Announcing New MVPs

[Brad Adrian]

Most of you who frequent this and the Microsoft public newsgroups are familiar the "MVP" moniker that some of the people providing support use in their signatures. (In case you're not familiar with it, you can find out just what a Microsoft Most Valued Professional is <a href="http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;mvpfaqs">here</a>.)<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/mvp.gif" /><br /><br />Microsoft has just announced who the MVPs in the area of Mobile Devices (including such products as Pocket PCs, SmartPhones and Phone Editions) are for the coming year. In recognition for all the time they volunteer and hard work they do in supporting Mobile Devices users through newsgroups, Web sites and general evangelism, Microsoft has honored nine additional individuals with MVP status:<br /><br />David Conger<br />Helio Diamonte<br />Yaroslav Goncharov<br />David Hettel<br />Bev Howard<br />Sven Johannsen<br />Robert Levy<br />Leandro Olivestro<br />Pino Paparone<br /><br />You probably already recognize many of these names because of their demonstrated commitment to helping anybody and everybody with an interest in Microsoft-Powered Mobile Devices. We congratulate them for this honor and look forward to working even more closely with each of them in the coming year.

[T_Scheen]

Unfortunately, "honor" won't buy you anything.
MS could have offered them something more substantial ....

Thomas Scheen

[Sven Johannsen]

While there are additional benefits, the honor is quite sufficient for me. I do what I do because I like to, with no expectation of any return except for an occaisional 'thanks', or the personal enjoyment of having helped someone, once in a while. To have been recognized by Microsoft is more of a personal high than you can imagine.

Thanks, Brad, for posting with that logo. I hadn't seen that yet.

Sven Johannsen
MVP-Mobile Devices (and darn proud to be able to put that there)

[Paragon]

Way to go, Sven! :way to go:

Dave

[Jimmy Dodd]

Damn! Always a bridesmaid... :(

BwanaJim
NPVP-Mobile Devices

(Not Particularly Valuable Person)

[Brad Adrian]

Unfortunately, "honor" won't buy you anything.
You've hit the nail on the head. Plenty of people will provide support if there were significant financial gain in the equation. What makes these people special is that they volunteer their time and expect nothing in return except for the occasional "Thank you."

[yellow1]

Are you "our" SVEN ? Congrats !
How does one get picked, are you sponsored by an existing MVP?

[Brad Adrian]

Are you "our" SVEN ? Congrats !
How does one get picked, are you sponsored by an existing MVP?
Look here (http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;mvpfaqs).

Usually, the award is given when the Microsoft people responsible for a particular product line (like Mobile Devices) notice somebody living up to the standards described and "going that extra mile."

[Dave Conger]

How does one get picked, are you sponsored by an existing MVP?

The page Brad linked to in his post (this (http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;mvpfaqs)) tells how to become an MVP.

[Paragon]

Congrats to you as well, Dave!
Dave

[pt]

Unfortunately, "honor" won't buy you anything.
MS could have offered them something more substantial ....
Thomas Scheen

my poem of the day.

seagulls fly in, make noise, and poop on stuff.

cheers,
pt

[Foo Fighter]

What..no Foo Fighter?!?! I am shocked and amazed. :wink:

If Microsoft gave an award for criticism and prognostication I would at least be on the top ten list. :P

[pt]

What..no Foo Fighter?!?! I am shocked and amazed. :wink:
If Microsoft gave an award for criticism and prognostication I would at least be on the top ten list. :P

actually, you might surprised. i know for a fact there are many people at ms who enjoy / respect your comments and smarts. from what i heard they invited you to a special conference as well. mvp is a little different, you'd need to get active in some other areas of community, like helping people with their devices, but that's not always true either....

cheers,
pt

[yellow1]

Thanks for the links
Looky what I saw there:
"Do MVPs receive payment from Microsoft?
No. Microsoft does provide a small award of software, but MVPs do not receive any monetary payment from Microsoft."

So what's the software? Wince.net ;-)

[Brad Adrian]

my poem of the day.
seagulls fly in, make noise, and poop on stuff.
cheers,
pt
There is a depth to you that scares me, pt. :roll:

[Foo Fighter]

from what i heard they invited you to a special conference as well.

Yes, that's true. Unfortunately I couldn't make it to this year's Mobius due to prior commitments. At first it looked like I would be able to squeeze it in, but my work schedule for the next three weeks is a real monster (working on three web sites at once + setting up new servers and training users new software). I would love to have attended, but...it's no go. :(

Beth assures me that I am on the invite list for the next event. I'm going to hold her to that. :)

[entropy1980]

What's a guy got to do? I am gonna try like crazy this year to be an MVP, in fact that's my goal, an early new year's resolution.Anybody have any tips? :)

[pt]

What's a guy got to do? I am gonna try like crazy this year to be an MVP, in fact that's my goal, an early new year's resolution.Anybody have any tips? :)

there's nothing one can really do, but here are some ideas...

