The Prepare3D EULA reads with my emphasis:My emphasis.I assume that is intended to reflect the agreement between MS and LM. If so, MS has every right to require that LM ensures that P3D is not used for " personal/consumer entertainment".The reality is that any "avsimmer who is using this for simulation/training" is using it for personal/consumer entertainment and that's the reality the law will recognise.

So you expect LM to check the credentials of every person they sell P3D to?Perhaps they should send an inspector to each address of installation to do a check up?The reality is this.....LM will sell you the full $499 or $10 per month licence right now from the website with no questions asked.I dont see what all the fuss is about. LM are selling this product right now on a website where ANYONE can pay with a credit card and obtain a licence.If LM were not legally able to do this, they would not. Simple!Let LM worry about the legal aspect. Clearly they are not concerned or they wouldn't be selling a downloadable product on a website that lets any Tom, Dick or Harry pay by credit card.

Edited January 5, 201214 yr by Glenn Harrall

The Prepare3D EULA reads with my emphasis:My emphasis.I assume that is intended to reflect the agreement between MS and LM. If so, MS has every right to require that LM ensures that P3D is not used for " personal/consumer entertainment".The reality is that any "avsimmer who is using this for simulation/training" is using it for personal/consumer entertainment and that's the reality the law will recognise.

Why? The EULA is a contract for the end user to adhere to, why does LM need to go out of it's way to ensure it is adhered to?

Prepar3d can only cater to nich market and FSX is a die-ing sim. So looks like you will be developing for two nich markets. Kind of what X-Plane 9 was.

Exactly. FSX represents a shrinking market, and Prepar3D isn't supposed to be sold as a consumer level sim (even though that's pretty much what Lockheed Martin is doing).In light of this, I think the real reason some developers are reluctant to make the move to X-Plane is not because it's "niche" but because they would have to start from scratch learning how to make add-ons for a fundamentally different platform.

Why? The EULA is a contract for the end user to adhere to, why does LM need to go out of it's way to ensure it is adhered to?

+1!!!!

Exactly. FSX represents a shrinking market, and Prepar3D isn't supposed to be sold as a consumer level sim (even though that's pretty much what Lockheed Martin is doing).In light of this, I think the real reason some developers are reluctant to make the move to X-Plane is not because it's "niche" but because they would have to start from scratch learning how to make add-ons for a fundamentally different platform.

If FSX is a dead platform then by the same token X-Plane has never been alive!

+1!!!!If FSX is a dead platform then by the same token X-Plane has never been alive!

Ha Ha! I like that! :(

If FSX is a dead platform then by the same token X-Plane has never been alive!

I didn't say it was a dead platform, I said it represents a shrinking market, which is true. Sales have long since slowed to a trickle, and the older it gets, the more people will move on to other products or drop out of the flight sim hobby entirely. It's certainly not "end of life", but that time is definitely approaching. And when FSX does become a dead platform will be right around the time that X-Plane 10 will be in full stride.

Thanks for the update John!Is it just me or has this devolved into another MSFS/ESP vs XP thread?5 years from now there will still be an MSFS/ESP vs XP debate... give it up folks.

Having reviewed a great deal of X-Plane aircraft offerings... it's going to be a long, long... did I mention long? time before you see aircraft systems accuracy at the levels FSX already offers. X-Plane caters to simplistic systems.There is so much missing in X-Plane that current FSX developers utliize and rely on that many of the FSX aircraft would have to build entire simulators themselves. One significantly glaring example: the Eaglesoft Citation X v2 compared to the only Citation X offered for X-Plane.Take the time, compare the two. Then... tell me how much of what's in the FSX aircraft is readily available in X-Plane. Of course, I already know the real answer... but I'm dying to see what's said.

The EULA is a contract for the end user to adhere to

Which is why I can't legally use Prepar3d.

I didn't say it was a dead platform, I said it represents a shrinking market, which is true. Sales have long since slowed to a trickle, and the older it gets, the more people will move on to other products or drop out of the flight sim hobby entirely. It's certainly not "end of life", but that time is definitely approaching. And when FSX does become a dead platform will be right around the time that X-Plane 10 will be in full stride.

Why would people move onto other sims?Right now, the addons that are here for FSX make it by far the best looking, most immersive sim ever seen on a home PC.The FSX install DVD is just the base. It was released in 2006, of course sales have slowed down!Heck, if it wasnt for the addons, I would have gone long ago - but not to X-Plane. 5 years from now, X-Plane 'X' will still not have surpassed the user install base of FSX. I bet you a case of beer on that.

Which is why I can't legally use Prepar3d.

Get your wife in front of the computer, let her have a go. Charge her $5. Didn't make a profit? Oh well, it was a business venture and you gave it a go! I doubt it will be the first time you have not stricly adhered to practically every eula.

Edited January 5, 201214 yr by JasonHarris

Which is why I can't legally use Prepar3d.

Make a couple of AFCADS then. You are now a 'developer'............

My wife can't legally use Prepar3D either!

My wife can't legally use Prepar3D either!

She would if she were a "student" at your hypothetical flight training school!

I would pay 500$ for a licence, I just wish I could have it charged 10 or 25$ a month until its paid off, if my wife saw a 500$ charge for a flight simulator I would end up buried in the back yard :(