FlightGear v2.6.0 !

[ED_4]

This Flight Gear has been around for ages, since 1997. So I'm glad they're still up and alive. And they are already looking much like FS9/FSX in appearance of their scenery.

Actually that platform are ideal to educational institutions like schools. Especially to those that don't have huge resources to purchase a big license to acquire a flight simulator software to use just as a learning tool to fly.

If all you're doing is learning how to fly. Scenery is only second to what is really needed.
I remember having to learn how to fly on a hardware instrument flight simulator and it don't have any scenery. It basically lets you learn how to fly by instruments alone. With nothing to see outside but a desk and a classroom.

[KCD]

I downloaded the program, along with a couple of add-on aircraft; that took forever (and I have a reasonably fast DSL). Once the download was complete, I loaded the program. For some reason, the program and my system (a dual core 3 gig XP-Pro machine) didn't like each other, so I uninstalled it and started over. The second install went no better than the first. I found the program lacking graphically and never bothered to install the add-on aircraft. I did a second uninstall and chalked it all up to "you get what you pay for!"

I wish them (whoever "them" might be) luck and success with the project, but I'll stick with FS9, thank you.

KCD

[azzaro]

I find it interesting how often the word "freedom" is used to mean "getting something for nothing".
Off topic, but something to think about. — Bob

[MdMax]

I find it interesting how often the word "freedom" is used to mean "getting something for nothing".
Off topic, but something to think about. — Bob

You're right, but here freedom has nothing to do with the price. Read my link about the free software philosophy:

A program is free software if the program's users have the four essential freedoms:

- The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
- The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
- The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).
- The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others (freedom 3). By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

No NDA, no need to abandon your freedom of speech when testing a development version, no need to abandon your privacy and open an account for online "services", no use restriction, no prohibition to make a copy for friends, no EULA that tells you're not allowed to modify it and to study how it works, no company server that tells that you exceeded your number of activations (no DRM), no CEO that will ever tell you the product has been discontinued and you'll never see a new version for it.

I don't think FlightGear is only for developers. Of course, for now, I'm also using a proprietary flight simulator, but I'm often testing the Git version of FlightGear because I know one day this will be my favorite sim.

Happy flying !

[azzaro]

Hey, as long as someone is willing to put in the effort, there's always hope for improvement. Best wishes to all concerned. — Bob

[goldhawk]

I got a cheap pc some years ago with the intention of making it a Unix box and running Flight Gear, I saw it as a way of breaking free of tyrannical Microsoft. Unfortunately my Unix box got fried (long story). So I never realized the chance to have a unix box. Or learn something about an OS that not as many folks know about.

I had not tried Flight Gear in a number of years and since going back to it.... I would have to say it has improved. Maybe it will be to the flight sim world what Ubuntu has been to the world operating systems. Sure it has a long way to go but it seems like a good start.

As I write this however I am in mid flight on fsx and Flight gear sits idle.

[goldhawk]

I have no idea where my last post went. However, one bug report on this sim. I left it in pause all night once, and I woke to find it had crashed. I am sure I will use it from time to time. I like the idea of cross platform windows/ unix.

[Foxychel]

Agreed with Azzaro

[mgh]

No NDA, no need to abandon your freedom of speech when testing a development version, no need to abandon your privacy and open an account for online "services", no use restriction, no prohibition to make a copy for friends, no EULA that tells you're not allowed to modify it and to study how it works, no company server that tells that you exceeded your number of activations (no DRM), no CEO that will ever tell you the product has been discontinued and you'll never see a new version for it.

Very true but it's still not a very good flight simulator compared with FSX. I've tried it on several occasions and deleted it every time.

[mstang67]

Very true but it's still not a very good flight simulator compared with FSX. I've tried it on several occasions and deleted it every time.

The problem is that you are comparing a game made by volunteers in their spare time with a simulator made by a dedicated team of professionals. They are 2 very different types of games, and to compare one to the other is nonsense. Of course I'm not saying flight gear is some amazing piece of simulation gold. I'm an FSX user myself even though my comp sucks lol. Point is that for what it is, it's really not bad. Won't be for everybody and nothing is. Enjoy it because it's free and done by talented guys in their off time