you've also got the flight simmers who think it's all a piece of cake because they know how to configure an A330 autopilot and watch it autoland whilst sitting in their chair eating ice cream.
Sometimes the case.
On the other hand, I can tell a tale. Years ago, I had a couple of aircraft field service reps (LAME background guys) working for me - both keen flight simmers. During one period I was also doing some 733/4 sim endorsement training work on the side and, one night, invited the boys along (with the pre-arranged concurrence of the pilot trainees). During the coffee break, I gave the pilots a rest from my usual discussion workload and gave my colleagues a run in the sim.
Now these guys had never flown an aircraft and their total exposure to the Boeing was the previous couple of hours watching. With motion off, raw data and hand flown, both of them were able to do a more than quite passable circuit and landing. I was both surprised and impressed. Not all simmers deserve the would be, if could be, tag, I suggest.
(ZR - methinks your view is a tad jaundiced ?)