I mentioned recently, MVPs - Does Microsoft "hoard information"? , that MVPdom is attracting quite a bit of attention. That discussion was stimulated by a blog post, Mortal sin #2: Information hoarding from Roy Osherove.
So, after just over a month as an MVP, what is the program like?
It won't be a surprise to anybody, not least since others have publicly discussed it, that MVPs are subject to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). So in my comments I will be respecting that NDA but at the same time hopefully will be able effectively to communicate my own thoughts and reactions.
So, what does it feel like to be an MVP?
I guess an early reaction is disorientation. A little like a small boy's first day at school. There is so much going on and so much information floating around that it is disorientating. Another factor feeding into that initial disorientation is the existence of gaps in the support for new MVPs. Some improvements in support mechanisms could have a significant beneficial effect in nurturing new MVPs through those early weeks, I think.
It may be a surprise to Roy Osherove but one of the feelings that I had in those first days and weeks as an MVP was that, despite the information avalanche I mentioned earlier, that on certain topics I too felt that despite my NDA that Microsoft was, to use Roy's term, "information hoarding".
On reflection that is inevitable. Microsoft provide MVPs with information not publicly available but they can't realistically tell MVPs everything. Not all MVPs would respect the confidentiality of the information.
I will, very likely, blog more about MVPdom in due course but in summary my reactions are pretty much a continuation of my admiration/frustration dichotomy. There are great aspects of the MVP program and some intensely frustrating aspects. As time passes I hope to be able to harness the positive aspects and find solutions to the frustrating ones.
Posted by Andrew Watt at March 3, 2004 11:06 AM