Newbie to WideFS

[DavidH]

I've purchased and installed WideFS (and of course FSUIPC), connected my two computers with a LAN, and I now have FS9 showing on one computer and TrafficLook on the other. And it's great!

Now I want to know what else is available for WideFS. I've seen an ECAS gauge on Flightsim.com which uses it, but nothing else.

I would be interested in both freeware and shareware.

Any suggestions?

David H

[Pete Dowson]

Now I want to know what else is available for WideFS.

Almost all external applications which use FSUIPC to talk to FS will work on a WideFS client too. There is a list on the right-hand side of the page at http://www.schiratti.com/dowson. Some of those will be aircraft or FS panels, so they won't work that way, but the rest should.

It's unusual to come into WideFS in this way -- it's more usual to have a need, and use WideFS as part of the solution! :lol:

There are moving maps like Ted Wright's NAV3, which is a real good candidate for this. Of course my own WeatherSet and TrafficLook. Any of the external weather programs like FSMeteo or ActiveSky. Fancy instrumentation such as that from Project Magenta.et cetera.

Regards.

Pete

[rickalty]

Interesting...... The Eicas panel you refer to is an application that I wrote - and that I never uploaded to Flightsim.com, nor gave them permission to distribute.

If you look on Avsim.org, there's also a file called FSPanel which is a GA Instrument panel designed to run on an external computer that also communicares with MSFS vis WideFS.

Richard

[DavidH]

Interesting...... The Eicas panel you refer to is an application that I wrote - and that I never uploaded to Flightsim.com, nor gave them permission to distribute.

If you look on Avsim.org, there's also a file called FSPanel which is a GA Instrument panel designed to run on an external computer that also communicares with MSFS vis WideFS.

Richard

I've had a look at the flightsim.com file. It doesn't say anywhere that it can't be uploaded. Your readme.txt doesn't indicate whether you have released it as freeware, shareware or whatever, although it does state that you hold the copyright.

I've no idea to what extent this restricts the use/disatribution of your product. May I suggest that you have a look at the recommended EULA on flightsim.com.

The subject interests me because I've tried to get permission to include a ProjectAI aircraft in one of my packages. They expressly refuse permission for anyone to upload any of their work without their approval. I've asked for it, but have not had a reply.

David H

[DavidH]

Pete,

I came into this via a trafficLook clone called 'TrafficList" (I presume you know about it), which specifically mentioned that it was designed for use with WideFS. As I have a laptop sitting on my desk next to the desktop PC I couldn't resist trying it out, and I'm glad I did.

David H

[rickalty]

I've had a look at the flightsim.com file. It doesn't say anywhere that it can't be uploaded. Your readme.txt doesn't indicate whether you have released it as freeware, shareware or whatever, although it does state that you hold the copyright.

I've no idea to what extent this restricts the use/distribution of your product.

Copyright material can only be distributed with the express permission of the copyright holder. My email is included in the package, and they've never made any attempt to contact me to ask for my permission.

Additionally, they've modified the downloadable .zip file to remove the file that states that the program is uploaded for distribution through Avsim.org - again, wthout my permission.

The readme also says that no charge can be made for the app - in my opinion Flightsim.com's charging for their "First Class membership" to let people get past the endless "All nodes busy" constitutes charging for the software that those first class members then download. They also sell CD's of other peoples software, though I have no idea if they've put anything of mine on any of them.

May I suggest that you have a look at the recommended EULA on flightsim.com.

I'm not a Flightsim.com end user. I registered with their site purely to see if the Eicas panel you referred to was mine.

The subject interests me because I've tried to get permission to include a ProjectAI aircraft in one of my packages. They expressly refuse permission for anyone to upload any of their work without their approval. I've asked for it, but have not had a reply.

Asking is the right thing to do. They never gave me the courtsesy of asking.

The reason I only wanted the files available through one source was version control. A revision of FSEicas is being uploaded in a day or two, with some extra features an some bug fixes. Anone who saw the original on Avsim will hopefully se thee's a revision and download that. I have no idea if / when flightsim will poach it and repost it, so people will still be using - and emailing with bug reports on - an obsolete version.

[DavidH]

Copyright material can only be distributed with the express permission of the copyright holder. My email is included in the package, and they've never made any attempt to contact me to ask for my permission.

That may be so, but it is advisable to always make your wishes clear - as you've discovered.

Additionally, they've modified the downloadable .zip file to remove the file that states that the program is uploaded for distribution through Avsim.org - again, wthout my permission.

That's inexcusable.

The readme also says that no charge can be made for the app - in my opinion Flightsim.com's charging for their "First Class membership" to let people get past the endless "All nodes busy" constitutes charging for the software that those first class members then download. They also sell CD's of other peoples software, though I have no idea if they've put anything of mine on any of them.

There is apparently some confusion about this. It seems that 'Freeware' means only that no charge may be made for the product itself. It does not prohibit websites like flightsim.com from including freeware packages, even though they may have a 'first class membership' charge. Also, although not generally known, a reasonable distribution charge may be made for freeware material. You can, of course, specify in your EULA that no distribution charge may be made.

I'm not sure that it is right to blame flightsim.com. The real culprit is the person who uploaded your material without your permission. I think you might be able to find out who that was by asking the webmaster. Flightsim.com makes it clear that uploaders must always ask permission of the authors. If you contact Nels Anderson and explain what has happened he will delete it. He does not like that type of thing either.

The reason I only wanted the files available through one source was version control. A revision of FSEicas is being uploaded in a day or two, with some extra features an some bug fixes. Anone who saw the original on Avsim will hopefully se thee's a revision and download that. I have no idea if / when flightsim will poach it and repost it, so people will still be using - and emailing with bug reports on - an obsolete version.

That's a good enough reason.

David H