Citate press release :"Dear Sir/Madam,Our News:-------Captain Sim is pleased to announce that the successive beta testing stage of the 'Legendary Herk' expansion for MSFS 2004 is over. Highly professional Beta team reports that the C-130 overall impression is VERY positive, some of them call it 'awesome piece of art!' - 'the Visual Model is fantastic and the level of systems detail when completed will be unparalleled, texturing appears superb, the flight model is very realistic - the airplane is very nice to fly and easy to handle with no bad habits'.However there are several issues that still need fixing. We keep doing our best to polish everything up and release Beta 2 version as soon as possible. Obviously, the final release will be out in a certain period of time.But the point is, many of the Beta issues are already addressed, the other issues are cosmetic and not critical for average customer.So currently we have two options:1. To continue scheduled development and testing in closed Beta sessionsOR2. To release next version of the C-130 as a 'Technical Release' available to general public at the full price.First of all, we would like to know your opinion, please take a part in the following poll:- Yes, I'd buy the technical release copy.- No, I'd wait for the final release product.For more details please visit: www.captainsim.com.-------Thanks,Best regards,Tanya KucherBusiness Development ManagerCaptain Simwww.captainsim.com"

Lol!That's awesome. I guess the importnat thing to understand, is that they are a Russian company, and they certainly do business differently than those "like" companies in the US, Canada, UK, France, etc. While I'm not going to say whether I think it's wrong or not to do business this way, and in no way am I taking a stab at our Russian friends, but I would say this is a little strange.Jeff*EDIT* Oh boy, headache. What just kills me is that the poll shows that significantly more people are willing to buy this "technical release." While I try not to make negative comments about payware developers, there is a group of people in these forums that bash Captain Sim any chance they have, mostly for not fixing the 707. This time I agree with them, why would anyone want to buy an "unfinished product" given their (CS) track record on releasing fixes? As we all know what assuming does, I will only say that I hope that none of the people who comlain about them not fixing the 707 and will never buy a CS product again, aren't the same people voting in that poll to have them release their "technical copy"Jeff

The strange thing is that 66% think it is ok, according to the poll........

LOL. So, let me see. I'll give you 10 to 1 odds that CS announces that their poll--for which they won't release real data--overwhelmingly support a "technical release" at full price. I'm pretty sure this is the way it will go because I already have one of their technical releases, the 707. Some interesting quotes in the release though."level of systems detail when completed will be unparalleled"and completed when?"the final release will be out in a certain period of time"only CS would have to affirm this"airplane is very nice to fly and easy to handle with no bad habits"I'm glad it's not a smokerbillg

So basically we pay to beta test their products. Hmmm,

>So basically we pay to beta test their products. Hmmm,>>Yeah - and it's ok for me as long as I end up with a good add on. I certainly wouldn't pay the cost for an add-on that's beta tested for three years and perfect on the initial release. To expensive. That's why I drive a Ford and not a BMW ;) Ulf B

Im going to stay far,far away from this release. And if you do buy it remember, "They warned you".

This is unbelievable. What a joke. Does anyone remember the 707 fiasco? I'll give good odds that anyone who buys this beta version will never see a finished product. Maybe this is a new category of aircraft - how 'bout calling it the "We-Told-You-Upfront-Payware-Beta". All questions/issues should be posted at the CS support forum....Doug

I have not taken part in the Captain Sim survey. And I never would if it meant they'd use that to release sub-standard tat on the public - AGAIN! Do people NEVER learn?:-madBesides, none of the responses offers the: `Take this pile of steaming offal and shove it` option that would be closest to my thinking. :-erksI can't believe they've got the gall to offer `Technical Release` number two. How about they offer the Technical Release FREE, and buyers only pay for it when it works properly? That would be fair, surely?Buyer beware, you have been warned (take 2).Allcott

I can see them now, "working" with the FS community to patch the issues after releasing the product...

Via the Support Forum no doubt. :(Allcott

I'm hoping this is Captain Sim's idea of a belated April's fool joke. Lol. ricardo

How many people will buy and then complain loudly that they've been ripped off?David

Don't worry David, there will be a few. That was my point earlier. What the heck (edited for language) is a technical release copy anyway?Jeff

>Don't worry David, there will be a few. That was my point>earlier. What the heck (edited for language) is a technical>release copy anyway?>>Jeff It's a buggy product - but the bugs are only "cosmetic." Roflmao.ricardo