Looks he made it VERY clear they are not interested in simmers, and are not interested in allowing development for simmers.

Mr Allensworth,Your interview was great, you asked all the right questions, and for that I'm very grateful. One thing you mentioned, we "hardcore" flight simmers (that used to be money in MS' accounts, now we're not politically correct), have supported not only MS FS but also Windows itself for 29 years, how old is Joshua Howard again? I have in excess of 20 units of MS FS, six of FSX Gold and four or more of FS9, and every other edition back to FS98 is still ready to fly on other computers. I think MS is ungrateful to loyal customers who have supported them with our hard earned money. We have been kicked to the curb.As a long time customer who has made multiples of purchases, and with money ready to spend I am not happy at all. If I have bad service at a restaurant I speak up about it. I am much more upset now over MS' ungrateful attitude and PR baloney and bad management choices.

@Angels +1With regard to your comment on Howard's age, I'd like to point that I'm 18 and agree with you. It's not an age issue, although I suspect that the older folks support Flight more than the younger ones at this point.

Thanks very much Darrol (sorry) I appreciate it. I was 4 when I first started studying aviation, and 7 when I started flying a plane until I was 11.All I can say is, I've read one interview after another, and listened to one video interview, and Mr Allensworth is the only one who has asked the hard questions on our behalf. Finally a good interview!Cheers

The real question is: when can we move on from what MS didn't give us and move on to what they did give us. At last check they have given us both FSX and Flight, so if you can't find what you like out of those two, you may want to pursue another hobby.

Or buy X plane 10. It has big potential of maturing to next successor of FSX. Of course MS FSX is for now probably the leading one, but it wont keep going forever on new windows systems and such + is pretty unstable software. Anyway great interview, confirms many of my thoughts about Flight.

I have in excess of 20 units of MS FS, six of FSX Gold and four or more of FS9, and every other edition back to FS98 is still ready to fly on other computers.

Feel free to tell me to mind my own business, I promise I won't take it personally, but my curiosity gets the better of me sometimes... why would you have so many copies? Is that typical of "hardcore" flight simmers? (your term).

One thing you mentioned, we "hardcore" flight simmers (that used to be money in MS' accounts, now we're not politically correct),

Hi Angels 355,It's hard to believe that after all these years you are writing on AVSIM for the first time! Better late than never so you are most welcome here. As another old time hardcore flight simmer I am reminded that we all have seen business and entertainment cycles before. Things leave, go around and eventually comeback, not always the same way, but the pendulum swings like a pendulum do.It might take awhile, but we will be politically correct again. If Flight does indeed add the many millions of flyers as they hope, or even a fraction of those numbers, then time will flood our ranks with new hardcore flight simmers a generation or two younger than we are. They too will come to want their hobby to be as real as it gets. Virtual reality is increasingly too intoxicating to resist.Given human nature I think flight simulation will return, in a big way. So, give it some time, and with a little bit of luck things will be better before we know it. Glad you jumped in.Kind regards,

Or buy X plane 10. It has big potential of maturing to next successor of FSX. Of course MS FSX is for now probably the leading one, but it wont keep going forever on new windows systems and such + is pretty unstable software.Anyway great interview, confirms many of my thoughts about Flight.

I agree.

Feel free to tell me to mind my own business, I promise I won't take it personally, but my curiosity gets the better of me sometimes... why would you have so many copies? Is that typical of "hardcore" flight simmers? (your term).

Thanks for asking, perhaps I'm an unusual simmer. I like to study when I can, I'm a scientist, was supposed to go to medical school but had the rug pulled out from under me. Casually studied the 32 Beethoven piano sonatas 4 to 7 hours/day. One thing I learned is that if you want to learn something and become skilled you have to study/practice a lot. I've noticed the changes in my skill level as I continued practicing flying especially heavy metal on flight simulators. For a while I enjoyed flying at least four flight simulators at the same time. People used to ask other simmers, what do you do while on a long flight? I would reply I would start up 3 or more flights. Once flew 10 at the same time, but that was seriously difficult and ate a lot of electricity. But in the past I used to routinely comfortably fly 4 at the same time. It's more difficult, you learn more intensely. Nearly all of my flights have been around the world flights, I have completed 401, but only because I completely slacked off for several years. Busy taking care of the household and mom.Now, I just fly one sim at a time, however I like building computers. Just built a Q9450 system, that has/will have FSX Gold and FS9 on it, next as quickly as I can I hope to build an Ivy Bridge system. I'll have to wait until next year to build a socket 2011 with Ivy Bridge and I'm guessing PCI-E 3.0 will be out by then also? Intel just announced recently that 2011 Ivy Bridge processors will be delayed by 12 to 15 months because AMD does not have any processors that are any competition to them.Any way, while I only fly one sim at a time now, I can build new advanced systems, and want to put FSX and FS9 on them, and just run whatever computer I feel like running. For example if one computer is busy with graphics editing, I will still have another ready to go for FS. I have owned 135 computers, threw out a lot. I have a paltry 13 computers in front of me, nearly all have FS on them. Downstairs I have maybe 3 or more with FS on them, plus 20 or 30 cases/or computers. Have to throw out more. Flight has made me seriously look at XP10, I have a lot of experience with linux, and I have up to date Ubuntu 64 bit installed and ready to go for XP10. I am definitely getting it. It's ironic that 12 years ago when I was shopping for an over the top Big Mac computer with two processors, I was drawn back to Windows solely because of FS. I may have to buy three to six more units of Win 7 and/or Win 8, and it just goes against my grain paying MS all that money after their completely ungrateful attitude. One of MS Flight's diehard and accomplished supporters even admitted that Mr Howard is terrible at PR.

