Retreat? Advance!
Received the following email, mixed emotions.
from China MVP Service Center
to Zongjian He
date Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 2:40 PM
subject Re: [MVP Important!] Special Reminder: MVP Renewal Information!</p>
Dear MVP He Zongjian,
Thank you very much for your contributions to the Microsoft community and for helping many technologists. We are sorry to hear that you do not plan to renew.
We welcome you to apply for MVP again in the future.
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
From: Zongjian He
To: China MVP Service Center
Subject: Re: [MVP Important!] Special Reminder: MVP Renewal Information!
Since I plan to go abroad for a PhD, I do not intend to apply for renewal. Thank you for the reminder.
Best Regards
Jason He
2010/10/15 China MVP Service Center
Dear MVPs:
Special reminder: we have not yet received your MVP renewal application. Please fill in the attached form and send it to us before Wednesday (October 20). Thank you!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
From: China MVP Service Center
Subject: [MVP Important!] Special Reminder: MVP Renewal Information!
Importance: High
Dear MVPs: Thank you!
Thank you for your enthusiasm and support of the MVP program during this year's term, for your active participation in the Microsoft China community (both online and offline), for regularly sharing your knowledge and expertise, and for your contributions to numerous projects, helping countless users and colleagues solve problems. You are respected, trusted, and approachable experts. You are the experts who stand out from the crowd.
The MVP term is one year. Your term will end in January 2011 (per Microsoft US headquarters: MVP privileges are only available during your term). The selection for the next term is about to begin. We are happy to offer you the opportunity to apply for renewal. Please seize the opportunity and apply on time. </span>
So by the end of this year, I'll bid farewell to MVP for good. Since 2007, four years as MVP, just two months remaining. Like a closing ceremony, whether I like it or not, the leader always has to say a few words. Let me briefly summarize my MVP生涯.
MVP is a noble honor. "Most Valuable Professional," only a few thousand globally. Well-recognized in virtual communities, but in the real world, especially in my circles, recognition is limited. When I applied for Shanghai residency after graduation, I naively thought I could use my MVP award for bonus points. The civil servant laughed at me. At work, in academia, what counts is how many papers you have, how much research funding you can secure. Nobody notices MVP. Some told me MVP is a circle where you can meet top domestic technical experts. Unfortunately, in my current job, knowing top experts doesn't matter much. As a university teacher, I increasingly realize you can't go too deep into technology. Most of the class needs to understand you. If only 10% can follow your profound lecture, you've failed. Maybe MVP isn't for me. Make room for others. Not a bad thing.
Why did I apply for MVP initially? Probably because there are very few people doing Windows Embedded in China. I managed to build a reputation among domestic teachers through Microsoft and Tongji's collaboration, wrote a book that met some programmers' needs at the time, and conducted numerous paid and unpaid WinCE trainings (with help from a company nobody wants to mention anymore). With Samuel's strong recommendation, I was naturally selected.
What have I done these years? Let me write as I remember.
Translated a classic CE book by Douglas Boling. Though my name is on it, I only translated half, and received only half the fee, about 7000 yuan. Some online criticism was directed at the other translator, but I accept it. With your name on it, you bear responsibility.
Gave three Webcast lectures on CE. Felt pretty impressive at first. But the live audience was small, only 10-20 people per session.
Invited to Singapore for a Windows Mobile 6 training. My first trip abroad, thanks to MS. Besides me, almost everyone else there was an MS employee. My airfare was a bit expensive. Sorry for consuming MS's budget.
Participated in a TechED lecture. Again, besides me, almost all lecturers were MS employees. Most of the audience were first-timers with Windows Embedded, asking very basic questions. Microsoft's Embedded department has been chaotic these past couple of years. No more embedded content at TechED, and MEDC is gone. No Microsoft conferences for embedded anymore.
Became a moderator on Microsoft's official Windows CE forum. An MVP's main duty is probably answering questions online. I was enthusiastic at first, but the CE forum is totally different from the VC++ forum I was familiar with. Too many hardware-related questions I couldn't answer. Couldn't reproduce others' problems — no board. Lots of effort with little reward. I visited less and less. Probably haven't been there in six months. Sorry. I was incompetent.
Attended two MVP gatherings. First time I met Bill Gates. Felt very, very cool. But I knew very few people at both gatherings. Living in the suburbs is inconvenient. I almost never attend MVP events. So I knew very few people. Other than eating, I just felt awkward. First time in 2007, people treated me like a junior. Second time this year, when they learned I was a 4-year MVP, some showed respect. Programmers are lovely people, but I feel increasingly distant from them.
Invited to give several MVP lectures (free). Talked about CE details. Quite respected. Good feeling.
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Why did I decide to withdraw?
First, work is too busy. I want to focus more on my job. Some say being a university professor is a cushy job, but at the Software College, I completely disagree. It's the system. If I were in a traditional college, I could skip work every day, teach one C++ textbook for life, and do whatever I want. Despite being busy, I love this job and have deep feelings for the Software College. I sincerely want to see it get better.
Second, I feel unworthy. If I ran for re-election this year, I might still get it — there are so few people doing this in China. But honestly evaluating myself, I haven't contributed much to spreading CE technology this year. Instead, I've done groundbreaking work promoting CE's competitor. Maybe Microsoft's embedded division has been struggling lately (maybe as an MVP I shouldn't say this, politically incorrect). Windows Mobile discontinued, Windows Phone 7 delayed, Windows CE lost its direction, iOS and Android eating its lunch. Even I feel uncertain. Today Li Jianzhong asked me to speak at the .NET conference about WP7. I couldn't go and recommended an MS employee instead. He said he's not interested in WP7 either. Awkward.
Third, perhaps most importantly, I've lost the novelty. I have a pile of MVP trophies, overflowing my bookshelf. MVP privileges no longer feel like privileges. MVP obligations feel like a burden. Every time I think about it, I feel guilty. Moreover, the academic system demands a PhD degree, research projects, papers, promotions to professor — all at odds with MVP's evaluation criteria. You could be a professor, and MVP would dismiss you as clueless, just someone who uses media to whitewash and talk nonsense. You could be an MVP, and professors would consider you a code monkey. Once they get their National Major Science and Technology Innovation Project and develop a "Coding Machine," all code monkeys would be unemployed. I have limited energy. I can't excel at both evaluation systems. Having proven myself as a capable MVP for four years, it's time to try the other system. People need to grow.
Hope stepping down as MVP leads to a better beginning.
Attached: a blog post from back then:
Folk Experts and Imperial Guards – Written When MVP Arrived