1 minute ago, Anders Bermann said:

... to be utilized as batteries, for a race of intellectually superior machines?

(Sorry - couldn't help myself...)

absolutely that's where it's headed infact we all are. 

40 minutes ago, HumptyDumpty said:

absolutely that's where it's headed infact we all are. 

LOL! Gotta love this.

I'm ready - plug me in, Morpheus!

Edited October 31, 20196 yr by Anders Bermann

and,  according to the Azure website blog, they are trying to cut into the amazon web services' marketshare.

2 hours ago, HiFlyer said:

Well sure....

That's very assertively articulated and all, but unless you work for MS or something, I have to assume you are guessing just like the rest of us?

Correct, but I’m an astute observer and know how MS works having dealt with them in many aspects of the company over a few decades now. There’s a lot of published information about their business strategy all over the place, you just have to join the dots together. Your posts are a bit shortsighted in thinking that AVSIM and it’s members actually matter to them in the overall scheme of things. Just because their marketing team have cleverly turned many of us into evangelists by tipping their hat at certain discussions here does not mean they are counting on or relying on our custom. 

Edited October 31, 20196 yr by fta2017

6 minutes ago, fta2017 said:

Correct, but I’m an astute observer and know how MS works having dealt with them in many aspects of the company over a few decades now. There’s a lot of published information about their business strategy all over the place, you just have to join the dots together. Your posts are a bit shortsighted in thinking that AVSIM and it’s members actually matter to them in the overall scheme of things. Just because their marketing team have cleverly turned many of us into evangelists by tipping their hat at certain discussions here does not mean they are counting on or relying on our custom. 

We seem to have a misunderstanding, as my whole argument was/is and has been that Microsoft must have other reasons for this endeavour above and beyond simply us......

Did you actually miss my entire post laying out my financial reasoning for that?

 

On ‎10‎/‎31‎/‎2019 at 12:26 PM, fta2017 said:

 MS is a trillion dollar company,

This surprised me when I read it.  For clarification Microsoft is *not* a trillion dollar company, their value is somewhere in the neighbourhood of $125 billion US.

FSX sold over a million copies in just a year and a half on the market.

And of course MS likely has commercial ideas in mind for the engine as well. A lot of money can be made there. But the idea that there's noway they can make money from a sim platform is not nearly as certain as some make it sound. The marketing rollout for this has already generated far more hype than any sim since FSX.

Edited November 1, 20196 yr by bonchie

20 hours ago, andyjohnston.net said:

This surprised me when I read it.  For clarification Microsoft is *not* a trillion dollar company, their value is somewhere in the neighbourhood of $125 billion US.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/microsoft-1-trillion-market-value-reached-today/

 

Actually dozens of recent news links are supporting a trillion dollar value for Microsoft.

Oh really?
 

Hmm, well I stand corrected.

5 hours ago, rhumbaflappy said:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/microsoft-1-trillion-market-value-reached-today/

 

Actually dozens of recent news links are supporting a trillion dollar value for Microsoft.

If you read the entire article poor Microsoft, slipped back down to just $991 billion for the day I think? Poor Microsoft, I feel for them, NOT. Put a billion into MSFS pretty please 🙂 Fairly sure the next day they probably hit 1 Trillion again 🙂 It's market value right? Not actually 1 Trillion in the good old bank 🙂 Just kidding people, I get it, They are worth a boat load!

On 11/2/2019 at 2:49 PM, in2tech said:

If you read the entire article poor Microsoft, slipped back down to just $991 billion for the day I think?

Analysts probably heard about AVSIM's negative outlook and concerns over Asobo's new hiring. 😁

On 10/31/2019 at 12:37 PM, ErichB said:

I didn't say 'every gamer' would.  I said there is a significant untapped market which P3D and FSX simply did not appeal to.  Many tried it and left it.  Many will come back to try FS2020 at the very least.

And most people didn't know about Rod Machado's lessons in FSX. Arguably the best lessons in any flight simulator.

I actually think this could be big. Throw in some good, comprehensive lessons. Challenges, rewards, a good "friend system" where you can challenge your friends, compare progress, etc, and this can very easily appeal to gamers, I would say. In my opinion, the most important feature for games nowadays is community, and a way to "show off" and compete. If this is in there, done properly, this could be very big.

On 10/31/2019 at 9:30 PM, fta2017 said:

Your posts are a bit shortsighted in thinking that AVSIM and it’s members actually matter to them in the overall scheme of things. Just because their marketing team have cleverly turned many of us into evangelists by tipping their hat at certain discussions here does not mean they are counting on or relying on our custom. 

Ah, the naysayers... the conspiracy theorists... doomsday prophets... how boring life would be without them pessimists 🙂

Edited November 4, 20196 yr by bashope

5 hours ago, bashope said:

In my opinion, the most important feature for games nowadays is community, and a way to "show off" and compete. If this is in there, done properly, this could be very big.

I agree that this has become a significant feature.  Now, if more people would fly and control on VATSIM and create a truly, consistently busy airspace with fellow enthusiasts, that would be awesome.

 

6 hours ago, bashope said:

And most people didn't know about Rod Machado's lessons in FSX. Arguably the best lessons in any flight simulator.

Are you referring to the introductory missions?  Or is there something I still don't even know about almost a decade and a half later.