Good interview.Some hard questions and some fairly evasive and non-committal answers.But I think it is now pretty clear that this game was planned from the beginning to be an entertaining, high quality, GA only flying experience, to appeal to a general audience. Whole world and piloting jetliners was never part of the plan.Well, if that is the case they seem to be doing a pretty good job of it so far. But I do hope that, given time, they will flesh it out to include the obviously missing stuff.As for jetliners that could be a totally separate game some time in the future. Perhaps a free default world plus high quality airliners and airports as DLC.

I have owned 135 computers, threw out a lot. I have a paltry 13 computers in front of me, nearly all have FS on them.

Thanks for answering, I have to say, that is astounding...

My point is that Microsoft stuck to the Flight Simulator genre for over 20 years. They obviously found it profitable for that amount of time, otherwise they would have stopped making simulators a long time ago. The fact that simmers are somehow a 'niche' market that isn't profitable is simply untrue. They've completely thrown us in the back seat and don't care for us at all.

what you have to remember is that sales/profit have been on a downward trend, consequently, MS had to develop a new model to drive up the profitability... thus, Flight.

It's an interesting interview, although it is apparent that the questions relating to requests for more hard core stuff were politely batted away, which really comes as no great surprise to most of us. I'm sure many of us may not have been exactly thrilled with some of the respones, even if unsurprised at them, but we can accept that at the end of the day MS is a business, so their benevolence to a comparitively minor section of their customers is understandable even if we don't like to hear it.The advent of more input from third party developers may see some of the stuff that the hard core want showing up, so I don't think the door is completely closed on the hard core in the longer term, but what it says to me, is that Prepar3D, FSX and X-Plane too, is the way to go for the hard core in at least the short term, which is not bad news for such developers, since any word from MS in regard to Flight has not suddenly caused these other platforms to cease to exist. That is not to say Flight has no merit even for the hard core types, which is a category I probably fall into, because being into flight sims in a big way does not mean you automatically have to dislike a fun treatment of flight sims. I think Flight is great fun and I've bought much of the DLC for it, so I'll be along for the ride in spite of where that ride may be going.Al

Hi Angels 355,It's hard to believe that after all these years you are writing on AVSIM for the first time! Better late than never so you are most welcome here. As another old time hardcore flight simmer I am reminded that we all have seen business and entertainment cycles before. Things leave, go around and eventually comeback, not always the same way, but the pendulum swings like a pendulum do.It might take awhile, but we will be politically correct again. If Flight does indeed add the many millions of flyers as they hope, or even a fraction of those numbers, then time will flood our ranks with new hardcore flight simmers a generation or two younger than we are. They too will come to want their hobby to be as real as it gets. Virtual reality is increasingly too intoxicating to resist.Given human nature I think flight simulation will return, in a big way. So, give it some time, and with a little bit of luck things will be better before we know it. Glad you jumped in.Kind regards,

Thanks Stephen, nice suit and tie. I used to wear a tie 7 days/week by choice, business person and former model, but then I worked for a dressed down company, who would threaten to cut my silk tie with scissors if I kept wearing them. I'm buying nicer clothes again and have been transitioning back so it is not such a big shock to my friends...You have a very nice attitude about this situation, never thought of it that way. Instead I wanted to pound my fists on a table with frustration.Actually I have been around Avsim since maybe 2003 or 4, I was a rabid downloader back then with a constant eye for new freeware aircraft. Now I can afford to buy the entire PMDG catalog. I did post some threads in Fly!, FS9 and FSX, but the website went through a few changes and I lost my number of postings, no big deal. Also helped Mr Allensworth with some helpful suggestions when someone maliciously hacked and damaged the Avsim website. Hacking is a crime. One has to support their old school right? Got involved with that other forum, the other one over there. I had been asking one of their reviewers about how to correct something in FS9, so he told me to sign up on the forum. I was grateful for the help and tried to give back to the community by returning the favor to other simmers. I have over 5000 posts over there now and am a "Top Gun", perhaps much to the chagrin of some of the moderators. Any way I forget all these frustrations when I fly FS, mostly 747's. I intend to study for RW credentials, and have had an airline coach. My career has been a quagmire, somehow hope to succeed in at least one of the following, PhD physics or astrophysics; discouraged about the possibility of medicine (for one thing I've met all the top specialists, and they make House MD look like Marcus Welby); business; formerly involved with law enforcement; have been exploring the possibility of a career as a pilot.Nice to visit Avsim again. The forum format looks really good. Once again Mr Allensorth's interview was fantastic, I waited a long time for someone to ask the hard questions. Especially about loyal customers who have supported not only the MS FS series but also Windows too.Nice talking with you.

Thanks for posting that interview. If nothing else, it confirms much of what has been speculation up to now.And in my case, it confirms that there is absolutely nothing in "Flight" that interests me. Going from what wenow have in FSX to what might be in "Flight" would be, IMO, a giant leap backwards. Paul

Thanks for answering, I have to say, that is astounding...

Thanks very much. Have a good flight. :)