The largescale acceptance of piracy as justified by consumers is the cause for draconian protection schemes.If consumers take an active stance against piracy themselves and don't engage in it (as users of pirated property and by supplying property to pirates) there is no further need for such measures.But since consumers seem disinclined to obey the law software creators (and other creators of intellectual property) have no recourse but to defend themselves and their lifelihood in any way they can.

I had the exact problem you did with BF1942 except for me it was BF-Vietnam. EA wouldn't even help me out with a new serial code, it really ###### me off. My CD case was totally sealed though so it was more likely a random key generator that caused mine to be taken. BF2 worked fine at least.

>I agree.. There should be a way so that users of the next>release of Flight Simulator don't require the DVD or>installation media to remain in the drive bay at all times>when the sim is in use.>>When I first installed Flight Simulator 2004, I quickly became>annoyed by the fact that disk 4 "had to be in there" to make>the sim run. As a result, I quickly began a search for a no-cd>patch. When I found the first one, I immediately downloaded it>and needless to say, I've been flying with the absence of disk>#4 ever since.>>The main reason why I disagree is that often, while I am>immersing myself in Flight Simulator, I may also have other>tasks such as burning music or data onto CDs, or listening to>music (which I don't do on a regular basis). >>The point is that we should not have to have to face>aggravated, premature wear on our components and we should>also have the freedom to multitask and use that particular CD>or DVD rewritable drive at will when we are also>simultaneously flying within Flight Simulator.I did the same thing. Bottom line, I paid for the program and am a legitimate user, and don't see why I have jump though hoops because there are dishonest people in the world. I also don't feel like loading my DVD drive every night.

Before I left my job in retail to learn to fly, we sold a number of laptops which had FS9 pre-installed on them. It didn't require the CD to be in the drive to start up. (I made numerous flights on the display model :( )

I think we should go back to using a wheel to line up some codes. If not that, then looking up a specific word on a specific page, paragraph, and sentence in the manual. What? No manual! Then use the wheel code method!!Hope this helps,Jimhttp://www.hifisim.comhttp://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6...development.jpg http://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6-banner-proud.jpg

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But I lost my Cracker Jack Decoder Ring years ago!http://home.earthlink.net/~dawgfighter/sit...es/swvasig1.gif-Jeremy BurchSWVA4806 http://www.virtualswa.com/home.phpThe Ozark Dogfighter http://forums.avsim.net/images/wedge.gifHappy Flying!

at the software company I worked for a few years ago, we refused to use copy protection. The reason? Because people are going to pirate something no matter what you do. So why waste time and money to create a system that does nothing but annoy the paying customers?Everything can be cracked, there is no way around it. So just accept it, and work hard to make a game that is so good, people would want to go purchase it as a way of thanking the company and making sure more development happens in the next version.

Depending on the target market you may not need it.But in the entertainment market (where MSFS is marketed) with its ratio of pirated software reaching 90% for most titles and almost 100% for those with no protection it's vital.If 10% of your userbase makes up all your sales you can't afford to lose that 10% because you failed to protect your product, you may as well close shop.Now in the market the company I work is situated in that problem isn't as big by far.Not only are our customers lawyers and collection agencies (a group of people a lot closer to the law than kids in their bedrooms or students in their dorms), but the products are so highly customised to each individual customer that they're just about impossible to use by others.In that world piracy protection is indeed not needed.

So what your saying, is that Almost everyone in these forums, will Pirate FSX, If it had no copy protection at all?I think your thinking is seriously flawed.I for one, will be more than happy to purchase it, the day it comes out, Even IF it's on the Internet, because I use FS9 Just about every day. To me, it's money well spent, and you'll find a majority of the population here, agree with me.However, Copy Protection, especially that Starforce crap, annoy the heck outta me. Why should I waste a DVD Drive, with the disk inserted, every time I want to load it up? I paid for it, I own it, so why do I have to suffer, because of it?And yes, there will be ways around that as well, Just like there already is, for dang near every game title on the market, right now.I'm betting that most people here, are using a No CD FS9.EXE right now. Doesn't mean they didn't buy it.

Funny you should mention StarForce - I really hope Microsoft won't be using it or any similar protections on FSX, because it's one of the things I do not allow on my computer. Sort of like the Sony rootkit DRM package; why on earth would I want to install something that degrades my computer's overall performance without any added benefit to myself?I'd still buy the game to feel good about using it, but no doubt I'd use "alternate media" to install it without StarForce.

Even if noone here would use a pirated version that's still only 25.000 people out of a total expected sales volume of 2.5 million or 1% of the total.We'd be an elite little club in a sea of piracy but we're that already.

>Depending on the target market you may not need it.>But in the entertainment market (where MSFS is marketed) with>its ratio of pirated software reaching 90% for most titles and>almost 100% for those with no protection it's vital.>If 10% of your userbase makes up all your sales you can't>afford to lose that 10% because you failed to protect your>product, you may as well close shop.>90%? 100%? Where do these figures come from? Are they plucked out of the air or are they accurate. If they are accurate how are they calculated? Presumably a person with a pirated copy isn't going to make it well known.

>>90%? 100%? Where do these figures come from? Are they plucked>out of the air or are they accurate. If they are accurate how>are they calculated? Presumably a person with a pirated copy>isn't going to make it well known.plucked out of thin air. he honestly has no true facts to back up his argument.

Best piracy protection is to give us Worldwide global mesh and photographic scenery so that the program requires several DVD's packed with data. The shear size of it then makes it a huge impediment to downloading.Mark.

>Everything can be cracked, there is no way around it. So just>accept it, and work hard to make a game that is so good,>people would want to go purchase it as a way of thanking the>company and making sure more development happens in the next>version.You are completely right! When I buy a game, I always think of that. If I want a game very much I will buy it even tough I know I can download it. It's just the principle as a thank note to the company. What also encourages me is extra's that you add with your game-copy (for example: in fs98 I remember there was a thick booklet with data of some airports).Greetings