I use still the non Expansion instalation, cause I can`t help myself, this all looks more and more like a public betatest/moneycash. Sorry for sounding a bit harsh.
I liked SF1, it was new, new aera, cool birds and all was realy simple and good, now we have a bit of everything but nothing realy works well. There are companies out there who program for the public comunity, cause they know how many people will create some mods and additional stuff for the core product. Just take a look at "Operation Flashpoint" or the newer "Armed Assault 2" Ok not realy flightsims but maybe let me use FSX as a good example, a good priced product, large amount of workload and manpower stands behind this product. But FS9 still lifes today, cause of the large amount of addons, doesn`T matter if they are free or not.
But TK knows some of you guys here very well, the betatester, the modder who post on his side, but SF2 still seems not very modderfriendly, excepts the exporter tool. Some hardcoded stuff is like living behind a wall, I know what it means I`m from the eastern art of europe, even as I were young at that time.
When I look around, I see so many talented people here, FC, Eric J, Dave, Bongodriver, Ravenclaw, Stary and many more (sorry for not post them all) I can`t even imagenie what those people would do out of this "core"sim. Just Starys Terrains are an absolutly must have for everyone! Damn was that an imrpoevemtn for the game. Sad we can`t do more.
my 2 cents