April 10, 2009 at 5:26 am
I don't think that any of us in this discussion (so far) have any problems with MVP's or the MVP program Robert. Steve is an MVP and some of my best friends here at SSC are MVPs. 😀 And if I am to be honest, I wouldn't mind being one myself someday. 🙂
However, recognizing, or even just identifying, a subset of a community is a delicate matter that requires finesse and grace in how it is done. This is because any significance or laudable qualities implied by such an award or identification can easily carry the reverse implication: that those without the award lack such qualities.
This problem arises because the receipt of such an award is an inherently single-bit binary thing: either you have the award or you do not. However, technical skill and knowledge, achievement and contribution to the community are more like multi-dimensional floating-point coordinates in terms of the range of values that they can have. Thus inevitably there is a huge loss of precision and accuracy when converting from one to the other.
[font="Times New Roman"]-- RBarryYoung[/font], [font="Times New Roman"] (302)375-0451[/font] blog: MovingSQL.com, Twitter: @RBarryYoung[font="Arial Black"]
Proactive Performance Solutions, Inc. [/font][font="Verdana"] "Performance is our middle name."[/font]
April 10, 2009 at 6:04 am
Two forums I know that do this kind of flagging.
1) MSDN. Can lead to people insisting that they want an answer from an MVP/MS and nothing else will do. Jonathan Kehayias complained about that on his blog a while back.
2) SADeveloper. We flag both MVPs and Usergroup leads. Had no issues as yet, may be because it's a much smaller group.
Having it or not having it won't stop people from being twits, discounting people's replies, assuming people don't know what they're talking about, etc. On another forum, late last year, I was told that I wasn't expert enough to answer a question because I didn't have enough posts (500 or so). That's despite having MVP listed in my sig. My feeling for that: poster's loss, not mine.
The other potential problem with having that kind of flag is something that Aaron ranted about. The widespread assumption that MVPs are always right, are completely infallible and are obliged to solve any problem no matter how rude the poster is or how badly formed the question is. Having a flag there may result complaints when someone with that flag doesn't wave a magic wand and make the problem go away.
Personally, I don't care either way. This is the only forum that I'm active on where I don't mention MVP in my sig, and that may be changing soon anyway.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
April 10, 2009 at 7:17 am
One more thought on this. Steve, there is one 'badge' that I'd very much like you to add, the sooner the better - moderator. I've had a number of people this year ask me, either on the forum, by PM or even by mail, to do some moderator function because they assume that I can. It would be useful to clearly indicate who has elevated forum privileges and who does not.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
April 10, 2009 at 7:37 am
Gail, happy to give you moderator privs if it wouldn't add another 150-200kb to your download 🙁
Actually it's not too bad. I get about 2 dozen requests from people to move/close things a week.
April 10, 2009 at 7:41 am
Robert Davis (4/9/2009)
I'm not an MVP, and I couldn't really tell you what it takes to become one. But I know from my years working at Microsoft that Microsoft takes the MVP status very seriously and they place a very high importance on their MVP's.
I know they do as well. They give us a free conference every year to show it!
It's not that technical skills aren't there. For the most part they are, but not necessarily. Look at me, I'm bringing down the average skill level of MVPs in that I'm relatively rarely working with code. My technical contributions are way below my community ones.
And there are plenty of MVP arguments. Who's right then? Or who's advice should be considered more important? Or even correct? I've seen MVPs give what I consider bad advice. They might say the same of me at times.
April 10, 2009 at 7:46 am
One last thing, what about someone that's a former MVP? What if I'm not reawarded next year? Do I still get the badge?
I wouldn't care except that I can't get a "list" of MVP names from MS. Despite the fact there's a crappy web listing of MVPs, I can't get that list in a file I can use to award/remove badges.
Oh, and MVPs can not fill out their profiles and then they won't appear on the web.
April 10, 2009 at 7:56 am
If you want to show a special status for a poster, you might consider some kind of SSC MVP status (Most Valuable Poster?) that you setup, instead of using Microsoft’s MVP.
It’s your site, so make it your award. At least you could make sure it was for someone who consistently provided people valuable help at SSC.
April 10, 2009 at 8:04 am
Steve Jones - Editor (4/10/2009)
Gail, happy to give you moderator privs if it wouldn't add another 150-200kb to your download 🙁.....
As long as it doesn't add Kg's ... :w00t::-D
Hey, maybe add a formar MVP from (startdate) until (lostdate) :hehe:
IMO everyone should be entitled to show his "letters of recommendation" or not.
Johan
Learn to play, play to learn !
Dont drive faster than your guardian angel can fly ...
but keeping both feet on the ground wont get you anywhere :w00t:
- How to post Performance Problems
- How to post data/code to get the best help[/url]
- How to prevent a sore throat after hours of presenting ppt
press F1 for solution, press shift+F1 for urgent solution 😀
Need a bit of Powershell? How about this
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April 10, 2009 at 8:23 am
Steve Jones - Editor (4/10/2009)
I wouldn't care except that I can't get a "list" of MVP names from MS.
Anyone who wants the badge mails you and includes a link to their profile. Yes, it's a manual process, but it's not as if there are several hundred people who can ask
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
April 10, 2009 at 8:25 am
Steve Jones - Editor (4/10/2009)
Gail, happy to give you moderator privs if it wouldn't add another 150-200kb to your download 🙁
Not a good idea, seeing as I'm scraping my monthly cap from time to time already. Did you get any feedback from the forum people regarding separating out the mod stuff?
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
April 10, 2009 at 8:27 am
We probably will go with the email link item, and we'll likely add something for an SSC designation. My "Badge" guy is building this over the next 30 days.
April 10, 2009 at 8:35 am
Examples of good advice:
The reply indicates that the poster fully understands your question.
If the poster does not fully understand your question, they ask for clarification or relevant details.
The reply specifically addresses your question.
The reply either helps you to solve your problem, or gets you going in the right direction.
(delete this:)
Most of the other replies generally agree with the posted solution.
April 10, 2009 at 9:14 am
Michael Valentine Jones (4/10/2009)
If you want to show a special status for a poster, you might consider some kind of SSC MVP status (Most Valuable Poster?) that you setup, instead of using Microsoft’s MVP.
As long as we're making requests here ... 🙂
What I want is my own level title and logo like Brian has with that "Keeper of the Duck" thing! How did he get that anyway? It's really been puzzling me... 😛
[font="Times New Roman"]-- RBarryYoung[/font], [font="Times New Roman"] (302)375-0451[/font] blog: MovingSQL.com, Twitter: @RBarryYoung[font="Arial Black"]
Proactive Performance Solutions, Inc. [/font][font="Verdana"] "Performance is our middle name."[/font]
April 10, 2009 at 9:16 am
RBarryYoung (4/10/2009)
What I want is my own level title and logo like Brian has with that "Keeper of the Duck" thing! How did he get that anyway? It's really been puzzling me... 😛
Brian's a moderator, like Steve.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
April 10, 2009 at 9:53 am
Ah. OK.
[font="Times New Roman"]-- RBarryYoung[/font], [font="Times New Roman"] (302)375-0451[/font] blog: MovingSQL.com, Twitter: @RBarryYoung[font="Arial Black"]
Proactive Performance Solutions, Inc. [/font][font="Verdana"] "Performance is our middle name."[/font]
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