Yes, I read about the plans of MS regarding FSXI or however it will be called. Right now I am making me familiar with X-Plane since the graphics are really eye-candy, especially clouds (although they can cut framerates to a level where really hurts). But a few things are for me very different to FSX or I at least have not figured it out how it works. E.g. I did not find the way to have several views the same time on a screen or changing a plane is not possible during flight (ok, might be reasonable for a realistic simulator....) And ATC is really manual work instead of the couch potato way in FSX. But it is much easier to assign all joystick buttons, the included openstreetmap of the world makes it really easy to find you way doing VFR flights and there are plenty of freeware planes available (ok, there are much more FSX planes, but I am sure that will increase in future). And you can fly the Space Shuttle and the Jumbo transporting it. And and and... I think its worth taking a look at the demo and try it out.
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