The truest proof of a competent product is the retailer putting in on the shelves. Retailers will not keep junk on the shelves, because returns eat their lunch (figuratively). Retailers want competent products that satisfy their customers.

This is probably your best assurance of getting a competent BOB SOW. The Lock0n has done the DL thing and IMO, screwed themselves over. I'll bet their sales are in the tank, and nothing they've done since their original release has or will be as good in customer response as the Lockon LOMAC.

It does make sense to do downloads, but Oleg has alot more going for him than taking the shareware route. Shareware brings negative connotations into my mind, and I will always buy an paid for software that has credentials as a retail product.

(I'm not talking about commercial software)

I have only one game via direct download, and that was only after I crapped my original Disk. I DL the BOB II WOV, to replace my bad copy. Also since it was released over a year ago it is a very hard title to find in the U.S.

Yeah, when the manuals told you history, tactics, color plates of the aircraft or ships, etc...and had a code at the bottom of each page that you typed in when the sim booted. Those days are gone, unfortunately

I think Sow will be DD eventually. After the intial release, Ubi allowed some distributors to sell 1946 through downloading. The copy of 1946 I fly right now is downloaded from www.direct2drive.com and they still offer 1946 if I'm not mistaken. The best benefit to getting it that way is it is automatically a "no-CD" solution. I don't need a CD or DVD to play, just click the icon and away I go. I love it!!

So I think that SoW will go that way after a while.

Yep, I just checked. direct2drive still offers 1946. They also offer Forgotten Battles and the original IL2 also!! Strangely, all for the same price! I hope some dummie doesn't pay $20.00 for the old IL2 game or Forgotten Battles, when they can get 1946, the whole works for the same price..............