Microsoft Flight Simulator (v2.0)

Technology

Flight Simulator 2.0 added support for the PCjr's graphics modes, but also added support for one of several PCjr memory "sidecar" expansions to increase the operating speed of the simulator to match that of PCjr's bigger brother (the original PC). This is because the PCjr's way of handling memory (no DMA, so the video controller was used to refresh memory) was extremely slow, and running the game from the memory in the sidecar (which had its own refresh controller) made the game run at regular PC speeds.

Version history

Here is the release history of Flight Simulator v2, from http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q31/3/02.ASP :

```

 2.Version 2.10 (May 1984) 
        Joystick, mouse support.
        PCjr support.
        RGB color support.
        Better graphics.

 3.Version 2.10a (August 1984) 
        AT support.
        Dynamic windspeeds corrected.
        Six missing airports added in Chicago.

 4.Version 2.11 (internal update) 
        Corrected no color problem on PCjr.

 5.Version 2.12 (April 1985) 
        Hercules Graphics Board, EGA (color and monochrome) support.
        (Please note you cannot use the mouse with these graphics cards.)

 6.Version 2.13 (August 1986) 
        IBM PC Convertible support.
        Enhanced keyboard support.
        Support of 3.5-inch disk drives.
        Support for DOS Version 3.20.
        Support for Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).

 7.Version 2.14 (June 1987)

   Support IBM Personal System/2 computer.

```

Information also contributed by Andy Voss.