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Goodbye Balloon Tips, Hello Kelly Theriot

  • บทความ

 I was growing so weary of getting those Balloon Tips on my Tablet PC, and I searched high and low to find out how to rid myself of them. My tablet has wireless built in, and when the net connection is flaky or absent, I get constant balloons telling me about the on-again, off-again affair my wireless card is having with the cosmos. These useless messages get in the way of my taskbar and so on, and I am just annoyed.

Kelly Theriot, Windows MVP star, has an outrageously helpful site (even if a little sluggish at times) that categorizes tweaks, tips, and tricks (https://www.kellys-korner-xp.com) and one of here FAQ entries is for disabling this balloons. Thanks, Kelly.

As long as I am at it, let me pose the question: Why is it that our own Microsoft web sites do not categorize our tips and tweaks the Kelly and other great citizens do? To be sure, we cannot do everything, and I know our Web site managers throughout Microsoft work very, very hard. But, why not just pay Kelly and/or other MVPs to maintain a section of our site. Put Kelly’s picture or other MVPs who collaborate with her on the site. Create an accountability mechanism and some basic checks and balances. Set up the legal framework to limit our liability while increasing the content availability for the community. This way, everyone is better served.

  • MVPs stay famous, and in fact, their visibility may increase
  • We drive people to consistent sites with consistent info and presentation.
  • We let the community drive the initiative but we make it a more seamless part of the Microsoft support experience.
  • This model opens up new opportunities, new ways of thinking about how Microsoft works with the community
  • The model provides a variable-cost approach. Microsoft does not commit to long-term resources with lots of new employees, new offices, more cafeterias etc. MVPs and other community leaders work remotely on their own terms. We negotiate the best agreement, and competition for the opportunity ensures that the best possible services are provided for the cost.
  • Site content is sychronized with other Microsoft web properties and product planning

As the manager for one of our MSDN sites, these ideas strike close to home. We have alliances with sites like GotDotNet, and so forth. But I think these are only a hint of what could really happen if we dreamed big. I’m sure some other dreamers have thought of these things. Let’s chat.

Rock on.

Check out the MSDN Office Developer Center: https://msdn.microsoft.com/office

Comments

  • Anonymous
    February 19, 2004
    I've noticed that rather than link to MVP sites (which almost none of the MS product information sites do), MS only links to its own sites, some of which contain only a fraction of the information on MVP sites for the same product.

    Even that (free) first step would be useful to users and how much effort would it take (apart from changing the mindset)?

    [Of course, I'm biased as I have such a site]

  • Anonymous
    February 19, 2004
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    February 26, 2004
    John, I like your idea for a couple of reasons. For one thing, it shows sincere concern for customers. For another thing, it shows that no single source, not even Microsoft, has ALL the answers.

    What I like most about the idea may surprise you: If Microsoft can find ways to leverage the content generated by the MVP community and by other user communities, then Microsoft can use its internal resources to address topics that only Microsoft can address.

    In short, it sounds like a win-win proposition.

    Bill Coan
    billcoan@wordsite.com

  • Anonymous
    April 06, 2004
    Hi All,

    Wonderful comments and suggestions made here. thank you. First, I've come across this link. Someone should have BC'd or CC'd me. :o)

    MS is doing what they can as far as offering daily tips from our sites and exposing the XP MVP websites via the Expert Zone.

    However, I will forward this great collaboration of ideas to the proper hands.

    Thanks again,
    Kelly

  • Anonymous
    June 26, 2008
    PingBack from http://jayla.yourstoriessite.com/kellytipstweaksxp.html

  • Anonymous
    June 17, 2009
    PingBack from http://patioumbrellasource.info/story.php?id=1387