Показать сообщение отдельно
Старый 04.07.2008, 10:44   #30  
kashperuk is offline
kashperuk
Участник
Аватар для kashperuk
MCBMSS
Соотечественники
Сотрудники Microsoft Dynamics
Лучший по профессии 2017
Лучший по профессии 2015
Лучший по профессии 2014
Лучший по профессии 2011
Лучший по профессии 2009
 
4,361 / 2084 (78) +++++++++
Регистрация: 30.05.2004
Адрес: Atlanta, GA, USA
Вот немного слов от Майкрософт:
Цитата:
Some of Microsoft’s most enthusiastic supporters in the technical community are not Microsoft employees at all.

These fans of Microsoft tend to be active in user groups and technical communities, speak at conferences or instructional gatherings, keep blogs or discussion boards on their particular specialty Microsoft technologies, or otherwise communicate their experiences and learnings to other technology users. They advocate for Microsoft among customers and users and, in reversal, advocate to Microsoft on behalf of customers and users.

These enthusiastic ambassadors are Microsoft MVPs, or Most Valuable Professionals, recipients of an annual recognition by Microsoft of some of its greatest non-employee experts. Honorees must be nominated and are considered based on technical expertise and tech community contributions over the preceding year. Only a select few are honored. Some 100 million people participate in online technical communities worldwide, but there are only about 4,000 MVPs.

Their value to Microsoft is as an independent advocate. This independence gives their support of Microsoft more weight, said Roger Schaeffeler, global program manager of the MVP program.

“They talk about their own experience and are seen as unbiased because they don’t get a paycheck from Microsoft,” he said. “They are community leaders and influencers out there as an independent voice for Microsoft—out there supporting our products and giving feedback about our products, supporting customers every day, and going out there in user groups and forums, asking questions and listening to customer feedback.”

Caleb Jenkins, a consultant at Improving Enterprises in Dallas, Texas, and a first-time MVP, appreciates that the communication goes both ways.

“I find speaking and presentations to be opportunities not only to engage the community, but also to be an advocate for the community back to Microsoft,” he said. “And Microsoft wants people willing to provide feedback, who will tell them how people like this SP1, how this product is working, what customers love or hate about it, and so on. The MVPs provide that feedback channel, which has actually impacted a number of products.”

MVPs reside in over 90 countries and represent 30 different languages. Countries to claim one or more MVPs in recent years include the Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Nepal, Macedonia, and Macao. Most MVPs are technology professionals. About 30 percent work for Microsoft certified partner organizations and represent a broad spectrum of Microsoft product users, including accountants, teachers, artists, engineers, and technologists.

It is not a certification, so everyone is evaluated each year, though some win multiple times. Bryan Sampica is a product manager and developer at Imagetek, a Microsoft Gold Partner near Des Moines, Iowa. He is a three-year MVP and said each time is an honor.

“Nothing will ever guarantee you’ll get it,” he said. “The MVP program continues to change. New technologies come out, meaning there are new MVP categories, new people are involved, the community leadership changes, so it’s never the same. But no matter how many times you’re an MVP, the feeling of winning—it keeps getting better.”

Along with the appreciation of the millions of users they assist, MVPs also get complimentary subscriptions to MSDN or TechNet, access to private newsgroups, a dedicated account manager or MVP lead, and some advance peeks at Microsoft technologies and roadmaps. Microsoft recognizes the year’s honorees each spring at the MVP Global Summit, a multiple-day conference in Redmond and Seattle where MVPs receive access to exclusive technical content, participate in direct feedback sessions, and meet with peers and with Microsoft executives. The best part for many of them, however, is the chance to dig deeper into the technology, Schaeffeler said.

“What they’re really seeking at the Summit is engagement with the product groups so they can talk to the product teams, hear about the next generation of products, and give input,” he said. “That’s what they’re passionate about. They want to give input on technology.”