Flight simulator

On Jun 19, 11:23*am, Dudley Henriques wrote:
On Jun 18, 5:53*pm, Bob Noel wrote:

In article ,

*"Morgans" wrote:
I wish the word would get out so we could get back to the quality and
quantity of discussions we used to have. *I wonder if it will ever recover...

With ISPs dropping newsgroups and the web forums, I kind of doubt
there will be much recovery.

RCN (my ISP) dropped Usenet some time ago. I liked the venue and hated
to leave it altogether. I know most people hate Google Groups, but I
signed on and have been using this reader now for some time. It's not
too bad really. It's up more than it's down and I'm not a kill file
freak (simply ignore those worth ignoring :-) so the filter issues
that seem to bug everyone else don't seem to be bothering me. I also
don't need a bianary capability; just text so Google is fine for me.
I in fact would recommend Google Groups for Usenet if people have an
ISP problem with access. It's a free reader and for some that's a big
plus.
*I'm on a Mac so it's a double good hit for me as good news readers
for Macs are not as plentiful as they are for PC's.
Just throwing this out for general consumption.

Look up Greasemonkey. It's designed to work as a Killfile in Google
Groups

Dudley Henriques wrote:
I'm on a Mac so it's a double good hit for me as good news readers
for Macs are not as plentiful as they are for PC's.
Just throwing this out for general consumption.

Well, MT-Newswatcher is better than anything I've seen on PCs

In article
,
Dudley Henriques wrote:

On Jun 18, 5:53*pm, Bob Noel wrote:
In article ,

*"Morgans" wrote:
I wish the word would get out so we could get back to the quality and
quantity of discussions we used to have. *I wonder if it will ever
recover...

With ISPs dropping newsgroups and the web forums, I kind of doubt
there will be much recovery.

RCN (my ISP) dropped Usenet some time ago. I liked the venue and hated
to leave it altogether. I know most people hate Google Groups, but I
signed on and have been using this reader now for some time. It's not
too bad really. It's up more than it's down and I'm not a kill file
freak (simply ignore those worth ignoring :-) so the filter issues
that seem to bug everyone else don't seem to be bothering me. I also
don't need a bianary capability; just text so Google is fine for me.
I in fact would recommend Google Groups for Usenet if people have an
ISP problem with access. It's a free reader and for some that's a big
plus.
I'm on a Mac so it's a double good hit for me as good news readers
for Macs are not as plentiful as they are for PC's.
Just throwing this out for general consumption.

I'm using eternal-september.org (previously motzarella.org) for my news
service. They provide a real news server that's 100% free and pretty
good. You sound like you're happy, but for others who don't like Google
Groups, that's a good alternative.

--
Mike Ash
Radio Free Earth
Broadcasting from our climate-controlled studios deep inside the Moon

I'm on a Mac so it's a double good hit for me as good news readers
for Macs are not as plentiful as they are for PC's.
Just throwing this out for general consumption.

Well, MT-Newswatcher is better than anything I've seen on PCs

I prefer Thunderbird. No whistles or bells and limited filter
management, but simple, fast and straight forward.

Dudley Henriques wrote:

I used Thunderbird as well before RCN stopped handling Usenet. The
only trouble with TB is that being a mail program and news reader, it
still requires an ISP that handles Usenet. With Google Groups you
don't need an ISP who handles Usenet as it's an online reader. If you
have online access, you have Usenet :-))

You don't need an ISP that offers Usenet . There are a number of
newsservers available, some that you pay for, and some that are free. The
free servers typically only carry text groups, with no binaries.

Here, for example, is a list of free servers:

http://directory.google.com/Top/Comp..._News_Servers/

The most popular are Albasani, Motzarella, and AIOE:

http://albasani.net/
http://www.eternal-september.org/
http://www.news.aioe.org/

Using a newsserver means you can use a newsreader, rather than the more
awkward web access, but the downside, as you mention, is that you need the
software loaded, and don't have the universal access of a web browser.

"Mike Ash" wrote in message
...
In article
,
Dudley Henriques wrote:

On Jun 18, 5:53 pm, Bob Noel wrote:
In article ,

"Morgans" wrote:
I wish the word would get out so we could get back to the quality and
quantity of discussions we used to have. I wonder if it will ever
recover...

With ISPs dropping newsgroups and the web forums, I kind of doubt
there will be much recovery.

RCN (my ISP) dropped Usenet some time ago. I liked the venue and hated
to leave it altogether. I know most people hate Google Groups, but I
signed on and have been using this reader now for some time. It's not
too bad really. It's up more than it's down and I'm not a kill file
freak (simply ignore those worth ignoring :-) so the filter issues
that seem to bug everyone else don't seem to be bothering me. I also
don't need a bianary capability; just text so Google is fine for me.
I in fact would recommend Google Groups for Usenet if people have an
ISP problem with access. It's a free reader and for some that's a big
plus.
I'm on a Mac so it's a double good hit for me as good news readers
for Macs are not as plentiful as they are for PC's.
Just throwing this out for general consumption.

I'm using eternal-september.org (previously motzarella.org) for my news
service. They provide a real news server that's 100% free and pretty
good. You sound like you're happy, but for others who don't like Google
Groups, that's a good alternative.

