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MVP

Microsoft's tech site contributors to get rewarded

As a way of saying thank you, Microsoft has launched a new awards program for standout users of its forums and technical sites.

The new program, dubbed the "Community Contributor Award," aims to distinguish users who have put extra effort into the company's online communities at MSDN, TechNet, and Microsoft Answers--three sites that are frequented by some 4 million active users.

According to the program's frequently asked questions section, the award can be given to just about anyone, including to those who have created new content for these sites, all the way to moderators who … Read more

Microsoft enthusiasts atwitter at MVP summit

As it has in years past, Microsoft is meeting this week with some of its hardcore enthusiasts--the Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs) that serve in many ways as unpaid ambassadors for the company's products.

This year, though, the gathering with tech enthusiasts is completely closed to reporters and is also covered by nondisclosure agreements (NDA). However, that hasn't stopped the chatter, particularly because of the heavy use of Twitter to discuss the event. (For the latest discussion, simply click on this link.)

There are dozens of postings every few minutes, ranging from talk about meals and the weather to … Read more

The 404 270: Where we better have a wiki page by the end of this show

The 404 is a big supporter of open-source information, so we invite our buddy Nic Hill, director of Truth in Numbers: the Wikipedia Story, to shed some light on the site and its ongoing controversy. He gives us the full rundown on how Wikipedia works, his experience working on the film, and his travels around the world expounding the merits of information and community.

Free digital content is an intrinsic right, or at least it should be. That's the Wikipedia.com ethos, and we're still in the dark about how the site actually works. Luckily, Nic Hill is … Read more