A big thank you to all the MVPs who do such a great job of support

[I live on Outlook]

I've been a usenet--ter for more years than I care to admit (hint:
anyone else remember uucp and bang-path all leading to inhp4 ?)

This group is remarkable for the level of professional-level support
rendered by all the MVPs. I've started to archive in my newsreader
(no, not OE!) a lot of these messages.

Out of curiousity, are any of the MVPs performing this role as a
requirement of retaining a certification? Or are you Microsoft
employees whose job it is to provide this excellent level of support?

(from a guy also in the software biz ..)

I Live On Outlook

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Thanks and you're welcome!

No, we are not Microsoft employees. We got our MVP Award from Microsoft
because of what we did for the Microsoft Community. The MVP website
describes it well (www.microsoft.com/mvp)

---
These customers are the authors, enthusiasts, developers, academics,
business, and technical decisionmakers who carry with them the voice,
strength, and value of the Microsoft customer. They do this in the books,
Web sites, code samples, and utilities they publish; in the newsgroups,
message boards, and user group forums where they share; through the speaking
engagements, Webcasts, and chats they host, and in the feedback through
alphas, betas, and communities they provide to help Microsoft build better
products that result in more satisfied, loyal, and passionate Microsoft
customers.
---

A lot of us started here with a question as well and then noticed we could
answer a few posts as well. Finally we ended up a lot more answering then
asking ;-) Some of us are here since the beginning and have been an MVP 11
years now (that is how long Microsoft is Awarding people). Don't expect us
to be far away from the newsgroups any time soon! ;-)

Regards,
--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
www.howto-outlook.com

Tips of the month:
-What do the Outlook Icons Mean?
-Create an Office 2003 CD slipstreamed with Service Pack 1

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

What a nice thank you - and thank you back.

Helping people use Outlook as it should work gives me great pleasure -
especially when someone writes back and says that it now works.

Microsoft awards folks like me and possibly you for providing assistance
over the last year, maintaining a professional demeanor while answering
posts (I have been guilty of a few slips on that count), and generally
assisting people get over their hurdles.

Microsoft places no requirements on MVPs - the award is for the past year's
posts, not based on this year's posts. If I were awarded again this year,
there is no requirement that I post a single answer ever again.

See the links that Roady posted for the description of the MVP program.
Also, please note that if any one of us went to work for Microsoft, we would
forfeit the MVP title.


--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. Due to
the (insert latest virus name here) virus, all mail sent to my personal
account will be deleted without reading.


After scratching one's head,
I live on Outlook <[email protected]> asked this group:
| I've been a usenet--ter for more years than I care to admit (hint:
| anyone else remember uucp and bang-path all leading to inhp4 ?)
|
| This group is remarkable for the level of professional-level support
| rendered by all the MVPs. I've started to archive in my newsreader
| (no, not OE!) a lot of these messages.
|
| Out of curiousity, are any of the MVPs performing this role as a
| requirement of retaining a certification? Or are you Microsoft
| employees whose job it is to provide this excellent level of support?
|
| (from a guy also in the software biz ..)
|
| I Live On Outlook

 

[Cindy Winegarden]

Hi!

I'm not an Outlook MVP but I can answer some of your questions -

All of the messages in these newsgroups are archived on Google Groups, so
you may not need to save local copies of messages.

MVPs are not Microsoft employees and they do not perform a role as part of a
certification. The Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award is given
yearly for peer-to-peer support, mostly in online forums and newsgroups like
this one. You can read more about the MVP program at
.

 

[I live on Outlook]

Hi!

I'm not an Outlook MVP but I can answer some of your questions -

All of the messages in these newsgroups are archived on Google Groups, so
you may not need to save local copies of messages.

I know, but it's lot faster for me to search my local "archive" than
it is to search Google, and sift through all the "noise" looking for
the "signal." I archive relatively few messages, but I've started to
notice that most of them were written by MVPs.

That's when I figured I should post a message about the really
positive role these people play.

In real life, I do product management for security products (except
I'm "in between" right now). But MS security products aren't highly
regarded (cough, cough, hmmmmmm, hmmmmmm) so I would be advising
people to get third-party alternatives.

Case in point: The much-touted firewall in XP SP2 is nowhere as good
as similar products from Zone Labs or Symantec or McAfee.

I will say that the Certificate Authority in Server 2003 is
much-improved over the one in Server 2000, and is a credible tool for
many organizations, especially when combined with AD.

MVPs are not Microsoft employees and they do not perform a role as part of a
certification. The Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award is given
yearly for peer-to-peer support, mostly in online forums and newsgroups like
this one. You can read more about the MVP program at
.

Thanks. I've actually met a few security MVPs, and now I know how
they earned that title.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I've been a usenet--ter for more years than I care to admit (hint:
anyone else remember uucp and bang-path all leading to inhp4 ?)

Of course.

 

[Brian Tillman]

No, we are not Microsoft employees. We got our MVP Award from
Microsoft because of what we did for the Microsoft Community. The MVP
website describes it well (www.microsoft.com/mvp)

I'm curious how it came about. Did you one day get a message from Microsoft
stating that people have been following your posts and think you deserve the
MVP designation?

 

[Cindy Winegarden]

Hi Brian,

For many people that's how they first hear about the MVP program and the
fact that they have been awarded. Others have heard about the program (seen
"MVP" posts in newsgroups) before they are awarded.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Just to set things straight; the Windows XP SP2 firewall has never designed
to "beat" the third party products. It has been designed to increase
security and prevent the computer in being accessed from the
network/Internet.

--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
www.howto-outlook.com

Tips of the month:
-What do the Outlook Icons Mean?
-Create an Office 2003 CD slipstreamed with Service Pack 1

-----

 

[I live on Outlook]

Just to set things straight; the Windows XP SP2 firewall has never designed
to "beat" the third party products. It has been designed to increase
security and prevent the computer in being accessed from the
network/Internet.

Maybe, but a not-effective product can lead to a false sense of
security. Enterprise security people focus on "best of breed"
products in any given category. They can't afford to do less than
that.

Same should apply for your own pc's security.

 

[I live on Outlook]

Of course.

When a VAX 780 was a big honkin' machine and DEC ruled the earth.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Yep, but in this case Microsoft can't win;

If they built a product that pushes the ZoneAlarm, Symantec, McAfee and such
they will be sued for false competition. When they built anything less they
are accused by the public of making crappy software. I think Microsoft made
a good decission here; they made a tool that blocks the incoming threats
(just like they did with Outlook, Outlook Express and Internet Explorer).
All the other (third party) tools that also block the outgoing threats are
basically systems that have been compromised already.

--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
www.howto-outlook.com

Tips of the month:
-What do the Outlook Icons Mean?
-Create an Office 2003 CD slipstreamed with Service Pack 1

-----

 

[Brian Tillman]

When a VAX 780 was a big honkin' machine and DEC ruled the earth.

Well, OpenVMS still is the most reliable operating system on the planet.

Yes, I've worked on 780s, 782s, 725s, 8300s, 8350s, 6400s, 7000s, 3800s,
MicroVAX IIs, many VAXstation models, and an Alpha or two.