If you look at the latest "improvements" in Pete Dowson's WideFS v6.70 utility below, item number 2 indirectly tells me that Pete is already working on WideFS and probably FSUIPC compatibility for FSX. I know MS indicated that they were already coordinating with add-on developers for FSX but one thing we'll definitly need before most 3rd-party add-ons are these utilities from Pete. I'm pleased to see he's activily working the issues towards what I hope is a simultanious release of FSX, FSUIPC, & WideFS.To MS: One of the best improvements I've seen you make with FSX is your active pre-release coordination with add-on developers. In my 20 plus years of FS experience, it is my opinion that this alone will have a dramatic affect on the successful launch of FSX. Job Well Done! The only thing I hope after FSX is released is that MS is a little more forthcoming with patches and updates to FSX and not waiting to inorporate a fix in the next release of FS.Taken from for Pete Dowsons "What's Changed" forum."WideFS Version 6.70 1. Fixed a bug in WideClient which prevented it connecting if the INI file specified both Protocol and ServerIPAddr values. 2. Assorted internal improvements in preparation for future versions of FS."AL | KCHS - Charleston AFB/Intl | USAF 437AW (~53 C-17's)FS9/Game Rig:AMD64-4000+ SanDiego OC=210/420/2520 | Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe | Corsair TwinX2048-3200C2PT (2x1GB) 2.5-3-3-8/[email protected] | Evga NV 7900GT v84.56 (1280x1024x32/4xAA/16xAF/High-Quality) | Enermax 550W PSU | Thermalright XP-120(mm) HSF | NV 1GB LAN | NV SATA-I Raid-0 223GB (3x80GB Samsung) (WinXPx64/Games) | NV SATA-II WD 320GB (Backups) | IDE-0 80GB Samsung (Archive) | Realtek AC'97 5.1 Surround | CH Yoke, TQ, & Pedals | FS9.1 (Settings max'd/60-40Vis/No-Shadows/20FPS) | WideFS v6.16 | FSUIPC v3.617 | FSGenesis Mesh (All) | PMDG (All) | PAI (All) | FSBuild2 | EtcFS9 Support Rig:AMD3200+ | Gigabyte GA-7NNXP | Leadtek NV 5900 | Corsair TwinX1024-3200 (2x512MB) | Intel 1GB LAN | SiI3112 SATA-I 80GB Samsung | IDE-0 80GB IBM | JustCom 4port KVM | FS Wide Client | ActiveSky v6 (512x512x32bit / Wx Influanced)| Radar Contact v4.01 | FS Real Time | FS Flight Keeper | FS Commander | AI Smooth

:-beerchug

He'll be giving it to MS for $$$. From the other thread:"MS should pay Pete handsomely for his work" (Manny)"Makes sense to me" (tdragger)

Are you serious, MS is getting Pete's Utilities? Which thread?

http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...ing_type=search

no, just that Mike thinks the company might be willing to pay Pete for his efforts if such were to become under negotiation.AFAIK Pete has never either offered or been offered such a deal.

Wow, now there's a brain-cell killing thread. A couple of initial thoughts came to mind as I read it. 1) Yes, we're screwed if Pete decided to hang-it-up or god forbid, something unexpectidly happened to him. 2) It seems logical that MS owes Pete and the FS community a substitute. 3) Open-source multiple versions of FSUIPC would be best handled by some kind of CVS tree tracking the code changes. 4) Historically speaking, if MS did take over responsibility, we would go from Pete's almost monthly release of updates and fixes to MS releasing updates & fixes only with each new vesrions of FS. Far too much time to stay current with add-ons and hardware.