Windows Outreach Team

Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by jephree, Feb 23, 2009.

  1. jephree

    jephree Private E-2

    What exactly is the Windows Outreach Team?

    Do you work for Microsoft? If not who do you work for?

    Do you have a web site?
     
    jephree, Feb 23, 2009
    #1
  2. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Re: Which Drivers do I need for Windows 7 ( Beta ) & where can I get them ?


    Hi

    I have checked into this as I had never heard of this team and indeed the Windows Outreach Team do work for or are more so contracted from the Windows Client and Product teams and objective is to reach out on blogs and forums to pass on information and links.

    No website or blog as far as I know.
     
    DavidGP, Feb 24, 2009
    #2
  3. Ikester

    Ikester Private E-2

    Re: Which Drivers do I need for Windows 7 ( Beta ) & where can I get them ?

    Could you provide any more details? Some MVPs I know have been scratching their heads over this. It seems when challenged to provide some sort of verification, "team members" simply ignore the request.
     
    Ikester, Feb 25, 2009
    #3
  4. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Re: Which Drivers do I need for Windows 7 ( Beta ) & where can I get them ?

    Hi

    Not really apart from what I posted already, as I emailed my MVP leads, so MVPs in their country could do the same or best is to take this up in the private MVP Newsgroup they all have access to and post in the general programs topic a thread on this.

    All I can give you is that my MVP leads in the UK, after I brought my concerns with this unkown group up with them and over a few days of tracing the team responsible, is that it was confirmed as they are legit. I did email RickR direct and gained a responce on his team leader and their email address, not going to post it on an open forum for obvious reasons, but will happily post it in the MVP Private NG if they start a thread on this as I thought it would cause a stir when I noticed a spate of posts from this group.

    Are you an MVP too?
     
    DavidGP, Feb 25, 2009
    #4
  5. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Re: Which Drivers do I need for Windows 7 ( Beta ) & where can I get them ?

    If the same Ikester I know, then yes, we both are among several discussing this issue. You were sent an invitation earlier to join by the site admin where this discussion is taking place. Sorry, but I cannot PM - please contact me or Ike if more information is needed.
     
    Digerati, Feb 25, 2009
    #5
  6. Ikester

    Ikester Private E-2

    Re: Which Drivers do I need for Windows 7 ( Beta ) & where can I get them ?

    I know that several queries have gone to MVP leads without getting any sort of definitive response. It's good to find out that they are legit but I find it somewhat disconcerting that you aren't able to disclose details. I mean, what is there to keep confidential? And why they wouldn't have a web presence is beyond my comprehension. It just doesn't make sense.

    The other aspect that's disconcerting is the tendency for team members to post "hit and run" info. When challenged or further details are needed, there's no come-back. Not very professional IMO.

    Yup. See my profile here where I added further details. :)

    BTW, I tried to add an MVP graphic to my sig but it seems I'm unable to?

    Hey Bill, yes it's me. I know you've been beating the bushes looking for any insight to this issue while I've been more of an observer. Seeing how amateurishly the Outreach Team is "outreaching", I thought I'd pitch in by asking a few questions myself. ;)
     
    Ikester, Feb 25, 2009
    #6
  7. jephree

    jephree Private E-2

    Re: Which Drivers do I need for Windows 7 ( Beta ) & where can I get them ?

    I assume the basic Google has been done but perhaps I should not assume as they say:

    windows outreach team - Google Search

    pick:

    What is the 'Internet Explorer Outreach Team'? - CNET Buzz Out Loud Lounge Forums

     
    jephree, Feb 26, 2009
    #7
  8. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Hi Guys

    Moved the thread here as we where going off track from the original posters question.

    @Bill Digerati, good to meet you, will PM you with my email address


    @Ikester ~ Good to meet you too, Some stuff I could edit out if the email but, I dont without permission generally copy emails I get from MSFT into forums, BUT their where no major details to give apart from that my question on this team was looked into quickly and the answer was that this Outreach Team was legit and known to the Windows Client and IT Pro teams, however no mention of the Internet Explorer team was mentioned, so makes me no wonder if their are various factions within this team with various areas to cover like the forthcoming release of IE8 for the messege you quoted above and in the one here the Windows 7 release.

