Microsoft is in a mess again running against time right now cause it needs to push all in the new upcoming Windows Longhorn, the 64 bits OS.What to do? What to do? 1.- Should we give another simple update and quiet the masses for another while??? 2.- Should we do a probably crappy new FS-200x based in the old 32 bits FS2004 with some sore of improvements and get some money at least??? 3.- Or should we take the opportunity to revamp the whole thing in 64 bits and wait until 2008 investing our money??? What to do? What to do? Maybe a 2 + 3???Cheers,MAB}(

But not everyone will be willing to rush out and upgrade to Windows 64 bit the moment it hits the shelves.....so backward compatibility with 32 bit would need to be built into FS(as well as other software) for a couple of years at least....so, why delay releasing a version of FS this Fall?

Developers don't announce products, marketing people do. Therefore there is a change in FS marketing tactics, or there is no new version of FS coming this year.

Not sure how accurate that statement is-32-bit or 64-bit doesn't really matter as far as computer games are concerned. In fact I'd say it hardly matters at all for most normal applications-Windows and FS are developed by two completely different teams. Microsoft has become more of a publishing company that a development house lately.

>> Could you point to where anything I said would be misinformation?Since you politely asked...>> Anyway if they do make an announcement, it will definitely be at the E3 expo.E3 this year will be May 18th through May 20th. Unless you are the FS product manager, work on the FS development team, or you are clairvoyant, your statement is pure conjecture, therefore misinformation. Even with the possibility it may happen, it does not make it certain.>> They have probably kept it a secret because it's just another half-way done upgrade like FS9 was.Ditto from the first statement... you have no real knowledge of why an announcement has not been issued, therefore conjecture and misinformation.>> Oh and maybe a year and a half later they will patch 2006!!!A product announcement has not been made, nor a product released, yet you are speculating that a patch will be needed, even jokingly. Do I even need to mention misinformation in this example?>> And I find the comment about trolling and looking for a reaction very illogical.Nothing illogical about it, you posed a question to MikeT in your reply to his posting. You opened and closed with a question in the reply to my posting. You are obviously soliciting reactions with your questions. As for trolling, there is no need to displace the issue by claiming Mike was off-topic. Your post before that clearly was an attack on Microsoft: "They have probably kept it a secret because it's just another half-way done upgrade like FS9 was. Oh and maybe a year and a half later they will patch 2006!!!" Unless that was an attempt at humor, the statement speaks for itself.Your final question is very revealing. The expressions used, "insulting people", "looking down upon", "feelings and actions you obviously are so above", were never mentioned in any posting nor implied towards you in anyway. The discussion was not specific toward anyone, yet you took it very personally. If you require an apology for somehow placing yourself in a downtrodden group that was never identified, let alone mentioned, then please say so.Other than an apology, I've answered your query, so there will be no further participation in this thread.

<>Wow I have no idea how this turned into such a ridiculous argument and why you are wasting so much time trying to come across as so superior to everybody else and an authority on the actions of individuals<>It is not conjecture, E3 is where software companies announce their latest products. All I said was, if they were planning to release information, you should look at E3 as being the time as that is the biggest event of the year. It is not misinformation and I'm sorry if you see it as that. But as we can see here everything goes over your head in your endless quest to be above such mindless sheep who do nothing but what you claim in your report on people of society when faced with uncertainty.<>That was not misinformation but A JOKE at how horribly late M$ released the 9.1 patch<Another joke at the 1 1/2 years it took to release FS9.1<>So what if it was an attack on microsoft? Who are you to defend them? I was pointing out with ANOTHER JOKE how long it took for a patch and how disappointing FS9 really is if you step back and actually look at their past versions. I was not soliciting a response, just pointing out the truth. If you get offended and feel the need to defend a company you have nothing to do with, then go right ahead.<>They don't need to be mentioned or implied but it is simply obvious from the statement claiming to understand human behavior and "show people at work" the examples as if you are all so above such behavior you can point out other peoples shortcomings.Why would I need an apology? I find it just as revealing that the supposed actions of people towards certain things is so obvious in your own posts. But you really do try to hide it and I applaud you on that. <>You really need to get off your high horse and find something better to do than search through an aviation forum trying to point out peoples actions. I never thought of myself as a target of your illogical and misplaced comments nor would I care if you thought of me as someone who fits your wondeful description of society. You come across as a pompus child who insults people for fun and enjoys pointing it out to the people around you. As I stated before, you the real troll and I hope you find something else to do because this forum is not the place for such social studies.The bottom line is, you need to stop taking a message board so seriously, and stop trying to be better than everybody else. Oh and lighten up, if you think something could possibly be a joke, it probably is.

