Rob, it's pretty simple. I have 100s of addons and I prefer a simple exe-file sitting on my harddrive that can be executed with no questions asked. A few minutes here and there soon adds up. Liife is short and I just want things to be super easy and hassle free so I can concentrate on flying.

 

I'm sure RealAir have their reasons for doing what they do, but for me it's not the way to go. Again, your aircraft are top notch and thanks for your interaction!

 

Well you are missing out on some top stuff then - No RealAir / PMDG - that is most of my FSX time right there. Anyway, doesn't FSX itself have an activation limit ???

 

G

 

 

Well you are missing out on some top stuff then - No RealAir / PMDG - that is most of my FSX time right there. Anyway, doesn't FSX itself have an activation limit ???

 

G

 

As you can see from my earlier post I have every RealAir aircraft up to the Lancair. They're one of the best in the biz. I just don't like copy protection and try to avoid supporting products that have it, wether it's CDs, DVDs or software.

 

Yep, the serial/code protection in FSX should have been removed as well, but at least they got rid of the annoying "CD in the drive" protection from FS2004.

I've made a few exceptions because there are some aircrafts and devs that are simply worth the time and extra effort. Plus, I've only had a couple of issues. Devs want to protect their work as much as they can, even if it means loosing some customers. I'm one of those customers who hates activations, but more than activations, I now hate having to re-install anything. I just want to fly.

Yep, the serial/code protection in FSX should have been removed as well, but at least they got rid of the annoying "CD in the drive" protection from FS2004.

 

Yeah, CD in the drive protection used to drive me crazy as well. So much so I used to use the No-CD cracks for all my purchased software - not something I would even consider these days (luckily I don't need to anymore !!)....

 

G

An interesting quote from ORBX CEO John Venema:

 

Everyone has piracy problems, including Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft, Aerosoft, Flight1, FSDT, FlyTampa – everyone. You cannot make crack-proof software and we don’t even bother with serial numbers on our DVDs. Here is why we don’t make a fuss anymore – those who steal Orbx software are not going to pay for it anyway. They steal because they either don’t have the money, don’t want to spend the money, or have what I call the “warez collector’s syndrome”; they have 10TB of hard disks full of FS warez but they don’t enjoy the hobby. Two things usually happen: they get bored with torrents and stealing and leave the “hobby”, or they grow older, get a job and get a conscience and begin to pay for software for the first time in their lives. So no, we don’t stress about it.

 

http://fsxpage.com/interviews-2/john-venema-von-orbx/2/

FSDT has probably the best anti-piracy. It's ALMOST foolproof.

 

However it's a hasle when you switch computers with all the licenses and de-activation stuff you have to do.

FSDT has probably the best anti-piracy. It's ALMOST foolproof.

 

However it's a hasle when you switch computers with all the licenses and de-activation stuff you have to do.

 

Sadly, that's why I don't own any of their products.

Flytampa has it right. One simple activation key. Enter, done. You have it.

 

Is there piracy with Flytampa? You better believe it! But flytampa dosen't have to deal with the hassle of all the problems with it.

Flytampa has it right. One simple activation key. Enter, done. You have it.

 

Is there piracy with Flytampa? You better believe it! But flytampa dosen't have to deal with the hassle of all the problems with it.

 

And that's why I have most of the FlyTampa airports, and the fact that they are awesome works of art.

Theft is not just an FS addon problem. It's a factor in anything that is sold anywhere using any means. My wife is an office manager for a retail outfit and they term it as "shrinkage" (not related to the Seinfeld episode). Shrinkage is a budgeted number as something that WILL happen to a calculated extent, and while you certainly put measures in place to control it, you know you will never stop it entirely.

 

In the meantime you walk the balance between protecting your products to a reasonable extent, and inconveniencing the paying customers from which you are attempting to make money from. If the first thing a server does to me at a restaurant is poke me in the eye and then want to take my order, I'm standing up and leaving. So, there is a balance.