--
Mike Ash
Radio Free Earth
Broadcasting from our climate-controlled studios deep inside the Moon

I only see 13 available groups when I try this server :-(

In article ,
"John E. Carty" wrote:

"Mike Ash" wrote in message
...
In article
,
Dudley Henriques wrote:

On Jun 18, 5:53 pm, Bob Noel wrote:
In article ,

"Morgans" wrote:
I wish the word would get out so we could get back to the quality and
quantity of discussions we used to have. I wonder if it will ever
recover...

With ISPs dropping newsgroups and the web forums, I kind of doubt
there will be much recovery.

RCN (my ISP) dropped Usenet some time ago. I liked the venue and hated
to leave it altogether. I know most people hate Google Groups, but I
signed on and have been using this reader now for some time. It's not
too bad really. It's up more than it's down and I'm not a kill file
freak (simply ignore those worth ignoring :-) so the filter issues
that seem to bug everyone else don't seem to be bothering me. I also
don't need a bianary capability; just text so Google is fine for me.
I in fact would recommend Google Groups for Usenet if people have an
ISP problem with access. It's a free reader and for some that's a big
plus.
I'm on a Mac so it's a double good hit for me as good news readers
for Macs are not as plentiful as they are for PC's.
Just throwing this out for general consumption.

I'm using eternal-september.org (previously motzarella.org) for my news
service. They provide a real news server that's 100% free and pretty
good. You sound like you're happy, but for others who don't like Google
Groups, that's a good alternative.

I only see 13 available groups when I try this server :-(

I think that's what happens when you log in anonymously. You have to
sign up (for free, but you still need an account) to get access to the
full list of groups. Go to http://eternal-september.org/ and click User
Registration to get an account, then set up your newsreader to
authenticate with the account information and you should be set.

--
Mike Ash
Radio Free Earth
Broadcasting from our climate-controlled studios deep inside the Moon

"Mike Ash" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"John E. Carty" wrote:

"Mike Ash" wrote in message
...
In article
,
Dudley Henriques wrote:

On Jun 18, 5:53 pm, Bob Noel wrote:
In article ,

"Morgans" wrote:
I wish the word would get out so we could get back to the quality
and
quantity of discussions we used to have. I wonder if it will ever
recover...

With ISPs dropping newsgroups and the web forums, I kind of doubt
there will be much recovery.

RCN (my ISP) dropped Usenet some time ago. I liked the venue and hated
to leave it altogether. I know most people hate Google Groups, but I
signed on and have been using this reader now for some time. It's not
too bad really. It's up more than it's down and I'm not a kill file
freak (simply ignore those worth ignoring :-) so the filter issues
that seem to bug everyone else don't seem to be bothering me. I also
don't need a bianary capability; just text so Google is fine for me.
I in fact would recommend Google Groups for Usenet if people have an
ISP problem with access. It's a free reader and for some that's a big
plus.
I'm on a Mac so it's a double good hit for me as good news readers
for Macs are not as plentiful as they are for PC's.
Just throwing this out for general consumption.

I'm using eternal-september.org (previously motzarella.org) for my news
service. They provide a real news server that's 100% free and pretty
good. You sound like you're happy, but for others who don't like Google
Groups, that's a good alternative.

I only see 13 available groups when I try this server :-(

I think that's what happens when you log in anonymously. You have to
sign up (for free, but you still need an account) to get access to the
full list of groups. Go to http://eternal-september.org/ and click User
Registration to get an account, then set up your newsreader to
authenticate with the account information and you should be set.

--
Mike Ash
Radio Free Earth
Broadcasting from our climate-controlled studios deep inside the Moon

Now I've got them all, Thanks :-)

On Jun 16, 2:55*pm, haribole wrote:
Hello

Would appreciate any recommendations for a realistic PC based flight
simulator that can be used to learn the principles of flying.

Any experience on using a PC based flight simulator to enhance the
learning experience would be welcome.

Thanks
Hari

Before starting to work on my Instrument Rating in the real world, I
decided to grease the rails by using a simulator. I picked
Instrument Pilot because it has a built in "instructor" and had a good
reputation. I worked through the initial lessons and found them a
bit difficult to pass until I got used to the "plane". I tripped when
I hit the descending turns to a heading. I never could pass that. I
even bought the upgraded version but do it! I gave up.

The same company makes OnTop which gives the pilot missions like fly
to KXXX and watch out for the weather! I have never seen the product
in use but I used to know an ex F-117A pilot that said he zipped
through all the exercises in one weekend with no failures!

haribole wrote:

Would appreciate any recommendations for a realistic PC based flight
simulator that can be used to learn the principles of flying.

Any experience on using a PC based flight simulator to enhance the
learning experience would be welcome.

From my personal experience, I strongly believe that for primary
training, PC based flight simulators are not only worthless, but even
counter-productive. What I want a beginner to learn is to get the feel
of the controls, the feel in the butt, to learn to deal with the new
visual perspective and clues and to get accustomed to always have a good
look out in all directions. These things cannot be learned with a PC
based sim, and even worse, it completly spoils the look out, because you
have to focus forward to that tiny screen rather than turn your head in
all directions and look back over the shoulder.

A PC based sim can be very useful for procedure training, be it simple
VFR VOR navigation or complicated IFR procedures, but I strongly
recommend not to use a sim while doing primary flight training.

That said, X-plane has a pretty realistic aerodynamic model while the MS
sim is just a toy. But being a glider pilot, I use Condor anyway.