This whole thread is ridiculous, MS have just embarked on a major market research exercise (ie the survey & follow up online data collection) that's going to run for a few months then they will get around to coding. So I don't expect anything for at least 18 months, we should all stop talking about FS2006 as it ain't going to happen and get our minds around FS2007.

Sorry forgot to include my name in the last post.Bruceb

>Not sure how accurate that statement is>>-32-bit or 64-bit doesn't really matter as far as computer>games are concerned. In fact I'd say it hardly matters at all>for most normal applications> Read here please: http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,111508,00.asp>-Windows and FS are developed by two completely different>teams. Microsoft has become more of a publishing company that>a development house lately.Get real. Microsoft is not a bunch disassociated developing groups within the company. The day Microsoft places it's new 64-bits OS, everything within the company will have been going in that direction already. Do you think they are going to place just the OS in the market without any programs to run on it??? Will it be downward compatible with the 32 bits PC

True in part but not the whole story.Parts of the work would have to be done anyway, it's mainly the details that'll be influenced by the results from the survey.So if they were planning a major upgrade of say the flight dynamics engine anyway that would have been done already, or at least well underway.Or maybe the entire survey wasn't meant for what we shall for now call FS2006 but for another product entirely, either a successor to FS2006 or a product for another platform (XBox 2 anyone?).

We can discuss this till the cows come home, but at the end of the day it's completely irrelevant. None of us here KNOW, and those that KNOW cannot or will not say.It's just another troll-bait thread and frankly, I wish Avsim would shut this kind of irritating tittle-tattle thread down as soon as they start. IT ALWAYS DEGENERATES INTO NAME-CALLING.It will give more room and time for legitimate questions and comments on subjects that are actually worth talking about.MSFS will be here when it's here, if it's here. Who says MS must work on a 2, 2.5 or 2.7 year product cycle? Windows doesn't. Most MS products don't. I would never want to see a new product announced right when a new O/S has just started shipping. MS could well use FS as a flagship product to move the market toward 64-bit computing. Hang the backward-compatibility if theie intention is to make the product releveant for the next generation. Or they might not. it's their product, their decision, not yours or mine. We only BUY the product, not develop it.Who cares? And who cares what YOU, and by that I also mean `me`, think?Allcott

Did we ever wake up on the wrong side of the bed today.

>But not everyone will be willing to rush out and upgrade to>Windows 64 bit the moment it hits the shelves..... Some faster some slower. But all will. FS is an infection for the few.>...so backward compatibility with 32 bit would need to be built into FS (as well as other software) for a couple of years at least....so, why delay releasing a version of FS this Fall? The backward compatibility with 32 bits will Not be done on the FS but on the OS. Remember, any and all programs do anything by telling an OS what and how they to want things to be done. so, why delay releasing a version of FS this Fall? Like you pointed out it will take time. Paralleling two actions over the same product is a sin in economics. We know Win-LongH. is coming ASAP, so FS must be under the same sentence. Change, ASAP. That is why they did a survey cause they are re-writing the whole thing. They can't miss the oportunity. MS should give us another update before Christmas and take the rest of year to work in the FS-2007 64 bits. Buuuuuuuuuttttttttt!!!Cheers!!!MAB:-hang

>Does anyone have any rational ideas as to why Microsoft has>not made mention of FS2006? .... >>RH>>Well,my rational idea is as follows:they don't want to tell us yet(now,i need to get milk and cookies)am i brilliant,or what...well,WELL?it's like the package under the christmas tree,you know Santa did not buy that,(i'm sorry if i crushed your firm believe in him...oh wait..i'm not very sorry actually :-hah )you know it's for you,and you sureas (insert hot place here) know your mom/dad won't tell what's inside.kinda mean,ainnit :-hahtataJP.

Hi Mike...>The Avsim forums are a microchasm of society as a whole and>the human interactive dynamics parallel much of humanity as a>whole.Microchasm??? Is that something that could be described as an oxymoron?>And since you asked, no we have nothing better to do at work>since my work is to identify, illicit, motivate and harvest>information from certain individtuals from whom information is>not readily forthcoming.Also "illicit", would that be the adjective, which if true would indeed be a curious use of the word in the context of your paragraph.:-) Don't take it too seriously mate. This whole topic needs a little lightening up...Seriously, does anyone know of another PC based civillian flight sim in development other than Flight Gear and X-Plane?Cheers and all the best,Chris Porter:-outtaPerthWestern Australia