No one is "trashing" Microsoft, it is the lack of detailed information from them that causes all the sim or simlite conjecture.

As far as giving them the benefit of the doubt, I don't have anything against them, but they are the same company that put out FSX marketing media showing glorious flying scenes over detailed landscapes with moving animals etc that when FSX released when I tried to run it on my fast gaming rig for the time, it ran like a slideshow, the detailed scenery were minimal islands in a sea of generic landscape, and it was missing the moving animals from the marketing hoopla.

So no one is against Microsoft, but their enigmatic marketing and minimal communication about Flight is causing the conjecture, I'd much prefer if they actually communicated like John Venema who is direct about what the ORX products will or will not do and the stuff they deliver not only meets their marketing media but usually even exceeds it, IMHO that is more professional than MS firing the ACES studio and not explaining to the long time fans of the series the reason or strategy behind it or details about the next product in the series.

I for one am interested in Flight whether or not it is hardcore, there's room in the sim market for more than one title, especially if it looks great and can be used for making great screenshots and vids (as WOP another great simlite has shown).

I dont think he's a development partner for Flight, infact, judging by his comment about the lack of a robust SDK and a roadmap for Flight, I would speculate that MS didnt give him privileged information about the development process of Flight and they didnt give an SDK either. It appears that Lockheed Martin is giving out a solid SDK. If I were to speculate I would guess that the reason why the Orbx boss is trashing Flight is because OrbX have decided to spend developing power on Lockheed Martins product, at least for now. If he's able to get people to buy P3D now instead of waiting for the full blown sim, MS Flight, then he would have greater chances of selling his products.

Its a cynical point of view, but hey, I'm a cynical person