What Happens To CFS2 as computer advancements go further?

casey jones said:
Why can'nt MS just give us the code?
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Happy Birthday Casey.

A friend of mine who works for Microsoft here in Sydney is going over to Seattle next week for a meeting with management and is going to ask them that very question. However, don't get your hopes up.

Cheers,
Kevin :icon29:
 
casey jones said:
Will new advanced computers be able to run CFS2? Why can'nt MS just give us the code?
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I think the "us" part concerns them greatly. Who exactly is "us" and how can they control it to maintain their standards and turn a big buck. Maybe its a bit simplistic, but its partly what i'd be thinking if i were the guy behind the wheel @ Microsoft. And i wouldn't just give away something so precious to "us". "Us" would pay dearly for the fun of screwing around with my proprietary code which has now evolved into FSX. The foundations of the current FSX code goes all the way back beyond CFS2 (aka FS7.5) in the MSFS family evolution. We're talking about something on the scale of the keys of the kingdom here.

And my final point: To simply give away CFS2 code would be a sure way of potentially giving birth to a new competitor who could find the resources to take this "gift" and evolve an entire product line of their own, grabbing market share from their generous benefactor.

So...no giving allowed...:stop:
 
There was once a computer operating system called Dos, to run those programs you now need something like DosBox http://www.dosbox.com/

Currently you can set up dual-boot systems http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/224397-dual-boot-installation-windows-vista-xp.html

Question for the IT gurus - can you set up dual boot systems to run a 32 bit program on a 64 bit computer ?????

This would then allow for the older programs to be installed and run in XP/Vista mode. When buying a new computer I would recommend the buyer talk to the IT supplier before they purchase about a dual boot system on their new computer.

Personally would like to see Windows provide a lot more backwards compatibility when they release new versions of their operating systems - not everyone can afford to buy the latest release of a program every year.
 
I have my dedicated 2003 vintage computer (Dell XPS Gen 2 with XP OS) run my flightsims. For the rest I am wandering around with Windows 7 after a bout with Vista on a different computer. I leave well enough alone, I don't have any compatibility problems to worry about.
 
Seagull V,

Any computer - store bought or custom built - with 64bit capability is automatically 32bit capable. My rig is a custom job set up to dual boot XP x86 and Win7 x64.
 
I currently dual boot XP 32 bit and W7 pro 64bit without any issues. I prefer to run my simulators on XP versus Windows 7, for various reason. Better compatibility and performance being the big two. There is another way to dual boot XP when you already have 7 installed, but it looked like more of a headache then going the XP first route to me.

Will CFS2 run on 7 decently? Yes, but no where near the performance of a good XP system.


I doubt MS will give us the code. It has the very basis of every simulator before CFS2 and of every simulator all the way to perhaps even FLIGHT. And speaking of age CFS2 is 12 years old. I don't know about you, but I don't run any other programs as old CFS2. The only other that comes close is FS9. IL2 1946 is still 'officially' supported and patched. 12 years and still operated is a testament of CFS2's flexibility, and the support of it's small but highly dedicated community. But, as being an old program that has only an extremely small community surrounding it; the original developer has no interest to support or develop it any further.

The aspect of the Flight Simulator, or even Simulator has hashed and rehashed many times. Simulators of any kind that go beyond the bounds of 'normal' arcade games are a very niche subset of computer based entertainment. A subset that very well may not make the returns viable enough for a company, even Microsoft, to produce another.

Hence why CFS2, and IL2 have never been replaced in the World War Two air combat segment. And why, for the moment, FS9, FSX, X-plane 9 and 10 are the only viable civil Flight simulators available to the public. (Though Prep3rd is maturing very well).

Now the question is what will happen once XP is no longer supported by Microsoft? Will it continue to be able to be ran on systems that once supported it? Maybe. they send out a final 'patch' to firmly shut down the 'old' OS? It is possible. But as computer systems, and part advance, XP will become no longer supported. In around two years time we may all be running CFS2 on Windows 7. So perhaps it is prudent to look in to ways on how we can adapt CFS2 to Windows 7 as it is now. Because in the next full iteration of Windows, CFS2 may very well be rendered not compatible simply by it's age.
 
Wulf190 said:
In around two years time we may all be running CFS2 on Windows 7. So perhaps it is prudent to look in to ways on how we can adapt CFS2 to Windows 7 as it is now.
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CFS2 is already 98% compatible and adapted to Win7 32bit. The remaining 2% is just a question of user savvy. From most of the '911' postings i see around here alone, not knowing how to tweak the OS, the hardware or the sim are the main causes of most headaches. But the 2% aside, this version is still good enough for the average user who just wants straightforward flightsimming without any tinkering or designing. Its also good for the few of us who are in the habit of running 16bit and 32bit third-party utilities that aid in customizing and creating add-ons.

The real bitch here is Win7 64bit. It almost has the same level of compatibility as its 32bit version, but requires a little more effort in some cases to get it running smoothly. It depends on the user and his/her computer configuration - some folks tend to have more issues than others. The biggest pain for me is that some of the key third-party utilities don't do so well in this version. This is where dual booting helps me with regard to CFS2, but i would still D-boot anyway just for the helluvit - it has other fringe benefits. I prefer this over virtual machining for my own reasons.


Because in the next full iteration of Windows, CFS2 may very well be rendered not compatible simply by it's age.
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But it won't matter as long as you can dual boot XP or Win7 32bit with it. There's no reason i can think of that this capability would end. And you don't need perpetual MS support for XP to keep that going.
 
With a new, advanced computer, just install a dual-boot for WindowsXP, 32-bit and dedicate a 1TB hard drive for all 32-bit applications.

Windows 9 will be 64-bit only. It will be out in 2015. Of course, the Mayans predict we don't need to worry about that.

Dick
 
Remember your peripherals/hardware also need to have compatible drivers available. e.g. Your old joystick gives up the ghost, you need to replace it with one that has drivers for the older OS. Not a given.
 
Ghostrider said:
Remember your peripherals/hardware also need to have compatible drivers available. e.g. Your old joystick gives up the ghost, you need to replace it with one that has drivers for the older OS. Not a given.
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True, its not a given, but plan ahead and stay ahead. I have a driver backup location on an external that houses the latest XP and Win7 system drivers for all of my peripherals and internal hardware. As a rule, all drivers are downloaded and kept in XP/x86, XP/x64, W7/x86 and W7/x64 versions. Plus, i maintain a secondary backup location for my backups. When the next MS/OS rolls out, i don't plan on beating the bushes looking for outdated or non-existent drivers for the older OS's in my D-boot setup.
 
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