-keep up the great work on your site.
-write article, tips, etc..
-post in the newsgroups, as much as you can and help folks.
-post in the newsgroups, as much as you can and help folks.
-post in the newsgroups, as much as you can and help folks.
-usually, folks aren't selected if their goal is to be a mvp from what i've seen, so just help folks, do what you love to do, they'll see you're efforts.

cheers,
pt

[pt]

Yes, that's true. Unfortunately I couldn't make it to this year's Mobius due to prior commitments. At first it looked like I would be able to squeeze it in, but my work schedule for the next three weeks is a real monster (working on three web sites at once + setting up new servers and training users new software). I would love to have attended, but...it's no go. :(
Beth assures me that I am on the invite list for the next event. I'm going to hold her to that. :)

that would be cool, if it's in seattle, i'd love to say hi to ya.

cheers,
pt

[Sven Johannsen]

What's a guy got to do? I am gonna try like crazy this year to be an MVP, in fact that's my goal, an early new year's resolution.Anybody have any tips? :)

Do what you do because you want to, and forget about trying. If it is a goal, it will be dissapointing if you aren't selected, and only an affirmation of what you thought should have happenned if you are. Neither is as big a thrill as the unexpected selection.

[Foo Fighter]

... i'd love to say hi to ya.

Me too.

Are you attending this year's event? I know Jason and Jeff Kirvin are going.

[pt]

Are you attending this year's event? I know Jason and Jeff Kirvin are going.

i think so...i'm in seattle, it's here in seattle, i might pop in and hang out. take notes, meet folks, etc..

cheers,
pt

[entropy1980]

Well this is what I love to do,and no matter what I will still do it just like the title! :wink: :lol: Thanks guys!

[Brad Adrian]

Neither is as big a thrill as the unexpected selection.
That is really the truth. I will never forget the thrill back in 2000 of reading the e-mail from Derek Brown inviting me to be an MVP. Totally unexpected.

[jeffmckean]

There is never anything as sweet as something totally unexpected...I've had that happen to me twice in recent months, and it's much better than I could have imagined.

Do what you love, make friends, and your good work will be recognized.

Keep it up everyone and congratulations!!!

[Terry]

What's a guy got to do? I am gonna try like crazy this year to be an MVP, in fact that's my goal, an early new year's resolution.Anybody have any tips? :)

There are a couple of ways to become an MVP:

1) Provide great support for an MS product through betas or a web site. Get to know someone at MS who can help you get there. Who this would be varies and what you would need to do varies from MVP product to MVP product.

2) Pick an area of interest and be very prolific and answer customer questions correctly (you will be competing with other MVPs and MVP-wanna-be's in the official MS newsgroups. 10+ posts per day would probably get you noticed. 10 a week won't. Don't flame or speak poorly of MS products. Expect to spend about 3 or 4 hours a day in newsgroups. (no, I'm not kidding)

3) Get more information from www.mvps.org (not an MS site)

-Terry

FMVP (Former MVP...awarded through 1 above, not renewed from too few postings in newsgroups)

[Terry]

Unfortunately, "honor" won't buy you anything.
MS could have offered them something more substantial ....

Thomas Scheen

The rewards are substantial...in the past they were:

MSDN Universal Subscription or TechNet Subscription (sometimes both)
Vouchers for MS Certification Tests
Private MVP Newsgroup
Invitations to many MS beta programs
Top MVPs (not all) invited to MS campus in Redmond once a year
Complimentary invitations to MS Events and training
"Gift certificates" for MS software and hardware at the MS employee cost

But expect to put 2-4 hours a day in on MVP-related support. Just look at the number of posts Ed and Jason make here (and it doesn't include what they do elsewhere).

[Dave Conger]

But expect to put 2-4 hours a day in on MVP-related support....

But for most of us (actually probably all) PDA's and Mobile Technology are something we really enjoy talking about and helping out with. Spending 10-20 hours a week in the PDA community is something we enjoy doing, which is why we spend the time and money keeping up our sites, as well as help others.

[Terry]

Spending 10-20 hours a week in the PDA community is something we enjoy doing, which is why we spend the time and money keeping up our sites, as well as help others.

Honorable Dave...I always like your insights and thoughts...as well as the rest of the community.

...I have a 50-60 hr per week job and a family...for me, there just isn't enough time in the day to spend another 10-20 hours per week on a passion or hobby...I've often thought that the MS requriements for an MVP are more like a part-time job (if it is, then the rewards are paltry!)...unfortunately MS doesn't think the less prolific are as valuable (I tend to disagree, but then, I don't get to make the rules)...