    Lack of a web presence suprised me too, even a blog on LIVE like many of the various teams woudl be advantagious.

    I totally agree with you on your comment on "hit and run" exactly my comment to my Leads on this and the lack of follow up replies, my feelings are that this tactic and this group could cause and no seemingly have caused a fair bit of bad will on forums and blogs when really they should have been up front and contacted admins of said sites first, before jumping in, as this will not help the positive sides of say a Windows 7 release.

    I know my Lead has copied most of or portions of my emails to him to the team dealing with this, with my concerns, which are the same as yours.


    @jephree ~ yes I did extensive searches on this team to gain info and most was just one or two posts on forums and a fair bit on yahoo groups and some blogs when say a key word of Windows 7 was mentioned.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2009
    DavidGP, Feb 26, 2009
    #8
  9. augiedoggie

    augiedoggie The Canadian Loon - LocoAugie (R.I.P. 2012)

    How did I miss this thread? (thanks for the heads-up Halo) Anyways, I also agree on the 'hit 'n run' aspect of the posts, in the case on my site the advice given did not address the the OPs issue though the guide posted on partitioning a hard drive for a dual boot with W7 was a good one, besides the fact that someone who puts in their alias as being from MS raised our collective spammer hackles as it was a first time poster. (Have they ever worked on a forum?) :confused

    I agree with the above poster about the amateurish nature of this 'outreach team'. Here's a quote from what one of our admins said:

    These folks are wasting a lot of people's time trying to figure them out. They sure aren't garnering any respect, at least from our staff and losing a lot of good will in the process.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2009
    augiedoggie, Feb 26, 2009
    #9
  10. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Hi Augie

    No you didnt, these posts apart from my last one where attached to a thread in drivers forum, but thought best to move it here for continued discussion on this.
     
    DavidGP, Feb 26, 2009
    #10
  11. augiedoggie

    augiedoggie The Canadian Loon - LocoAugie (R.I.P. 2012)

    BTW, RickR did answer our request for info to verify his status but as he did not give us a personal MS e-mail address but referred us to someone who did, we treated him as a spammer. Halo has all the info that I supplied from our encounter. RickR hasn't since been back.

    Edit: thanks for splitting this as I don't look at drivers much. Hehe, besides being seriously OT!
     
    augiedoggie, Feb 26, 2009
    #11
  12. Ikester

    Ikester Private E-2

    Thanks for your comments guys. It seems we're all on the same wavelength WRT this issue. I'm thinking this would be a good subject to raise at the MVP Summit next week. ;) I'm not going myself but I'm hoping someone who is going, and equally concerned about this matter, will run this up the pole in Redmond. ;)
     
    Ikester, Feb 26, 2009
    #12
  13. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    The only real reply we got back named someone at MS marketing - however, we have not been able to determine if this is a poorly implemented marketing scheme, or if this person is even aware their name is being used.

    That said, posting non-contributing frivolous comments in a "technical" help thread is not good advertising. And posting advice that directly contradicts a Site Moderator's advice reflects poorly on all those connected to Microsoft, and does not promote good relations between those Outreach Teams and the Microsoft MVPs running around cleaning up after them. :mad
     
    Digerati, Feb 26, 2009
    #13
  14. sikvik

    sikvik Corporal Karma

    Holy crap!! Does this mean the 99.9% of the population, coming from a genetically deficient gene pool (as opposed to you guys) are doomed :-D

    Cheers...
     
    sikvik, Feb 26, 2009
    #14
  15. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    lol. No, not unless you believe everything everyone tells you!
     
    Digerati, Feb 26, 2009
    #15

MajorGeeks.Com Menu

Downloads All In One Tweaks \ Android \ Anti-Malware \ Anti-Virus \ Appearance \ Backup \ Browsers \ CD\DVD\Blu-Ray \ Covert Ops \ Drive Utilities \ Drivers \ Graphics \ Internet Tools \ Multimedia \ Networking \ Office Tools \ PC Games \ System Tools \ Mac/Apple/Ipad Downloads

Other News: Top Downloads \ News (Tech) \ Off Base (Other Websites News) \ Way Off Base (Offbeat Stories and Pics)

Social: Facebook \ YouTube \ Twitter \ Tumblr \ Pintrest \ RSS Feeds