David

So you fill your "last message" with ad hominam slights, then say "I'm done" and offer me "the last word" as if you are being noble about it. Cute.

>>Becoming an MVP brings whatever benefits Microsoft chooses to bestow. There is no automatic "entitlement" attached to those 3 letters other than whatever Microsoft chooses to do. Elitism has nothing to do with this kind of business decision. Sorry, no conspiracy or self-annointed elite.<<

"Conspiracy" is your word, not mine.

I agree with your first 2 sentences. The rest does not follow on and has little bearing.

>>Let me get this straight. You think it's your duty to publicly challenge the fact that a company may shroud details of its operation in secrecy? Remind me not to ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement.<<

To "get this straight" you need to stop "straw man" arguments. Of course MS is allowed to keep its internal workings secret. I have no idea why you keep coming back to that. HOWEVER, if there is a small group of people who, for whatever reason, can receive advance notice and commercial benefit then there are degrees of "equality" and there is an Elite. Obviously you don't like that, but there is no escaping the fact.

Being "Elite" is not necessarily a bad thing. Medicine and many professions rely on elitism to set standards. Why the hostility when I use that word? You'd think I'd accused you of "insider trading", the way you respond.

>> Don't kid yourself. I don't think anyone fears your scrutiny about this. Is this a case of sour grapes, or what? I just don't get what all this noise is about.<<

Straw man argument again; I never suggested people should fear me or that I want them to. Hopefully there will be no "fear" at all for reasons which should be obvious from what I actually said which is different from the way you choose to present it.

If you don't get it and think you have done something good by your post, then I'm obviously not communicating clearly enough. For that I am sorry.

There, now *I'm* done.

JR