>
In the past 12 months, Ed Leafe has created a thread based chat system on his site for VFP, created http://TaskPane.com for free add-ins to the VFP 8.0 TaskPane, he created a free open XML based wish list which the VFP team also uses along with the UT Wish List for VFP product feedback, and more. These are all "activities" in the past 12 months to "earn" an MVP award. Re-registering a domain name with NetworkSolutions or Registor.com once a year does not add up to enough activity to earn an MVP award, and I think most people would agree with that.
>

A few points.

First - I am not arguing that Ed does not deserve the award. That said - I don't think it requires a lot of effort to get a piece of software and bolt it onto a site. As far as Ed directly helping the Fox team out - that is wonderful - but it smacks of quid pro quo. In other words - it sounds like you deem it politically correct to give Ed the award because he directly aids the Fox Team. The fact is - Rod aids the Fox team as well - with insight and commentary about the product. Finally, with regard to features - Rod could have easily put in an extra link on his site to allow people to post wish list requests. It would have been a token/symbolic effort at best. Lets face it, the overwhelming majority of the wish list comes from the UT.

FWIW Ken - you need to be careful about linking any quid pro quo to the awarding of the MVP - since that was one of the reasons why MS was going to kill the program some time ago. I believe MS has gone to great lengths TO NOT have a quid pro quo link with with those that get the award.

Second, I believe the record will show that Rod spoke at all the major Fox shows last year. In fact, Rod I know spoke at a number of user groups last year. Also, I believe he is slated to do the shows this year.

Third, I believe that Rod faciliates - as Editor of Code - getting Fox content published in a magazine that has the largest circulation of any magazine willing to publish Fox content.

Fourth, and this point has already been made - Rod hosts for gratis - one of the recognized on-line communities for VFP.

Do this Ken - take every Fox MVP and individually compare their contributions to Rod's. Can you honestly say that every one - by clear and convincing evidence - has done more than Rod? I don't you can. And for that reason - your process is flawed - and clearly, what people do is a factor - but politics and personal opinion are the driving force - and for you to come up here and dispute that is ludicrous.

It has not gone un-noticed that you totally side-stepped the comments regarding Michel and the decision to award him the MVP this year. I am not aware of any major new features to the UT over the past year. The wish list has been around for over a year. Again, if you believe Michel is deserving - more power to you. That said, you should be consistient in how you apply the criteria. Lets remember that places like this and leafe.com for that matter -are for-profit concerns. foxforum.com is 100% non-profit related. It is clear that insofar as the Fox MVP award is concerned - to one degree or another - you have placed a profit motive above volunteerism. Of course places like here and leafe.com will invest more $'s - for those sites assist with their business. foxforum.com is 100% pure from a volunteer standpoint. It appears that factor is 100% entirely lost on you.

As long as you realize that politics and opinion are in fact - a big factor -my point is made. Whether you choose to do the right thing - that is entirely up to you.

< JVP >