From benchwarmer to MVP

To welcome in 2010, the fine folks at Microsoft have decided to bestow on yours truly the mantle of Microsoft Most Valuable Professional, or MVP. For those of you who aren’t familiar, the Microsoft MVP is an annual award presented by Microsoft to exceptional technical community leaders around the world who have voluntarily provided their expertise in support of their products or technologies during the past year (thanks, Wikipedia). It certainly is an honor for a geek like me.

I was nominated specifically for my support and evangelism of the Windows Live family of services during the past year, although I’ve been an avid user and promoter of Microsoft tools for over a decade. I’ve been a semi-active blogger on Windows Live Spaces for almost four years, but I’d say that I really started exploring the community in earnest after last year’s so-called “wave 3” launch, which included a slew of new and redesigned components. I quickly embraced Windows Live Groups by joining several popular groups and founding a few of my own. The All Things Live group, which I now co-own, has expanded to include over 200 members. I’ve tried my best to understand the mesh of software+services and to provide advice to help new users get the most out of the platform.

So, you may ask, exactly what does it mean to be a Microsoft MVP? Well, there’s no monetary prize. The title carries all the gravitas of a “world’s biggest geek” coffee mug. But there are some nice perks nonetheless, including a letter of recommendation from Microsoft, access to a private MVP website and resources, and a one-year MSDN and TechNet subscription. I also slapped a badge on my Windows Live Space and updated my e-mail signature; anything more would’ve made me feel like a complete douche.

– Greg, MVP