Myk's points are well taken indeed. While I hope and still believe that the letter writer does not represent the common view among flight simulation enthusiasts, it is no less troubling that Websites such as FS.Com and Avsim are assailed for their content. Quite frankly, where else would we turn for such a vast library of free (and I emphasize that word) material?
I have been involved in this hobby for about thirteen years now and have written for a major flightsim print magazine for the past seven and a half years and in that time have seen a marked shift toward the prevalence of commercial vs. freeware titles being offered to enthusiasts. Our magazine has received many letters on that subject due in part to the fact that we rarely review freeware titles any longer. It is not because we are part of the same conspiracy that has purportedly driven FS.Com and Avsim to the "dark side" of payware promotion but simply the fact that there are far more high quality commercial products than freeware available today. This is not a slam on freeware developers in any way but simply an economic fact of life.
FS technology and by no small coincidence, our expectations of any given product (yes, freeware files ARE products) have progressed to a point that it is just no longer feasible for for most individual hobbyists to devote the sort of time and effort required to produce an aircraft, scenery or utility that meets our expectations. I won't even go into the issue of freeware developers being discouraged away from contributing by users hounding them with negative comments.
The fact that Websites offer a plethora of free repaints for commercial aircraft packages is not a stain on their record of benevolence to the hobby but exactly the opposite. Obviously people are buying these packages, otherwise no one would either be offering nor interested in repaints for them. Many developers of these commercial packages offer a limited number of additional repaints, if any and it is the enthusiasm and generosity of their customers who make it possible for others to find that particular livery they may be looking for.
As Nels said, the file libraries of both sites are totally driven by the contributors who upload these files and if if they reflect a shift toward support of payware products, it is because that is the prevailing trend in the hobby, not greed. Nels may correct me if I am wrong but I'm pretty sure that neither he or Tom Allensworth receive any direct financial reward from commercial developers for making free repaints of their products available.
Tony Radmilovich
