MVP again

Mike Epprecht — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 06:51:00 GMT

Microsoft has decided to re-award me my MVP status again. Good. 3rd year running.

I must be doing something right. The joke among the Germans is that MVP stands for “Muss Viel Posten” (translated: “must post a lot“). True, the presence in the newsgroups does influence the re-nomination.

I am happy. My time has been well spent.

How to become a MVP

Mike Epprecht — Wed, 13 Apr 2005 03:31:00 GMT

Very nice post here on tips on how to become an MVP.

Robert has summed it up to a point where I agree with him.

I have been quiet....

Mike Epprecht — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 16:45:00 GMT

Yes, I have been very quiet lately, but with me moving to Zurich and starting the new job, I've been totally snowed under.

I am getting time again to answer the questions in the Microsoft Communities. I think I sufferred from withdrawl symptoms.

Today I got an e-mail from my new MVP lead here in Europe. I have been re-awarded my MVP status for 2005. That is great news.

The MVP Program

Mike Epprecht — Mon, 19 Jul 2004 01:41:00 GMT

Microsoft has an award program that recognizes the outstanding members of the peer-to-peer community for their participation and continuous help: Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Program.

On a continuous basis, Microsoft and other MVP's are monitoring newsgroups, list servers, user groups and conferences for people who really contribute and assist their fellow peers. Some MVP's are in the IT Industry, some are doctors and firemen, but they all have one thing in common: Assist their fellow Microsoft product users. MVP's are awarded for their past participation and for a specific Microsoft product for a time period of 1 year.

The motto of the MVP program is:

Recognized: Microsoft MVPs are acknowledged by peers and also by Microsoft for their active participation in Microsoft technical communities around the globe.
Credible: Microsoft MVPs have demonstrated practical expertise providing the highest quality information and content.
Accessible: Microsoft MVPs are active technical community leaders sharing their experience with peers.

I was awarded my MVP status for SQL Server on 1 October 2003.

Why?

We don't know the exact criteria that Microsoft uses, but I must have done something (or a lot) right over the last few years.

Well, a bit of history on me:

I started to use Microsoft SQL Server when the first spilt occurred with Sybase in 1993/1994. Microsoft released the product as v4.21a for the NT platform. This was running on Windows NT 3.1. Over the years I was a DBA and Development DBA and I felt that the South African SQL community was not interacting with each other.

I started the Microsoft SQL Server User Group South Africa in 1999, together with Shaun Tinline-Jones and Koos Bester. During this time, we setup a list server and held monthly meetings in Johannesburg for users to interact with each other and ask questions. Then in 2001, I assisted Patrick Collins to start the Microsoft Visual Basic User Group, later re-named Microsoft Developer User Group. Both user groups grew and had very active members. Later, SADeveloper.NET was started and the user groups were put in one structure to server the wider audience.

I am active on List Servers; Usenet News Groups; Microsoft Public and Private Newsgroups; presenting at conferences and meetings; and day to day 1:1 user assistance.

SQL is my life and passion......so talking about it all day long is fun for me.

To SQL or not to SQL : MVP Program

MVP again

How to become a MVP

I have been quiet....

The MVP Program