Windows 10: How to be an independent advisor just like you guys?

Hi, I know this is offtopic... but I have some computer knowledge and have knowledge about Windows. How to be an independent advisor just like you all and whens the right time to start and what are the tips?

:)

 

Independent Advisors?

What are the credentials needed to be one of these "independent advisors" that pretend they are useful? I have stumbled onto this area for countless questions and issues over the years and the only thing I can count on is that the "independent advisors" will universally provide a long drawn out response that provides no useful information and generally doesn't have anything to do with the question. Not a single instance have what they have said been helpful. The worst part is the way they say they are "independent advisors" as if it's something to brag about when all it does is tell everyone there is no need to keep reading. I understand in theory it provides Microsoft with "experts" they don't have to pay or be held responsible for their terrible advice but surely Microsoft knows how universally useless they are so why do they exist? Somewhere at Microsoft you know there is a database of hilariously horrible "Independent advisor" responses the actual experts laugh at and pass around. Just make it an actual forum for actually helpful people to give advice instead of these idiots undoubtedly wasting peoples time. They undermine the entire purpose of why people ask questions in the first place. Not trying to be an ****, I just do not understand the logic of maintaining such an expansive but completely useless area of what should be the ultimate way to get advice and answers to the endless intricate areas of the Microsoft product spectrum.

* Changed to a discussion

* Moved from Windows 11/Performance

 

Independent Advisors?

Please understand: It's not my place to give my opinion or to take a stand, only to explain the way things are.

An Independent Advisor is a gig worker. They contract with third-parties that are not part of Microsoft. IAs receive a small payment every time someone marks one of their replies as an "Answer". It does not matter whether the reply is actually a correct answer. It only matters that someone marked their reply as an "Answer".

In addition, an IA can ask a Moderator to mark their reply as an "Answer" even if the original poster who asked the question did not mark their reply as an answer. By the same token, anyone can ask a Moderator to un-mark an "Answer" if it's not truly a correct answer. In both cases, Moderators employ their discretion.

The name "Independent" means independent of Microsoft, so that no one should be under the impression that an IA represents Microsoft, or that their reply is official Microsoft advice.

The third-parties that hire IAs administer a test of knowledge before accepting someone as an IA. I will leave it to you to consider how high or low the bar is to be accepted as an IA.

Independent Advisors are not the only third-party contractors who participate in Microsoft Community. Other people with titles like "Microsoft Agent" and "Microsoft Community Support Specialist" are employed by third-party contractors hired by Microsoft to maintain a regular stream of replies in Microsoft Community.

In addition to people who receive payment in one form or another, anyone is free to reply to a question asked in Microsoft Community. No particular level of expertise is required.

 

Independent Advisors?

At the end of the day, regardless of a person's designation as an Independent Advisor, Microsoft Agent, Volunteer Moderator, Microsoft Community Support Specialist, MVP, XBox Ambassador or whatever else, the fact remains that there is no objective standard of knowledge or proficiency required for these designations.



There is no generally recognized test of knowledge that you need to pass. (Third-party contractors may have their own in-house test that is not generally recognized.)



There are no standards of expertise that you need to demonstrate and no objective way provided to prove expertise.



There are no years of experience that you need to have.



There are no continuing professional education requirements that you need to meet.



There is no professional certification that you are required to earn.



Therefore, a designation as Independent Advisor, or anything else, is no assurance of trustworthiness, and no assurance that their reply is more trustworthy than a reply from someone with a different designation or no designation at all.



What is reasonable to presume is that someone who posts frequently has demonstrated a passion for helping and a commitment to the user community, and it is reasonable to further presume that someone demonstrating such a passion and commitment will try harder to provide a good answer and wise advice. However, someone who posts frequently because they are being paid to post cannot necessarily be held in the same regard.