ShipIt Baby!

Well it took it's time coming - but it's finally here. And just in time for my 3 year Microsoft anniversary (which required me to make the customary offering outside my office of 3 pounds of M&Ms - plus a few Starburst for selfish reasons!). I am talking about my first ShipIt award. For those who don't know what that is - it is simply an award for the recognition of having helped in shipping a product- and for most people it simply serves as a kind of souvenir from an exciting and challenging project. For me - it just feels like I am on the top of the world. I don't think I can agree with what Joel has to say about the ShipIt award and general rewards and incentives at the workplace - I am way to high on my award to buy that for now (funny that I had to read about the review process being a farce while filling out out my review form!).

Here is the text on it:

"Every time a product ships, it takes us one step closer to the vision: Empower people through great software - Any time, any place and on any device. Thanks for the lasting contribution you have made to Microsoft history."
- Signed by Bill Gates

First entry: Microsoft Commerce Server 2002, Feature Pack 1, May 7, 2004

(Click on the image for a higher resolution pic)

P.S. - Trivia - You don't get a new ShipIt plaque for every product release - You only get stamps which you can apply to the plaque that you have. On to the next stamp now!