Monthly Archives: June 2019

I am not a gamer, but there are a couple of games I do enjoy. One of them is Microsoft Flight Simulator, which I have been playing since 1988 or so. Yes, since version 3.0 for PC.

With each version it became more and more realistic looking, you could even buy third-party maps that used satellite images. I was able to fly over my house and identify it. The graphics was good, but not spectacular compared to the games of today. Then in 2009 Microsoft closed down the studio that had been developing the game, to the big upset of the flight sim community. The last version, Flight Simulator X (version 10) was to be the last.

There are a couple of alternatives today, the two major ones are X-Plane and DCS World. I recently started looking at DCS World, and it is pretty impressive. It also supports Virtual Reality headsets out-of-the-box. The game itself is free, you get a couple of airplanes and one region where you can fly. You then purchase the planes and regions you like, over time. The graphics in the game is stunning.

Recently, during the E3 trade show, Microsoft announced that there will be a new version of Flight Simulator in 2020. A 4K video was shown, and the graphics is amazing. The terrain is generated from satellite images, and the environment (ground vehicles, animals on the ground, etc) are controlled by AI. Looking at the video, the graphics is way ahead of anything I have seen.

I really hope Microsoft will be able to deliver, and that it really will be available in the end of 2020. I have been planning to build a new computer for a while, but now I will probably hold off until closer to the Flight Simulator release, in order to get the best and newest components. I have a feeling the game will use every ounce of power available for this level of realism.

The registration for CollabSphere in Boston this fall is now open. This conference, formerly known as MWLUG, is a great opportunity to learn more about the future of the IBM/HCL Collaboration products (Notes, Domino, Sametime, Connections, and more) directly from the product managers and executives at HCL. When CollabSphere takes place on October 28 to 30, the HCL acquisition of the products should have taken place, but you will still see many familiar faces on stage and at the round-table discussions, as a large number of IBM:ers followed the products over to HCL. This is obviously a sign that they belive in the future of the collaboration tools under HCL’s control.

In addition there will be many other sessions from business partners and customers, where you will learn the latest and greatest, as well as best practices, for everything related to the platforms. I have attending MWLUG and CollabSphere for several years, and the sessions are always top notch. Not only do I always learn new things, I also get inspired and energized to do new things with Notes and Domino.

This is also a great opportunity to network, both with HCL executives, product managers and developers, and with other customers and business partners.

The cost of the conference is only $100, which is a steal if you look at what you get. Most of the cost for the conference is covered by sponsors.

If you want to share your knowledge at CollabSphere, the call for abstracts is also open now. Submit your session, and perhaps you get to present to your peers in Boston in the end of October!

I hope to see you in Boston!