Channel 9 (discussion forum)

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Channel 9

Channel 9 homepage
URL	channel9.msdn.com
Type of site	Video / Forum / Wiki
Registration	Optional
Available language(s)	English
Owner	Microsoft Corp.
Created by	Microsoft employees
Launched	April, 2004
Current status	Active

Channel 9 is a Microsoft discussion forum used to promote conversations among Microsoft's customers targeted at Microsoft Windows users. Channel 9 features interviews with Microsoft developers about their products, a forum to discuss the videos and other topics, and a wiki^[1], which has been adopted by various Microsoft teams as a way to aggregate feedback and respond to issues.

According to the first video ever posted on the site^[2], the name was inspired by the ability to listen in and get to know the pilots on United Airlines' on-board entertainment system's channel nine, branded "From the Flight Deck," on which passengers can listen to the radio conversations between the flight crew and air traffic control.

1 V4
2 User community
- 2.1 Microsoft Employees
3 Doctrine
4 Wiki
5 Open source Channel9 Projects
6 External Channel9 Project Links
7 References
8 External links

[edit] V4

The team updated to the v4 codebase on 2-6-08 resulting in the inability of many users to access the site.^[3]

[edit] User community

Channel 9 users, unlike many Microsoft run community sites, vary in attitude and taste. No single consensus or characterization can be made about the group. Channel 9 attracts both younger and older members. The variety of views often generates lively debate.

[edit] Microsoft Employees

Microsoft Developers and Employees routinely converse with users on Channel 9 forums and its wiki — even some senior employees such as Larry Osterman ^[4]. Careful readers may also notice that past employees will occasionally post, sometimes shedding some light on the past of Microsoft ^[5].

[edit] Doctrine

Channel 9 has the following doctrine^[6]:

“

Channel 9 is all about the conversation. Channel 9 should inspire Microsoft and our customers to talk in an honest and human voice. Channel 9 is not a marketing tool, not a PR tool, not a lead generation tool.
Be a human being. Channel 9 is a place for us to be ourselves, to share who we are, and for us to learn who our customers are.
Learn by listening. When our customers speak, learn from them. Don't get defensive, don't argue for the sake of argument. Listen and take what benefits you to heart.
Be smart. Think before you speak, there are some conversations which have no benefit other than to reinforce stereotypes or create negative situations.
Marketing has no place on Channel 9. When we spend money on Channel 9 the goal is to surprise and delight, not to promote or preach.
Don't shock the system. Lasting change only happens in baby steps.
Know when to turn the mic off. There are some topics which will only result in problems when you discuss them. This has nothing to do with censorship, but with working within the reality of the system that exists in our world today. You will not change anything by taking on legal or financial issues, you will only shock the system, spook the passengers, and create a negative situation.
Don't be a jerk. Nobody likes mean people.
Commit to the conversation. Don't stop listening just because you are busy. Don't stop participating because you don't agree with someone. Relationships are not built in a day, be in it for the long haul and we will all reap the benefits as an industry.

”

[edit] Wiki

Channel 9 also features a wiki based on Microsoft's own FlexWiki, which is ASP.NET-based.

The wiki itself generally isn't as active as the forums, but sometimes has useful information for Microsoft products, such as Internet Explorer ^[7]

Recently the FlexWiki source was opened^[8] at SourceForge under the Common Public License ^[9].

[edit] Open source Channel9 Projects

The Channel 9 site, via The SandBox, gives its users the ability to create and host their own Open Source projects (which they maintain ownership of). Some of the more popular projects include GusPinto' MSN System Tray Web Search and Sven Groot's C9 International Avatar Creator.