MVPs are named for more areas than just developer tools. For example, there are MVPs for Microsoft Money, Flight Simulator, XBox, Office, and other areas. For the most part, you are correct as to why someone gets named an MVP, but each group can stretch the criteria for other reasons.


>Craig / Mark / all,
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>Maybe I'm completely out of touch with the VFP world...
>Maybe I'm just dense (if you ask those who know me, they'd confirm that -g-)...
>Or, maybe I'm just missing the point of all the discussion in this thread...
>
>but I thought that the MVP awards were given for outstanding service to a particular development community over the past year.
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>In my view, that "oustanding service" could take many different forms; among them, answering forum questions, developing useful apps/tools, speaking at conferences, providing and administering developer forums (like the UT, the Wiki, etc.), and such.
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>Is that an incorrect presumption? And, if it's correct, why all the bluster and brimstone here?
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>Using a sports analogy, in my viewpoint I see MS acting as the league headquarters. The developers are the team owners; we *choose* to play in the league and we pay for the privilege -- the "franchise"; in return, we get the right to sell our products to our customers -- the "fans". The league has certain rules that must be followed in order to belong to the league; they also *choose* to recognize certain teams, certain players on those teams, and others involved with the league for outstanding contributions to the betterment of that league or its members. That's their right and privilege, they can recognize whomever they choose, and if the league HQ doesn't like a particular person, they don't have to recognize them (a la Pete Rose -- and don't start with the flames, folks, this is just an example -bg-). Sometimes that recognition doesn't mean much (does anybody *really* care about "saves" for a relief pitcher?) and sometimes it's meaningful (league MVP, rookie of the year, Hall
>of Fame); ultimately, if the award means nothing, no one will remember or care (think "Comeback Player of the Year").
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>And, if we don't like the league or the way it's run, we can always sell our franchise, never get one to start with, join another league, or start our own.
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>We now return you to your regularly scheduled discussion, already in progress...
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