>>Really? Having selected a group of experts for distinguishing themselves in on-
>>line forums, you are not sure which on-line forums they frequent?
>>
>>It sounds to me as if life membership, self-selection and elitism is alive and
>>well. Not that I object, of course, except when people attack me for pointing
>>it out.
>
>Go to hell. When I processed the awards for this year, I personally went looking at all the MVP's contributions. I did _not_ rely on counts -- I looked at the posts. I did not write down where I found posts, just that I had.
>
>I'm done with this thread.

Thank you, Garrett.
This attitude shows the sort of contempt I was complaining of.
It also shows the contempt that Microsoft shows for the users of it's products.

Aside from the contempt you have shown John, you have shown immense contempt for all MVPs, especially those you named. You have also put into doubt the MVP status of anyone that you awarded MVP status to this year - all you can say I that you saw some of their posts, if anyone asks where, you can't direct them all you can say is that you saw them. No evidence, just your word for it.

It also shows the pointlessness of MVP status. If the company that awards the status does not have a comprehensive list of who has the status & where they can be found, then it appears to be an award for the awards sake. If these people are given an award for the help that they are giving people, it appears to be a slight to those people if you cannot point someone in the right direction to get that help. If I had put a lot of my own time & effort into providing free technical support for a company, & that company had seen fit to give me a small reward (ie 3 letter I could put after my name), I would be more than a little pissed off, if the people who gave me that reward could provide the information of why I got the reward & where people might be able to contact me.

I didnt know anything about MVP status when I made my first posting. And what I am finding out about it makes me think it is worthless.

Before anyone takes offence here, I am not getting at people, to my knowledge all I have seen with MVP after their name, give very good advice. I am getting at the MVP status, the way that it is awarded & how Microsoft treat those with the award, subsequently.

For myself, I judge the reply on it's own basis & not on any letters after a persons name.