Why would they keep anything running that competes with their existing product, especially when their existing product sells episodic content and can't compete on merit. Those of you saying "Well I can still stay on FSX" will be forced to choose between violating copyright law (even though you own the product) or going back to FS2004....that is until Windows 8 or 9 kills off the ability to run FS2004. Did you know that Microsoft is planning to make secure boot mandatory for windows certification - this is a feature that means only a digitally signed OS can run on your own hardware and that means Linux and other OS won't install on your latest machine. The only software you can run is what Microsoft say. This will make Apple's tight grip on 3rd party applications for the iPhone look like a pleasantry. IF they get away with it that is. I sincerely hope anti-trust and other corporations placing pressure makes the whole secure boot thing optional.Consider this before you flame: Not everyone who disagrees with you is a troll. Some of us are sad to see our precious hobby torn apart. And no, it's not paranoid fantasy. i said back in 2006 on more than one forum when FSX was released it would be the death of MS Flight Sim. Google "Online activation and greed".

They might stop selling FSX (do they still sell FSX?) But blocking activations wont happen anytime soon.

I think even Microsoft has more heart than that. After kicking loyal fans for 29 years in the you know where I can't image they would do anything to kill FSX or FS2004.

Edited February 9, 201214 yr by simmerhead

Well, we did pay for the product. It has no expiry date!

Even if they did that internet is full of very simple cracks to get around activation. I have heard some people using them after their number of activations were used and they would have needed to call Microsoft or something like that to get it activated again.

Why would they keep anything running that competes with their existing product, especially when their existing product sells episodic content and can't compete on merit. Those of you saying "Well I can still stay on FSX" will be forced to choose between violating copyright law (even though you own the product) or going back to FS2004....that is until Windows 8 or 9 kills off the ability to run FS2004. Did you know that Microsoft is planning to make secure boot mandatory for windows certification - this is a feature that means only a digitally signed OS can run on your own hardware and that means Linux and other OS won't install on your latest machine. The only software you can run is what Microsoft say. This will make Apple's tight grip on 3rd party applications for the iPhone look like a pleasantry. IF they get away with it that is. I sincerely hope anti-trust and other corporations placing pressure makes the whole secure boot thing optional.Consider this before you flame: Not everyone who disagrees with you is a troll. Some of us are sad to see our precious hobby torn apart. And no, it's not paranoid fantasy. i said back in 2006 on more than one forum when FSX was released it would be the death of MS Flight Sim. Google "Online activation and greed".

I could see Microsoft doing something like this. They tried over and over to kill older OS support in favor of their new efforts. Case in point they tried to Kill Windows XP in an effort to force people on Windows Vista. That didn't work but they tried. FSX is a smaller target and can get the switch cut without a blink of an eye. This is where I say our community is small enough to where it wouldn't even be on the radar as far as the rest of the world caring. I wouldn't put anything past them when Flight proves to be a disaster. Further more in the context of their decision to even do a project like Flight I wouldn't blink an eye using a hack to get past FSX activation (when I decide to start using that sim).

Edited February 9, 201214 yr by Dillon

I think even Microsoft has more heart than that. After kicking loyal fans for 29 years in the you know where I can't image they would do anything to kill FSX or FS2004.

I dont understand what "heart" has to do with it ....

As already stated, there are plenty of cracks available to get around the activation. If Microsoft were to shut down the activation servers (which I really, really doubt), You would still be able to install FSX with a crack. No, you would not be a criminal for doing so, since you already paid for the product and it will not expire.Please people, lets be realistic here!

Just another baseless "conspiracy" thread. I really wonder whether people who start these threads are genuinly worried or have an agenda.

Edited February 9, 201214 yr by Jean-Paul Mes

Using a crack is circumventing copy protection and is unfortunately indeed against the law in most jurisdictions and does make you a criminal regardless of your "ownership" of your copy of the software. (Microsoft would argue license to use it). At the very best it is a grey area, but probably not even grey. You are not legally in the right just because you feel like you are morally in the right. Do you think I agree with this??? But I'm not going to pretend that my opinion changes the reality. In fact you are probably breaking the rules of the forum by even talking about cracks!!!

I am not advocating piracy in any way. Im simple stating that Microsoft will in no way keep us from using what we rightfully purchased. I will fight that in any way possible. I will even go as far as to send Microsof my name and address with an open invitation to sue me for having to use a crack to use a DVD I purchased that has no expiration date. If that is not the case they will have to refund me and everyone else the money we paid for FSX and Accelleration. It simply wont happen! Even MIcrosoft wouldnt be that stupid. This thread is a waste of bandwith!!!

So you're saying your conspiracy theory is that I have an agenda. My agenda is clear and plain for all to see - I HATE what they've done with the simulator.Shutting down the activation servers is a certainty. The only question is when. I have not heard of an online activation server being kept up for any piece of software indefinitely. It is not just plausible, but the most likely business move to make that they do everything they can to eliminate competition for the current product. Unlike previous simulators FLIGHT is not an upgrade of any kind - it offers much much less than before. If your primary interest is making money and you've abandoned the simulation community en mass like this there is absolutely no reason to spend money and resources continuing to support a product that could only possibly take away from your current offering. I say it's a "prediction" but I do not mean I am Nostradamus. I mean it's the most likely next move

You are completely wrong! where have you seen shutting down the activation servers? If this is not a conspiracy theory then what it is?For you information, because it seems that you haven't seen it and many others, go to Tom Allensworth Blog and go to the 'MS FLIGHT SIM - My Thoughts' post and go to the very last sentence. It says: "In the meetings with Microsoft in December, the question of FSX's future was asked.. I can't remember the details of the answer, but I can sum it up by saying that MS has NOT SAID they are abandoning the product or ruling out a future successor"So go and see it for yourself

The FSX real world weather by Jeppesen service seems not to be updated frequently anymore. Tried it recently at LOWI and got fair weather, 15 *C and 1013 mbar while it should be freezing cold and snowing. Many other stations showed this fair weather as well.

Edited February 9, 201214 yr by koyaan

Using a crack is probably (ie almost certainly) against the law where you live, and if you ever tried something as foolish as taking on a mega-corporation to set a precedent that could lose them a ton of money, and you were so clearly in the wrong, I think you'd find out very quickly the full extent of their ability to punish you for breaking the license agreement and how large a legal team they can throw at the problem. Depending on how they wanted to play the PR they'd either offer you a deal where you don't lose as much as you possibly could in exchange for your quite, or make an example of you. In reality you are probably not worth their time or effort and I would hope you aren't so foolish as to do what you say you would. The worst case, if they decided to go after you would be extreme - bankruptcy or jail or both. Talk all the bravado you like but I truely do hope that's all it is.

So your saying if Microsoft were to decied to shut off activation servers, Everyone who purchased FSX and or Acceleration would be out of luck and have to throw them out along while deleting the hundreds, if not thousands of dollars worth of addons and putting out of business all the addon developers at the same time, and everyone would just sit back and let that happen as say "oh well, time to find another hobby"? Think again. First of all there is no way possible, this would happen. Microsoft is not that stupid. I dont like flight anymore than you do, but these consipracy theorys are a complete wast of everyones time. Why am I even arguring about this? I should know better.

@ syousefMake yourself a favour. First don't panic. Second take a deep breath, and read again the sentence I have in Bold, because it seems that you didn't understand it.

The FSX real world weather by Jeppesen service seems not to be updated frequently anymore. Tried it recently at LOWI and got fair weather, 15 *C and 1013 mbar while it should be freezing cold and snowing. Many other stations showed this fair weather as well.

Relax, the server was down for a few hours recently, but it is up and running again.