sound like there may be criminal activity here.

You guys must have an illegal copy. I have had FSMeteo for about 3 years now and Marc sends me the updates as the happen. I have had no problems at all with this program or Marc. I downloaded the weather 3 times yesterday and no problems, on the otherhand, Default weather crashed .Joe W.

I have a quite legit copy which has 'expired'.I have not passed it onto anyone else. There is NO reason it shouldn't still work.Marc stopped sending updates to people who owned earlier versions of his product, fair enough. But disabling them completely is plain wrong.

You are incorrect JoeW. I have just re-installed my legal copy of FS Meteo, started FS2K2 and tried to run FSMeteo 5.1 in the default configuration. I got the message about the expired version and then the following files were deleteddata.datdataaloft.datmagdev.datI have used FSMeteo since version 4.81 and have never seen a time limitation mentioned. Funnily enough I was just considering upgrading to the latest version. It will now never happen and I will look at other utilities. I will also express my concerns to Marc.--qnh

Marc Maintains a server just for FSMeteo doesnt he? Althought I totally agree that this a malicious thing to do. It would seem to me that when we do not support the upgrade process with FSMeteo we should not have access to a server maintained for current version customers unless we subscribe to some sort of annual access. Of coarse as cheap as the upgrade was it would probable be cheaper to go ahead and upgrade.I love FSMeteo with version 6.4 there is no more flashing and stuttering found in some other software and Ive never noticed abrupt cloud and wind transitions. For me it was an excellent upgrade.As long as Marc continues to provide the quality addon that FSMeteo is and the price remains reasonable I will continue to pay my 20.00 per year and then I quess I will not have the problems.For all of you that say you will never buy Fsmeteo again. Whats your point! Version 6 has been out for almost a year The fact that you did NOT purchase the FSMeteo upgrade is why you are complaining so I quess he does not expect you to remain customers anyway.RegardsDennis Waggoner

Dennis,I was waiting for FS2K4 and then for the SDK's to come out before upgrading as I have seen the problems being experienced by others. At no point during my time as an FSMeteo customer was I advised of a time limit on the software.--qnh

Hi Dennis,How would you react if your car' manufacturer would build-in a self destroying feature that would be activated when a new model comes out?JJ StruyfBraine-L'AlleudBelgiumhttp://jdtllc.com/images/RCsupporter.jpg

Its amazing. The attitude that some people have here....."Because its not happening to me, then everyone is lying.""I'm flying FS9 with no CTDs so everyone else who's claims to be getting them must be lying....or it must be their fault""I'm using FSMeteo 5.1 with no problems....so everyone else must either be lying, or they must have an illegal copy, or its their fault for not buying an upgrade."You people are just a bunch of selfish hyprocrites. And unfortunately, this attitude seems to be spreading on these forums. FACT: When people purchased the program, Marc. never at any point said that the version will only be supported for a limited period of time. He NEVER said that your program will stop working after a limited period of time. Whether customers want to upgrade or not, is thier decision since they are all under the impression that they can remain with the old version with no problem.If he clearly states on his website that the current version will not be supported after a year and that you will have to purchase the upgrade at a discount, or receive a free upgrade, etc....then people will be able to make an informed decision during purchase. However, I am pretty certain that his sales will probably drop.......This did actually happen to me with 5.1, but around the time it happened, Marc has sent me the upgrade for free. I naturally assumed that was the standard practice....apparently its not, and I'm not saying that it should be standard practice. I'm just saying that people should be made aware of this when they first purchase the software. I don't think that is too much to ask is it?So you prople that LOVES to KISS developers @##@s just give it a rest.

Hello all,My opinion is that this is an act of piracy, plain and simple.A developer violating the EULA he provides to his paying customers is a very bad business practice, and an illegal one.Saying "free updates for ever" to get hold of your dollar and then backing up is just lying.But,REMOVING FILES FROM YOUR PC WITH OUT WARNING AND WITHOUT EVER ASKING YOU IS A DOWNRIGHT ACT OF PIRACY. I would have NEVER EVER agreed to pay for a software license that stated that in a year's time the developer would start erasing MY files from MY hard disk. If Microsoft ever tried to do a similar trick the press would have a field party with them. Imagine trying to download weather using FS2002 intergraded function and getting a "friendly" message box saying "You version of Flight Simulator has expired. Contact [email protected] for more info. Ah, and by the way I just erased fs2002.exe, every .cfg file I could find, along with every single situation file you have saved. Have a nice day."I just need to know why Marc has to be treated differently. Is it because he is small compared to MS? Is it because his program is a good one? (FS is also very good). Is it because he seems like a nice guy (that just likes to cheat on his customers every year or two)?By the way, after all the fuss, he started sending V5.2 to the ones that threatened of direct legal action against him (but only to them - no need to loose the prospect of an extra buck or two from the rest of the crowd). I wouldn't count on seeing anything about it on his site. He'll just give it to the ones he can not avoid.I doubt if I will ever get it - after a very polite message I sent him last year, when he shut me off the updates HE HAD PROMISED I was entitled to (a message he never found worth answering), this year I sent him a very angry one (written just after I found out that he HACKED my PC and erased my offline weather files, files that where extremely useful to me since I fly mainly offline).I simply can not understand how people decide to conduct business like this. I guess I will have to be a bit more careful when paying my hard-earned cash to people like this.RegardsSpiros HazapisAthens, Greece.BTW, a word of caution to the ones having the TIME LIMITED V6.x software.BACK YOUR FILES UP. As soon as V7 is out he will hack into your HD and erase your files.

This FS Meteo matter show pretty much what is coming up for flight simming in the future.Some people out there have realized this thing sells a lot,and that it could make them money,and this is the whole attitude starting to take over our virtual skies...I had said in the past that it wouldn't be long before VATSIM itself becomes a payware subscription service...No offence for VATSIM founders and supervisors or whatever,but this is the way things are going...UNLESS we all do something.Keep this topic alive,draw attention and show everyone why it is NOT mandatory to upgrade to FS9 for example...This thing is becoming huge,and it's moving slowly and as planned,so that most people won't even know what is going on.Who would have guessed 3 years ago that we would have to pay for FSUIPC?Food for thought...George StergioulasSamos,GreeceOAV037SFV037

FSUIPC is an add-on used by many commercial developers and many products include the access key. Bona-fide freeware developers can apply for a free inclusion key.However, previous versions of FSUIPC for FS2K2 do not expire. FS9 is a new product, FSUIPC 3.x is a major, not incremental upgrade, and I doub't there is any mechanism to destroy it or previous versions upon any date.No comparison here.

Seems to me that while developers don't trust users, which is understandable because of piracy, the time is quickly coming when users should no longer trust developers.Just recently I have seen example(s) of:Developer(s) refusing to re-issue keys because they don't like the user's attitude.Developer(s) denying users their statutory rights.Developer(s) pulling the plug on older versions of their software.As I have said before in this forum I am getting fed up with the way payware is going and it's not that I am against paying for anything. I am supporting freeware more and more because you just don't have these hassles and, if you should, well you never paid for it in the first place so you haven't much to lose. I've started doing some of my own design work now which will add to my skills as well as develop another side to the hobby.David