MVP's (as an ex-MVP, I know) are chosen on the basis of what MS (and MS
only) consider as their contribution to the user network at large - be this
either by responding to Usenet/forum posts such as this, or by creating
useful websites, or by generally helping people out (even being a 'geek' on
the radio, in one case that I recall) - -the exact criteria in any year are
totally unexplained by MS to anyone - least of all to those selected as
MVP's.
MVP's do get nomination rights - which means that anyone that they suggest
gets noticed by MS - but it's MS that makes ANY decision, based on their
criteria for that year.
As far as Web Fora/Usenet posting is concerned, for most MVP's it's a matter
of whether the post itself:-
1) Is understandable in general
and
2) gives enough detail to enable a reasonable response, either to ask
intelligent questions of the OP or to give an informed response
if neither of the above, then MVP's will tend to ignore it until such time
as there is enough info available to give some reasonable response. They
have many thousand other people they could be helping quickly and easily,
rather than teasing the necessary information out of a minimally-literate
poster.
I know a number of MVP's who actually post using the CDO (web forum),
rather than Usenet - and they have my heartfelt sympathy for persisting with
such a buggy interface for whatever reason they do so<g>.
Personally, and I know that the same is/was true of other past/present
MVP's, being an MVP is/was very much a secondary thing to the feeling that
one is/was helping others who were in need of assistance.
MVP's receive NO monetary benefit for what they do - any benefits they do
get are 'in-kind', and at the sole discretion of Microsoft. ALL of the
current holders of the award, have, I'm sure, earned their laurels with the
sweat of their brow, and many broken fingernails and braincells.
There are a few denizens of Usenet who feel that MVP's are MS
lackeys/shills - this is NOT the case.... I can remember times when MVP's
and MS employees have literally had shouting matches over issues ( and
others can remember times when the MVP concerned actually won the point!).
While the MVP system is not perfect (and I doubt - hope?? - even MS would
claim that it was) it's what is there, and those awarded deserve our
respect (and already have mine - I KNOW how difficult it is to keep a civil
finger on the keyboard!) for simply being there when we need them.
OE is dead - that's it.
Windows Mail is being killed off in W7.
MS sees the way ahead as being totally outsourced, in terms of
data-availability. If you can't have a 24/7 connection then they're not
really interested in you - and it's too late to complain now (MVP's have
been fighting this particular fight since 2000 and before to my certain
knowledge, and they've lost - unless there's a concerted effort by the
actual users of Usenet access to kick MS up the proverbial backside and get
them to acknowledge that newsgroup access is IMPORTANT , and EASY - even for
relative novices.
</rant>
--
Noel Paton (MVP 2002-2006)
(CrashFixPC)
Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.crashfixpc.co.uk
