Q: What is an ASPInsider?
A: ASPInsiders represents exceptional Authors, Developers, and Community leaders who are accomplished in their pursuits and passionate about the ASP.NET and ASP platforms.
Q: What are the benefits of being an ASPInsider?
A: The Microsoft ASP.NET development team shares information early and often with ASPInsiders. The ASP.NET team promotes the group within Microsoft and externally to customers in the field. In return, members actively promote ASP.NET, give assistance to the ASP.NET development community at large, and provide feedback and information to the ASP.NET development team.
Q: How does one become an ASPInsider?
A: ASPInsiders are trusted members of the ASP.NET/ASP developer community who have been nominated by existing ASPInsiders and approved by the Board. There is no set definition as to what qualifies one to become an ASPInsider. However, if you are an accomplished ASP.NET: Author/Columnist, Developer, or Community Leader you are on the right path towards membership.
Q: When will ASPInsiders officially launch?
A: There is currently not an official "Launch Date". We will announce the initial members starting the beginning of June. Continue to visit our official website www.aspinsiders.com for up-to-date information.
Q: Can I do anything to help while ASPInsiders is formed?
A: We appreciate your offer for assistance, but the groundwork for ASPInsiders is currently in progress by the Board.
Q: I'm currently an ASP Elite, ASP.NET Forum Moderator, MVP, ASPAlliance Author (insert name here...) - does that mean I'll automatically become an ASPInsider?
A: No. Although each of these designations is an important part of the ASP Community, it does not entail automatic membership in ASPInsiders.
Members of the ASP.NET/ASP community and the Microsoft ASP.NET Development Team conceived ASPInsiders as a way to recognize, reward, and bring together those who have demonstrated a commitment to and/or excellence with ASP.NET/ASP.
Q: I'm a member of X, Y, or Z group, doesn't that demonstrate the excellence required to be an ASPInsider?
A: ASPInsiders membership isn't based on prior group recognition, whose standards are beyond the control of the ASPInsiders board and membership committee. The ASPInsiders board made the conscious choice to start fresh, using the standard of peer recognition and nomination as a standard for who should be invited to become an ASPInsider. It is the belief of the board that this standard will result in the nomination and invitation of the best of the ASP/ASP.NET community. If you have been recognized for excellence and/or contributions to the ASP/ASP.NET community in the past, it is certainly possible (though not guaranteed) that you will be recognized by your peers with nomination to ASPInsiders. The best way to increase the likelihood of your being nominated to ASPInsiders is to continue to excel in the community, whether as an author, speaker, forums/list/newsgroup contributor, or through other means, such as user groups, etc...
Q: Why was I bypassed/rejected for ASPInsiders membership?
A: No one has been bypassed for membership in the ASPInsiders, nor has anyone been rejected. The process of locating, nominating, and inviting new members to ASPInsiders is still in its infancy, so if you haven't been invited, that's not necessarily a statement on whether or not you meet the standards for membership, and it doesn't necessarily mean you won't be invited in the future. Of course, there are no guarantees, but if you've shown excellence in one or more areas of the ASP/ASP.NET community, you're probably the kind of person who we want as a member. Just remember that it takes time to get an organization up and running, and the ASPInsiders board is dedicated to making sure the organization is strong, which means moving deliberately and not rushing things. Newly inducted members will be officially invited into the group immediately after they've completed all steps necessary for membership (most importantly the board vote) until 7/1/03. This changes the membership bylaws temporarily in order to allow us to grow more quickly in the near term. After 7/1/03, quarterly notification of new members will again be the procedure, with the next notifications going out on or about 10/1/03.
Q: Who runs ASPInsiders? Does one person/company have control or is it lead by a group?
A: ASPInsiders is administered by an independent, volunteer Board of Directors and has the ASP.NET development team's full support. The current Board size consists of 15 individuals and one permanent seat for the Microsoft ASP.NET Team. The Board is governed by the ASPInsiders Rules and Regulations.
Although ASPInsiders and its Board are independent, Microsoft, as the primary sponsor, reserves the right to confirm or reject individual nominations because ASPInsider membership requires a close, trusted relationship between ASPInsiders and the ASP.NET development team.
Q: What is Microsoft’s affiliation to ASPInsiders?
A: The ASPInsiders and Microsoft have shared and common goals for the furthering the ASP.NET/ASP development community. The Microsoft ASP.NET team is the primary sponsor of the ASPInsiders. Resources such as hosting and software are provided by Microsoft as is early access to pre-release software such as alpha/beta programs. Additionally ASPInsiders have easy access to the Microsoft ASP.NET team through ASPInsider developer labs and contacts.
Q: Are there certain ASP/ASP.NET communities that I must participate in to become an ASPInsider?
A: No, you are not required to participate in any specific ASP/ASP.NET Community to become an ASPInsider, although it certainly helps. ASPInsiders are nominated because of their demonstrated expertise, leadership, and trustworthiness. Whether those things are demonstrated by community participation, public speaking, writing, or other forms of expression isn't as important. ASPInsiders is not concerned specifically with the community in which you are involved but rather your expertise, leadership, and trustworthiness.
Q: How many nominations do I have/Have I been nominated yet?
A: Candidates who have been nominated by existing members will be contacted and asked to fill out an information sheet that is designed to help the board evaluate each candidate.
Two things to keep in mind:
- Nomination does not guarantee membership...it's just the first step in the process.
- Just because you haven't been contacted yet doesn't mean you never will be.
As our membership grows, the number of people available to nominate new members will increase, so we expect that the rate at which new members are nominated will increase as well.
