[messages resequenced to be in order; my reply at end]

>>>>Anyway an MVP is a technical advisor not a moral compass.
>>>
>>>I don't agree. As I mentioned in another thread, we (MVPs), as a group, are too much in the public eye to behave irresponsibly. We should be people that the community looks up to, and not only as it pertains to technical issues, but in our behavior and attitudes as well. We're all human, and we all make mistakes, but I wouldn't call vindictiveness a "mistake", it's a character flaw.
>>>
>>>My 2 cents.
>>>
>>
>>Frankly I think that's kind of a highfalutin' view of MVPs. Let's not lose sight of the origin of the MVP program. It was Microsoft's inducement for developers to provide free peer-to-peer support so MS wouldn't have to continue employing their own people to do it. When I started using FoxPro (FPD 2.0 / 1992) they had a group that was called PSS if I remember correctly. It was a pretty big group. Aren't they all gone now? Financially it's a heck of a deal for Microsoft to provide free Microsoft software and some trinkets to MVPs instead of having an additional ~3500 employees on their payroll.
>>
>>I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft factors in what kind of person it is when deciding on MVPs. But the award predominantly recognizes outstanding technical support.

>Well, that may be (or maybe it's just *your* opinion) ... but it's the way I've always thought of MVPs ever since I heard about the MVP program many, many years ago.
>
>
And there is nothing wrong with thinking of it like that. You and many others certainly exemplify that ideal. My only point is that is not (in my opinion <g>) what the program was designed to recognize. It is recognition of technical support above and beyond the call. No standard beyond that was ever expressed by Microsoft in the 5 or 6 years I was in it.

For sure I don't think MVPs should be called on, or looked to, to defend or condemn the actions of the two MVPs discussed in this thread. To me that was an unfortunate -- irrelevant, really -- direction for the discussion to be taken in. That Andy identified himself in one of the letters as an MVP is a pretty slim pretext for putting the spotlight on MVPs in general.