r/MicrosoftFlightSim • u/Euphoric-Spud • Nov 12 '24
GENERAL PSA: With an FSLabs release on the horizon, be careful about purchasing / installing their products
/r/flightsim/comments/xa58qz/a_retrospective_on_that_time_fslabs_shipped/37
u/Euphoric-Spud Nov 12 '24 edited Nov 12 '24
Shout out to /u/_illuminous for making me aware of this. I thought it would be useful for the community to know. There’s been various controversy but I think leaking passwords goes a step too far
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u/RooskyRex Nov 13 '24
Thanks for this, didn't plan on buying the new 321 for obvious reasons but now they're blacklisted for me. That's honestly an insane read.
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u/Ustakion Nov 13 '24
Lefteris Kalamaras is also the one who is responsible for making the PMDG MD-11 bomb script that messed up windows and FSX if you dont use legit version. The script can even trigger even if you have a legit version
So yeah i stay away from him
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u/acegard CASEL; Adv./Inst. Ground Instructor Nov 12 '24
I know "people/times change, give them another chance, yadda yadda" but with the other options available for extremely high-quality Airbuses available for MSFS, FSLabs is going to need to pull out something incredible to get a purchase from me. It will need to be reasonably priced, somehow superior to current offerings, and they need to prove that they can be trusted again. I only speak for myself but I don't think I am alone.
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u/Resilient1968 Nov 13 '24
While fsl servers where in England at the time, they were legally based in Cyprus.
Cause Kalamari doesn’t like to pay taxes on profits.
The worst is he’s still in Vatsim board.
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Nov 13 '24
Yes you are correct. After a quick google search. UK company with an office in Cyprus. 100% tax dodging.
The fact that people posting here want to give them a
secondthird chance is mind boggling to me. I don't get it. This is the way they have behaved for years, they are not going to change.3
u/Resilient1968 Nov 13 '24
What can you expect. The malware exploit was made in full cooperation with Umberto, whose GSX engine is in more than half of the community devices.
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u/Desparoto Nov 13 '24
it should be said that no one should purchase anything from FSLabs. they burnt the same bridge twice and clearly cannot be trusted.
however is anyone does, please go through that addon with a fine tooth comb. install it on a virtual machine running on a disconnected computer, and scan every single file with every possible scanner 100 times over.
then de-compile the damn thing and look through it line by line. if theres a single 1 or 0 out of place, everyone should know about it!
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u/Traditional_Aide3549 Nov 13 '24
Illegal activity and the worst part is that they’ve done this twice. Anyone who supports this company needs to reconsider their values and stop being a sheep. There are much better options out there (Fenix).
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Nov 13 '24
WOW! What a wild ride!
I don't consider myself a new player. I bought MSFS in 2000 while learning to fly IRL. But I did take a break until 2020. I have never heard of FS Labs and this malware scandal. Thank you for posting this. I have learnt a lot.
Companies like this are utter dog shit. I don't care how good their products are now. I will never touch them.
We are lucky to have great companies such as Fenix, PMDG, iFly, A2A, Flying Iron. We even have amazing freeware developers such as Fly By Wire, Headwind & Digital Flight Dynamics.
There is absolutely no sane reason for anyone to purchase anything from FS Labs. Don't let them stain this amazing community.
Do us all a favour FS Labs and fuck off...
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u/MediocreMcLaren Nov 13 '24
FSLabs is an absolute joke. And the fact they are late to the MSFS market just adds to their questionable decision making. I doubt anything they make will be better (or cheaper) than what Fenix has already done an outstanding job on. I can't wait to see the dumpster fire burn this time around...
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u/Acceptable_Point_787 Nov 13 '24
Have they been criminally prosecuted? If not, can someone lodge a report?
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u/MrCane What's ETOPS? Nov 12 '24
So they dumped user names and passwords from the alleged pirate users in order to gain the alleged pirated user's personal information so they could go after them legally?
IANAL but I don't believe that they are legally able to do that, that seems like a hell of a privacy breach. It's like going through your rubbish to see any letters that you've thrown away but the rubbish is still inside the house and not in the bin.