FAQ on the Windows XP Expert Zone

The Expert Zone first went live on May 18th, 2001 at 5 P.M. Pacific time.

The Expert Zone was the first official Microsoft enthusiast community. It took its inspiration from earlier enthusiast communities such as the Windows 2000 Tech Enthusiast site at Microsoft and ClubWin. ClubWin was an online support and advocacy group formed around the release of Windows XP. It wasn't an official Microsoft site. During the six years before the launch of Windows XP, enthusiasm for the site and content contributions faded. Microsoft wanted to build a sustainable community around the launch of Windows XP. The Expert Zone was created to blend Microsoft expertise with the best of third-party newsgroups and communities.

From the beginning, the Expert Zone exceeded Web page views and newsgroup posting expectations. For example, according to Netscan's newsgroup tracker, in February 2005, over 3500 people posted to the Windows XP General newsgroup.

The Windows XP Associate Expert was a title given to the first participants in the Expert Zone. These 500 enthusiasts were selected from the tens of thousands of Windows XP beta testers who worked tirelessly in the days before Windows XP was available publicly. They provided help and assistance to the Windows XP early-adopter community. Many of those have gone on to become Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs). Many MVPs support the Expert Zone by providing information about Windows XP-related topics.

Of the original 500+ Associate Experts, at least 30 are now Windows client MVPs. Others have also been recognized as MVPs in other areas. The MVPs provide an ongoing and dedicated group of highly skilled individuals who help build the Windows community.

The Expert Zone is read by an audience that is excited about and understands technology. This tech savvy audience in turn attracts people who want to learn more about Windows XP and become more expert themselves. The how-to articles, popular newsgroup threads, chats, and Support Webcasts reach an audience of both experts and Windows XP novices looking for help.

The Expert Zone provides access to the entire Windows XP community. You can find columns and how-to articles from industry and Microsoft experts on current topics in the community, information on upcoming chats and webcasts focused on specific topics of interest to the community, information on people in the community who are helping others, and links to a variety of resources both inside and outside Microsoft.com.

The Expert Zone provides access to a range of resources beyond its own borders to both Microsoft and non-Microsoft resources. There are links to public newsgroups and discussion boards, blogs, articles, and a variety of resources of interest to the Windows XP Community.

The Expert Zone's role in the Windows client Community is to act as a portal that brings together resources and information from the entire community into a single place, making it easy to find the information and help you need.

The Expert Zone is a great way for Microsoft to reach early adopters and enthusiasts with the latest technology and innovations on the Windows platform, and helps Microsoft product marketers get early feedback on new products and technologies.

Microsoft Product Support Services plays an important role in the Expert Zone, providing columns and articles on key topics, and also through the Microsoft MVP Program provides many of the resources that help support the community.

The Expert Zone has provided a model for many other community portals at Microsoft.com, and remains one of the largest community portals on the Web site. It provides an entry into all parts of Microsoft.com that are focused on the Windows client.

The Expert Zone is entirely XML based, though links on the site may lead to non-XML based sites.

Columns such as Galan Bridgman's How to Use the New Features in Movie Maker 2.1 and Vladimir Rovinsky's Create a Story from a Single Still Photo with Photo Story 3 provide tips and how to information on new and cool technologies you can use. The articles typically contain links to downloads like Photo Story 3 that take you straight to the cool stuff.

The Expert Zone provides a gateway into the public newsgroups and gives you a friendly Web-based front end to find them. And you can quickly see the hot topics in the past week, right on the main Expert Zone home page. Plus you can use the public newsgroups to comment on or ask questions about the latest columns on the Expert Zone as well.

Microsoft provides the links to other, non-Microsoft community Web sites as a service to its readers, but does not have any direct control or input into the content of those sites.

If you use Windows XP and have a topic you'd like to see me cover in one of my columns, feel free to write me at Charlie@mvps.org. I really want to hear what questions or tips you have on working with Windows XP. I can't acknowledge or answer individual e-mail messages and I can't provide individual technical support by e-mail. I do regularly participate in the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition newsgroup, the Microsoft Security Homeusers newsgroup, and the Windows Services for UNIX newsgroup and look forward to seeing you there.

Check the Meet the Experts page for information about the other Expert Zone columnists and how to contact them with your topic ideas.