x-plane.org (although the reception might be kinda frosty at x-plane.org)

Right there is the single largest factor that totally soured X-Plane for any serious consideration by me at all.

Being an X Plane 9 User on the mac i personly think all X-Plane needs is Addons and Support by bigger Companies , Such as Aerosoft who have recently started to Develop for the Sim , Once we get decent Aircraft with FMC's Etc , and well Designed Navigation Systems and Airports X -Plane 10 will be in my opinion be better than FS X , and i cant comment on if it will be better than flight as its not quite out yet ! ,Emma xx

You rather accept some presets without much flexibility? It's about the "beauty of the GUI" for you?

Think about what it was that made iPhones, iPods and iPads so popular. It was the GUI, that was the pure genius of it. So Laminar Research can ignore making a more functional and pleasing GUI, but without changing to the needs and wants of most people I just don't think it will ever get over the hump-- no matter how much better the flight fidelity is.

One can't please everyone. The iPhone was new; X-Plane isn't - it already has loyal fans. My gues is that Laminar very much focussed on what the core community, those already-users of X-Plane, had wished for. Despite the GUI, those are the ones that already were convinced but formulated some very clear and specific wishes:- no more "jumpy" wheather- more visabilty- do something against those completely idiotic and stupid AI planes- etc.Second they focussed on eye candy in order to please not only X-plane customers, but a larger audience:- global shadows- HDR- etc.The GUI did work already for most users. Combine that with mentioned priorities and you have to put GUI on the end of the list.Anybody wants to wait another 3 to 6 months just to get a more beautiful GUI? Certainly not me ;)

Which is exactly the original point of this thread..If XPX was developed for existing XP users - OK.If the goal of XPX is to go after new users, including FSX users, different priorities..

I tend to see it like that: The goal was to make a good sim. The theory behind it: People will come when the sim is worth it. That's why they listened to the input by the core community first.It's Microsoft with "Flight" who explicitly said they are targeting for new audiences.

OK, no issue with that goal.

It's very logical. LR's goal is to attract new customers, is it not? In order to do that I believe making a more user friendly GUI is a good starting point.

Actually Ryan, their goal is to make a better flight simulator. Anyone can learn a new user interface if the simulator is worth it. I think XPX is knocking on a lot of people doors. The biggest factor in favor of that argument? Aerosoft.