...the radar of MS which probaly means they do read many of these posts.

I can assure you that they do... Remember, AVSIM was the first to set up a FLIGHT specific forum. It has become a point of reference, of sorts.

The very fact that MS invited this select group of "press folks" also implies that "Flight" will continue to provide them a continued "raison d'etre" as well...

When the time is right Bill remind me to quote you...

Re all the discussion of "why" an NDA... Valid points have been made as to some of the reasons a company like MS would require an NDA; competition, managing the "message" etc. There is another reason that probably carries as much weight, if not more... In exposing a product to organizations such as AVSIM, the result can be news that paints a "forward looking statements". Companies are particularly loath to have anything out in the "wild" that can be interpreted by the Stock Market as a "forward looking statement" or one that could be seen to attract investors as a result of its message or quote. If something is posted that could be later intrepreted to be a false forward looking statement, a company like MS could be taken to the cleaners by the "street. There are plenty of other reasons for an NDA as well, but when it comes to corporate lawyer types, FLS's are what give them nightmares.

that could be seen to attract investors

Oh well, when financially astue investors take a close look the 'core' of the potentially buying public i.e Us; they will be quite dismayed to see a bunch of people driven by an unfathomable obsession of drinking tea and on occasion Dundee Cake, another noteworthy contrubutor who seems to be obsessed with posting images of his fishing exploits and women's behinds, another who just says ' Yuk Yuk, Yuk' despite his 20,000 posts and another (from the Netherlands) who is convinced that the next flag-ship simulator program is 'red and tastes like chicken'. Great !

Oh well, when financially astue investors take a close look the 'core' of the potentially buying public i.e Us; they will be quite dismayed to see a bunch of people driven by an unfathomable obsession of drinking tea and on occasion Dundee Cake, another noteworthy contrubutor who seems to be obsessed with posting images of his fishing exploits and women's behinds, another who just says ' Yuk Yuk, Yuk' despite his 20,000 posts and another (from the Netherlands) who is convinced that the next flag-ship simulator program is 'red and tastes like chicken'. Great !

LOL... is in it the best of both world......

Oh well, when financially astue investors take a close look the 'core' of the potentially buying public i.e Us; they will be quite dismayed to see a bunch of people driven by an unfathomable obsession of drinking tea and on occasion Dundee Cake, another noteworthy contrubutor who seems to be obsessed with posting images of his fishing exploits and women's behinds, another who just says ' Yuk Yuk, Yuk' despite his 20,000 posts and another (from the Netherlands) who is convinced that the next flag-ship simulator program is 'red and tastes like chicken'. Great !

Tristan, you need to cut down on your clotted cream and scones intake. You obviously have not been reading the cautionary note on the cream; "Addled product produces addled mind. Consume in small quantities over time. Lowest addling effect when thinned with larger amounts of a good quality single malt."

just wondering if some of the other 'vexed' addon companies where invited ? Or any other addon company for that matter.

Microsoft invited a select group of community organizations to Redmond, Washington, for a preview and discussion regarding Microsoft's soon to be released FLIGHT simulator. The meeting and hand's on sessions took place this last Tuesday, December 13th. AVSIM was represented by Tom Allensworth, Publisher, and Robert Whitwell, Reviews Editor. This meeting was held under the auspices of a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) which all participants are covered by. In this meeting Microsoft shared confidential information and access to the FLIGHT game. Microsoft has indicated that some restrictions imposed by the NDA will be removed during the first week of January. To the extent that we are able and willing to do so, AVSIM will report on those aspects of FLIGHT allowed by those reduced restrictions. Please stay tuned. More to follow...

Was the term Simulator actually used Tom ?Fred.

n4gix, on 17 December 2011 - 01:58 PM, said:The very fact that MS invited this select group of "press folks" also implies that "Flight" will continue to provide them a continued "raison d'etre" as well...

When the time is right Bill remind me to quote you...

Oh I believe you can count on it, Tom!Astute readers should be able to see the obvious inferences now......often a lot of information can be communicated without actually saying anything at all!

You realize that 99% of all of this just flew over people's heads, much like a jet will do in Flight over a world wide planet.

Astute readers should be able to see the obvious inferences now...

Indeed...

You just described every simulation developer in existence.

Some care more about the needs of their customers than others.

Excellent news! It appears that MS is once again upping the ante in regards to 'managing' its software releases and factoring out all of the 'bull' that we have all come to loath (over-blown hype ect.).Cheersjja

Oh well, when financially astue investors take a close look the 'core' of the potentially buying public i.e Us; they will be quite dismayed to see a bunch of people driven by an unfathomable obsession of drinking tea and on occasion Dundee Cake, another noteworthy contrubutor who seems to be obsessed with posting images of his fishing exploits and women's behinds, another who just says ' Yuk Yuk, Yuk' despite his 20,000 posts and another (from the Netherlands) who is convinced that the next flag-ship simulator program is 'red and tastes like chicken'. Great !

Aren't we a silly bunch? :(

You realize that 99% of all of this just flew over people's heads, much like a jet will do in Flight over a world wide planet.

Yes :(

much like a jet will do in Flight over a world wide planet.

Excellent!