I followed MSFS performance pretty closely since before FS5.
What's happening is this:
- the FS developers are using the fastest possible machines, beyond what non-overclockers can get
- the developers refused to prioritize the tile stuttering problem evident in all versions. Ignoring that for over 30 years is just plain wilful unless ...
- I'm pretty sure the DoD funded FS (hence the non-consumer license for Pr3pared), and I think there was a requirement for performance as a "consumer game" to not be too perfect, hence the tile stuttering.
This is even more likely since Jane's had full-page ads for military sims using the FS engine back in the day. IOW, FS was too killer for its own good.
(I actually did my Instrument rating practical preparation on FS5, and passed in the first attempt at a Class B airport. I don't think DoD liked where the public FS game was headed, especially FS 2000.)
> They didn't acquire it because they thought their tech was great or that they had a great product.
Well, the actual fact is that Youtube was a great product with twice as many features as Google Videos as documented in the San Jose Mercury News diagrams published at the time. And growing faster.
So however Google discussed (underestimated) it at the time, Youtube was not only a credible product, but a better one, which was understood by Google, if unstated.
IOW, Google might have been arrogant about the difficulty of building a similar product, but that doesn't change reality that they didn't.
> They acquired it because a) the team was local and b) because sequoia invested in it.
That might be what the initial reasons were. But after Youtube won the eyeballs, Google paid a market rate for network effects and eyeballs to monetize at 1000x their initial valuation estimate.
Also, Sequoia's funding meant that Youtube would continue to grow exponentially and stay ahead of Google Videos. So it's true that SV VCs are incestuaous across boards, but their funding also in reality builds out competitors.
Similar situations are when Microsoft also chased Hotmail and Facebook as they climbed in value, far greater than MS' initial valuations and offers.
Ballmer actually tried to motivate Zuck by saying he could buy a private jet if he took MS' offer. It's one of the most Ballmer things I've ever heard. The second-most is when he said he'd stay on the board for a year but bought a sports team instead - taking his toys and going home.
What's happening is this:
- the FS developers are using the fastest possible machines, beyond what non-overclockers can get
- the developers refused to prioritize the tile stuttering problem evident in all versions. Ignoring that for over 30 years is just plain wilful unless ...
- I'm pretty sure the DoD funded FS (hence the non-consumer license for Pr3pared), and I think there was a requirement for performance as a "consumer game" to not be too perfect, hence the tile stuttering.
This is even more likely since Jane's had full-page ads for military sims using the FS engine back in the day. IOW, FS was too killer for its own good.
(I actually did my Instrument rating practical preparation on FS5, and passed in the first attempt at a Class B airport. I don't think DoD liked where the public FS game was headed, especially FS 2000.)