Unable to connect to VATSIM

[TYankley]

Okay, I am as frustrated as some others with trying to connect to VATSIM using FSInn.

I am using Vista Home Premium & FSX. I have followed the posts with how to setup FSInn with Vista by turning on UAC, installing the beta versions of CP & Inn. Placing a checkmark in the compatibility area of run as administrator. Opening the three programs to include chat. Then turn off UAC and reboot.

I then start FSX, go to add-on's and select FSinn. The correct window opens and I have greens where they should be. I go to setup and select what the posts tell me to. After putting in my VATSIM id & password (after I check/uncheck the other areas the posts tell me to). I then click the button to the left of VATSIM and after about 20 - 30 seconds it turns red. Unable to connect....I then go and reselect every other VATSIM server with the same results.

I have even wasted the time to uninstall FSX, LVL D & Inn/CP and reinstall all. My firewall & virus protection were and are off for all of these events. I am using a home network with this computer using wireless to connect to my main cable connection.

I am of the conviction that something shouldn't be so difficult to use as some of us are just "plug and play" types. I do understand that FSX and vista are somewhat new so I am trying to remain patient. I say they are new as I have spent the last 11 of 18 months over in the Persian Gulf protecting our fabulous nation and am a tad out of sink with this.

Thank you in advance for any help and patience with this old, newly retired sailor.

COA4149
Tom Yankley

[L. D. James]

Hi, Tom. Sorry about your frustration. I believe you should consider a different prospective when using computer programs. I'm a consultant and spend lots of time helping people with computers and computer programs. There's always something simple that can go wrong when running computer programs, so allowing it to frustrate you is a waste.

I wouldn't consider it a total waste of your time to experiment with your computer, in lieu of reading the manual or posting a message asking for assistance.

It might not be your full intention, but it sounds like you’re angry at the developer of FSInn and verbally beating him up. When Benjamin produced this fine program, people offered him money for providing this facility to the flight community. He posted an announcement that he could be paid by expressions of appreciation.

Benjamin is a programmer in very high demand. He took time away from doing commercial work to provide for a gift to the community.

We welcome suggestions, but again your tone sounded more like a complaint than an expression of appreciation with some thoughtful suggestion. You spend some hours as you mentioned, experimenting rather than reading the section of the manual that would have answered your question, or posting your problem for a quick solution, but you can’t imagine the hours that Benjamin spent developing, debugging, and proving a manual for the use of the program.

From your description of the problem and your reference to the colors, it sounds like you typed in the wrong user information for your userID and password. There are other things you might have missed or mistyped. You can see a description of the problem if you would go into the Inn Control Panel -> Set -> Network -> Vatsim. The bottom of that window will give you the status or whatever connection error that happened.

Please read the screen and let us know what's at the bottom of that screen when you attempt to connect.

Sorry if I typed too much, but I tried to respond to the full content of the message you typed.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames