Beware the jabberwocky!

Well, at least beware the “Domain Registry of Canada”.  This official sounding name is a “registered business style” of Registration Services Inc.  They send what look like real invoices to domain name holders asking for payment.  If one is careful and reads the text, it becomes clear that they are trying to get you to change your domain host.  But looked at quickly:

• they look like an official invoice
• the name Domain Registry of Canada sounds like a government organization (I showed my adult son who’d never seen one, and he asked, “Why is the government sending you these?)
• they have the domain information on them (which is public) so it looks like they know about your account
• they state a reply-requested date 4 months in advance of renewal.  Most domain hosts give 3 months notice.  This deceives in two ways: implying a reply is urgent, and ensuring this notice is received before legitimate ones

So if you get one, unless you already have registered a domain with them, let your local consumer protection agency know.  If you have registered with them in the past, re-register with another host: you’ll save a bundle, the rates are outrageous!  $40 per year for a single registration!  I phoned Domain Registry of Canada last year and requested they stop sending me these, but they’ve ignored my request, so this time I’ve filed a complaint with the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority of British Columbia.  Ah, that feels better!

GPU (video card) considerations

Phil Taylor provides a detailed analysis of GPU specs and implications.

Two years of blogging

I started blogging January 8, 2006.  At that time blogging had been around for years, and I felt quite late on the bandwagon.  WordPress had over 250,000 blogs alone.  I was unclear when I started what I wanted to get out of it, but I enjoy writing and sharing and it seemed a good way to do that.  In time this blog became mostly about Microsoft Flight Simulator development, but other topics sneak in from time to time.

Now WordPress has over 2.1 million blogs, and I range between 10,000-20,000 views a month.  Modest by the standards of the big blogs, but encouraging to think that many of those visitors are finding something useful.

So, if you’re thinking about blogging, any time is a good time to start.  I do recommend against worrying about posting just to keep people reading.  I post when I feel moved to, which may leave gaps at times, but I think that’s harmless.  It should feel like fun, not an obligation.

Virtual cockpit rain fix for FS9 addon aircraft

Backwards compatibility of FS9 addons in FSX has been an issue.  One problem that bugged many was that virtual cockpit windows in some FS9 addon aircraft may become opaque when it rains.  Two solutions are offered:

Solution 1: Microsoft outlines a procedure to utilize FS9 textures in FSX

Solution 2: Flight1 provides a free tool to implement their own replacement textures. 

Insight into ACES studio organization

Phil outlines the growth of the studio and how challenges are being addressed.  Fascinating reading for those into organizational development.  Some of the topics:

• Studio growth from 50-60 to 100+ people
• Expansion from just Flight Simulator to add Trains2 and ESP
• Product team organization and use of SCRUM
• Moving space
• Scoping back to do fewer things at a higher quality
• Phil’s role

Changes afoot at ACES Studio

Phil Taylor tells us changes are upcoming at the Studio, which develops MS flight Simulator.  He outlines some of the changes (which we mostly were aware of), and promises more info.

… later that same day!  Phil posts some job openings with the Studio.

Playing with catapults

FSX includes added features for carrier operations.  Paul Lange provides some of the missing clues for developers to implement catapult launches and arrestor cable landings.

A most interesting challenge

One of the more interesting challenges in upgrading Misty Fjords to FSX (at least for me!) is going to be modelling Ketchikan International Airport (PAKT).  It has sloping runways and taxiways, which are not supported by FSX.  So we’ll have to figure out how to fudge or approximate it.  I can guarantee right now that the representation won’t be perfect.  Courtesy of Sidney Schwartz, here’s what we’re up against.  Yes indeed, the runway level is at the top of the tower, with  the taxiways ramping up to the runway.

Singing with a choir has many benefits.

See this article.

AVSIM reviews Vancouver+ for FSX

Jeff Shyluk, AVSIM senior staff reviewer spent a lot of time up close and personal with Vancouver+ for FSX, and has written this detailed review.  Thanks, Jeff!

Christmas break

I’ll be offline from later today until Jan 2.  Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas with magic!

My son and granddaughter star in this amazing demonstration of magic.

How not to catch a thief

In Canada, if you buy a blank CD, it is presumed that you are going to steal music.  A levy of 21 cents is added to every blank CD purchased and 24 cents for every blank cassette more than 40 minutes in length.  These funds are distributed to the music industry.

Proposed legislation will compound this: the Canadian Private Copying Collective, a non-profit agency created by the music industry wants to collect up to $75 for each MP3 player sold, and 29 cents for every blank CD and Mini disc.  Futher all memory sticks would be tariffed, up to $10 per card.  Details here.  Looking at the financial report, the motivation may be the drop in revenue from CD tariffs since 2004, probably the result of the use of alternative media.   It’d be interesting to see how these revenue numbers might jump with the proposed tariffs.

Canadian music industry proponents would argue the funds will go towards fostering Canadian artists and music.  Futher artists don’t have the protection against file sharing that they do in the US: we have no equivalent to the Digital Millenium Act. 

Personally I purchase all music (and software) I download or copy.  So the presumption that I am stealing music and must be penalized is at best disappointing, at worst, theft.  I want my support of Canadian artists to be by choice, not legislation.  It makes a lot more sense to me to modify our copyright laws to protect against people who steal music, than to penalize all music lovers.  How this legislation will deter thieves is not clear.  You can contact your Member of Parliament if you agree.

How do simmers wish each other a Merry Christmas?

http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=121&topic_id=428775&mode=full

CYVR for FSX

Bill Womack and I have decided not to proceed with CYVR, Vancouver International Airport for FSX, for a variety of reasons.  In my case, I want to focus on smaller projects, as well as other non-FS work.  Bill gives his view in this post.  Bill will keep working on Tongass Fjords, Emma X and other eagerly awaited goodies, while I’ll be heads down for the next few months on Misty Fjords for FSX.

Somewhere in 2008, the Glacier Bay team, led by Holger, will also upgrade that product for FSX.

Airing laundry

Should you have a spare week, browse through this thread on SP2/Acceleration AVSim.  Although I don’t agree with all that is said, it seems that many users and developers used the opportunity to vent on FSX/SP1/SP2, and I’m hoping that with that done, the focus will be on how we can all work together productively.

Outside of that thread, Francois posted some of his own thoughts.

Buried in AVSIM thread is an important statement from Phil Taylor: “I meant it when I stated that this was a precursor of things to come, back compat is about to undergo serious changes. In the future it will very likely no longer be possible to resell old content for the new platform. At all, as in the platform will refuse to load it. “

Developers take note.  And I don’t see this, with the right support from Aces, as a bad thing.

Now back to Misty Fjords …

FSX Videos

Jun Kazama does the most beautiful FSX/DX10 videos I’ve seen.  Here’s a couple more:

Bella Coola (110 Mb)

Seasons Greetings (Vancouver+) (295Mb)

FSX SP2 SDK released

The Software Development Kit for FSX SP2 has been released.  Find it here

Note: your SDK version must match your FSX version: if you want to stick with SP1 you’ll need the SP1 SDK

A diamond in the rough

SP2 install fix

Bob Arnson posts a fix to the “Microsoft Flight Simulator X Service Pack 2 requires the English version of Flight Simulator X.” error.