I like to monitor the blogsphere for posts on home servers (e.g. this feed). There were no shortage of posts that popped up last week regarding reports that some "Richard" leaked a CTP (Community Technology Preview) of Windows Home Server without Microsoft's authorization.
What a bummer. I mean, it stinks that people violate non-disclosures like this. Trust worthy computing is one of Microsoft's core tenets and as such we take public distribution of pre-release software very seriously. The leak was unfortunate, and we took action to find the parties responsible. We are happy to report that has happened. I don't personally know, nor do I care to know, who the actual person was, but I have heard that he/she wasn't a "Richard".
The real bummer, though, is some news media inaccurately implicated Microsoft MVPs as the source of the disclosure. As I think it is well known, we are big fans of the MVPs, and we're happy to clarify that no MVPs were involved in this breach.
We wanted to clear that up because it's really unfair to the MVP program and the MVPs themselves.
-cek
I very much appreciate your assurance that no MVPs were involved in the leak. Thank you for setting the record straight on that.
I would have appreciated it more if you had correctly reported the facts, which is that the media accurately reported an accusation from a Microsoft employee that an MVP had been the source of the leak. Don't blame the media on this one - they got their facts right.
The appreciation would have been even greater if, having acknowledged that the accusation came from within Microsoft, you had made an apology to the MVPs on behalf of the company.
It is not the first time that MVPs have been unjustly accused by Microsoft of leaking confidential information.
Well, this UK MVP, who also happens to be called Richard, is relieved that Microsoft has found the person who leaked the CTP and clears the name of us MVP Richards. However, I did get somewhat upset that after 10 years of signing NDAs (I'm sure, Charlie, you remember me from the DCOM beta) and always keeping to the rules, that I got an email saying that merely because of my first name and location I was being treated as a suspect.
In response to Jonathon, I should point out that the original email from Microsoft did not mention "MVP" specifically, but it did mention a program that contains MVPs. I don't know where the media got the idea that specifically MVPs were involved. Someone clearly made an assumption.
I'm sorry to see though that although the news of the leak was fairly well widespread, this news has been far more quiet. This is the first I've heard that the person responsible had been found, and that he/she was not named "Richard" in any way. Any appology (due to all the MVPs, and in particular those with "Richard" in their names) that may have been made, has been done too quietly.
I'm not an MVP, but to be publicly flogged like that without merrit deserves at least an equally public apology.
Microsoft finally respond to the news article by clarifying that no MVPs were involved in the breach
Since I am one of the MVP's in this beta, I am very glad to have this stain off our collective record.
Well that sucks that my name is Richard and Iam a MVP, little piss to see this, but glad to Microsoft has clarify that no MVPs were involved in this breach.