MSDN - KB articles...

Author

KB articles...

Homer J. Simpson

2005-10-19, 6:55 pm

This doesn't really have to do with this newsgroup in particular, but I need
some place to vent and I don't believe that the people reading this
newsgroup, as professional software developers, ought to feel entirely
differently than I do.

I've just about had enough of these KB articles that have started appearing
a few months back, written by so-called "MPV"s.

Examples:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555481/EN-US/
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555484/EN-US/
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555480/EN-US/

These are just some of the new articles that have appeared on my RSS feed in
the last 3 days--I can't be bothered to track down others, but they're being
posted almost daily. The first two are from this morning alone.

Microsoft is a multi-billion dollar company, and these articles read like
they were written by amateurs. Some are downright silly. They're no better
than anything I can find on public forums or community-based newsgroups.
Links to generic Google searches should NOT be something I want to find in
an "official" Microsoft knowledge base article. Not that there's anything
wrong with Google search result links, but I can do my own Google searches,
thank you very much. The knowledge base is another resource, it's not
something I want to become redundant. The articles should be representative
of Microsoft's stance on specific problems.

As I stumble upon more and more of these articles, I cannot help but feel
that Microsoft is trying to have their support done for them through
"outsiders" who will "work" for free.

Brett Wickard

2005-10-19, 6:55 pm

Ok, I'll admit I saw your post and assumed it was another whiny post. Then
I read the links, and gotta say that you are right on the mark. Geez, if
you're going to post NG quality postings as "KB" articles to save a few
cents, at least use a freakin proof reader. No consistency,
misssspellllings, etc... I'm with you, IMO MS outta care about the -quality-
of the KB and leave the NG quality postings for searches on Google Groups.
Or at the very, very least get a proofreader!

"Homer J. Simpson" <root@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:%23VJWQfL1FHA.2212@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> This doesn't really have to do with this newsgroup in particular, but I
> need some place to vent and I don't believe that the people reading this
> newsgroup, as professional software developers, ought to feel entirely
> differently than I do.
>
> I've just about had enough of these KB articles that have started
> appearing a few months back, written by so-called "MPV"s.
>
> Examples:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555481/EN-US/
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555484/EN-US/
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555480/EN-US/
>
> These are just some of the new articles that have appeared on my RSS feed
> in the last 3 days--I can't be bothered to track down others, but they're
> being posted almost daily. The first two are from this morning alone.
>
> Microsoft is a multi-billion dollar company, and these articles read like
> they were written by amateurs. Some are downright silly. They're no
> better than anything I can find on public forums or community-based
> newsgroups. Links to generic Google searches should NOT be something I
> want to find in an "official" Microsoft knowledge base article. Not that
> there's anything wrong with Google search result links, but I can do my
> own Google searches, thank you very much. The knowledge base is another
> resource, it's not something I want to become redundant. The articles
> should be representative of Microsoft's stance on specific problems.
>
> As I stumble upon more and more of these articles, I cannot help but feel
> that Microsoft is trying to have their support done for them through
> "outsiders" who will "work" for free.
>
>

2005-10-19, 6:55 pm

I've always questioned the MVP title myself as well. It more often than not
seems to be who you know than what you know based on some of the MVP
"advice" I have seen on various groups. Unless there is some measure of
true knowledge then I think they are better off not giving out such titles
as in the end it can make MS look bad, such as you have shown.

"Homer J. Simpson" <root@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:%23VJWQfL1FHA.2212@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> This doesn't really have to do with this newsgroup in particular, but I
> need some place to vent and I don't believe that the people reading this
> newsgroup, as professional software developers, ought to feel entirely
> differently than I do.
>
> I've just about had enough of these KB articles that have started
> appearing a few months back, written by so-called "MPV"s.
>
> Examples:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555481/EN-US/
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555484/EN-US/
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555480/EN-US/
>
> These are just some of the new articles that have appeared on my RSS feed
> in the last 3 days--I can't be bothered to track down others, but they're
> being posted almost daily. The first two are from this morning alone.
>
> Microsoft is a multi-billion dollar company, and these articles read like
> they were written by amateurs. Some are downright silly. They're no
> better than anything I can find on public forums or community-based
> newsgroups. Links to generic Google searches should NOT be something I
> want to find in an "official" Microsoft knowledge base article. Not that
> there's anything wrong with Google search result links, but I can do my
> own Google searches, thank you very much. The knowledge base is another
> resource, it's not something I want to become redundant. The articles
> should be representative of Microsoft's stance on specific problems.
>
> As I stumble upon more and more of these articles, I cannot help but feel
> that Microsoft is trying to have their support done for them through
> "outsiders" who will "work" for free.
>
>

Gerry Hickman

2005-10-21, 9:55 pm

ML wrote:

> I've always questioned the MVP title myself as well. It more often than not
> seems to be who you know than what you know based on some of the MVP
> "advice"

Actually, I don't think this is true. The way the offer was made to me
some months back was completely neutral. The only reservation I had was
that I didn't want to have to agree to any NDAs.

There are some excellent MVPs out there. The only thing that annoys me
about _some_ MVPs is that they act like drones, brainwashed by press
releases.

--
Gerry Hickman (London UK)

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