Exactly the point I made earlier. I helped people in this forum (when Peter ran it) before I knew anything about the MVP program. I was nominated to be an MVP and only learned what it was from someone who nominated me. I was anointed an MVP (I did not apply for the recognition!) before I knew that I would get some free stuff. And I continue to help people today. Finally, I would probably devote just as much time and offer the same opinions if I were not an MVP.
To suggest otherwise is simply a product of your own self-reflection. It's too bad your price is so cheap, Greg. Ed Crowley MCSE+Internet MVP kcCC+I Tech Consultant hp Services Protecting the world from PSTs and Bricked Backups! -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Greg Deckler Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 8:29 AM To: Exchange Discussions Subject: RE: Shortcuts to Outlook objects And everyone could do everything that they do now in terms of helping people WITHOUT the MVP "status". So what is the fascination with it? It is ego or something, it mystifies me. I keep hearing "MVP's are so helpful", yadda yadda. But there is nothing stopping you from doing exactly the same things that you are doing WITHOUT being an MVP. Lawyers have actual ethics, written down and agreed to by everyone in the profession and if you violate those ethics, there are consequences, just ask Bill Clinton. There is nothing even close in IT. People may have personal their own personal ethics, but who cares? As long as the IT industry is tied to vendors and tools, it will continue to be polarized and it will continue to be a trade. The MVP program is part of this problem. It is not the entire part, but I think that it is much more insidious than going to a trade show and picking up free stuff, because it is the granting of a title. That, in and of itself is a big problem. > You are so wrong that it pains me to even read your e-mail. I've > gotten more critical feedback from those folks that are MVP's than > most others. Not just generalities that Outlook doesn't have very good > backwards compatibility, but why the development team did that and why > they think they were wrong. They've said it in public forums as well. > Ask a lawyer if they've received anything for free and they'll answer, > damn right they have. I'm stunned that you would say that I have no > ethics or are you just throwing around generalities in a trollish way? > A vendor can give me a shirt, or a coffee mug doesn't mean that I > won't call them to the carpet on their product. Just ask ANY of my > vendors. If there is something wrong with their product or it doesn't > do something I want it to do, then I let them know to fix their BAS. > > The title of MVP doesn't mean Microsoft pet. It's given to those > people that have demonstrated knowledge in the field and a willingness > to help others get the most from the product. If Chris or Ed or Missy > or the Andy's or Martin or Robert or Tom tells me that something works > or doesn't work, I know it's from their belief in what they've seen in > the product. Not from something that the vendor told them to say. I've > never seen one of them not "tell it like it is". I've seen them be > more critical of Microsoft than most anyone else. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Greg Deckler [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 10:50 AM > To: Exchange Discussions > Subject: RE: Shortcuts to Outlook objects > > > So, you are going to tell me that you have never received any sort of > compensation at all for being an MVP. I am talking T-Shirts, plastic > toys, anything and even the TITLE of MVP. If you receive ANY FORM OF > COMPENSATION, it is a conflict of interest. Plain and simple. Ask any > lawyer if they are allowed to accept ANYTHING for free. The answer is > absolutely not. > > In IT, it is a different story and the difference is because IT is a > trade and lawyers are professionals. As long as we in IT continue to > operate in this mode, we will be seen as trades-people, the > air-conditioning repair guy or plumber, not professionals. > > The MVP program is a horrible, horrible insidious device that will > help keep IT at the trade level. Plus, once you accept the title, you > are now the property of the vendor. You will consciously or > unconsciously have a bias toward that vendor and keeping that title. > This means that you will not "tell it like it is" in public and > instead voice concerns in private to your vendor. > > If you all want to be trades-people instead of professionals, then > keep on with your MVP program. I tend to believe that the entire IT > industry is irrevocably broken. Compare it to engineers, lawyers and > other professionals and it does not stack up well. And that is sad, > because we could be professional, but we have no ethics. > > > > I'm very interested to know what secret compensation he is speaking > > of. Deckler, care to elaborate? > > _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Archives: http://www.swynk.com/sitesearch/search.asp To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Archives: http://www.swynk.com/sitesearch/search.asp To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
