July 16, 2015 at 3:28 am
OK sites like ensurepass, testking and examcollection and various other sources on the web provide paid for and free pdf's and vce's of varying quality. Even the best ones have mistakes littered throughout. But what are your thoughts on them?
Personally I like them they give you a real insight into what's coming up in the exam. I wouldn't rely on any of the answers though. I would argue for the use of them if you DO understand the technologies and can see when the answers are wrong. It give's you a great insight into what to expect. Personally I find many of the Microsoft answers to the questions arguable when it's stated "Find the BEST solution", etc...
Any thought's?
July 16, 2015 at 3:33 am
They're cheating.
They're actual questions taken from the exams in violation of the NDA which all exam takers accept. Using them or distributing them can result in your certifications being revoked and being blacklisted and unable to take certification exams again.
They devalue the certifications, leading to them becoming useless to determine whether someone studied for the exams or cheated their way to a cert. Hence most people who studied for the exams will take a very harsh line against the use of braindumps.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
July 16, 2015 at 3:41 am
Well there you go. Who knew?
I certainly don't use them myself, I just heard they were good.
July 16, 2015 at 3:47 am
Blackdog (7/16/2015)
Personally I like them they give you a real insight into what's coming up in the exam.
Blackdog (7/16/2015)
I certainly don't use them myself, I just heard they were good.
Um, you like them because they give insights into the exams or you don't use them yourself. Which is it?
And as for the 'who knew' part:
https://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/certification-exam-policies.aspx
If a candidate violates any testing rule, exam policy or term within the exam agreement (NDA), or engages in any misconduct that diminishes the security and integrity of the Microsoft Certification Programme in any way, the candidate may be permanently prohibited from taking any future Microsoft Certification exams.
Examples of such misconduct, misuse and fraud include, but are not limited to, the following:
* Using unauthorised material in attempting to satisfy certification requirements (this includes using "brain-dump" material and/or unauthorised publication of exam questions with or without answers)
From further down the same page
Q.What are "brain dumps" and are they legal?
A. A "brain dump", as it relates to the certification exams, is a source, such as a website, that contains certification exam content that has been fraudulently obtained with the intention to share it with or sell it to exam candidates. The content included in brain dumps is exactly the same or substantially similar to items appearing in the exam. Because the exam content was fraudulently obtained, using this type of material to prepare for or during an exam constitutes cheating. "Brain dump" providers are in violation of Microsoft intellectual property rights and non-disclosure agreements.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
July 16, 2015 at 4:04 am
What you calling me a cheat?
:w00t:
Chill out! I've been working with SQL for over a decade. (I've got an MCP in 6.5) I know my stuff I don't need to cheat. I was just posing a question.
Also I've seen boot camps advertised where they virtually tell you the answer before taking all the exams in less than a month. Can you get your certificate revoked for that too? I certainly don't advocate that but it's out there.
Sorry if I speak out of line, I've just started posting here, and don't know the rules yet 😀
July 16, 2015 at 7:29 am
The purpose of a certification exam, at least the way Microsoft's exams are structured, is to measure an individual's proficiency within a specific domain relative to a base line of peers who beta tested the exam while it was being developed. There are plenty of us, probably most of us, who pass exams without resorting to "brain dumps". So, if you personally rely on an illegal dump to pass an exam, then what that means is that you are well below average and thus not deserving of the certification.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
July 16, 2015 at 7:45 am
Eric M Russell (7/16/2015)
The purpose of a certification exam, at least the way Microsoft's exams are structured, is to measure an individual's proficiency within a specific domain relative to a base line of peers who beta tested the exam while it was being developed. There are plenty of us, probably most of us, who pass exams without resorting to "brain dumps". So, if you personally rely on an illegal dump to pass an exam, then what that means is that you are well below average and thus not deserving of the certification.
I'm not sure any of what you said is true.
I've heard exam writing is outsourced to somewhere in India and then proof read before they go live. I'm not sure about army's of exam beta testers.
But maybe you're right!! Who knows????
July 16, 2015 at 7:54 am
Blackdog (7/16/2015)
I've heard exam writing is outsourced to somewhere in India and then proof read before they go live. I'm not sure about army's of exam beta testers.
Nope. The exams are written by people at MSL (Microsoft Learning). I know some people who wrote exam questions for a couple of the 2008 exams.
There's definitely an army of beta testers, I was one of them for 2008 and 2012 exams. The people invited to write the exams as betas are requested to comment on the questions, point out confusing questions or unclear answers and the marks that we get are used partially to determine whether some questions are too easy or too hard. We get far more questions than the final exam gets and we don't get the results of those exams for several months as the questions get weighted partially based on the results of the beta testers.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
July 16, 2015 at 7:56 am
The last few series of exams were written in Redmond. People are invited to write exams, and are compensated for time. I've been invited, but haven't been able to attend because of other commitments.
The beta tests are sent to MVPs and others early on. We take a longer exam (see more questions) and don't get a grade until later. Potentially we get credit for passing, but they perform some statistical analysis on results of specific questions and review others to be sure they are good questions. I took 3 beta exams in the 2012 series myself, at a Prometric site just like any other exam.
The Transceder, exam Cram, etc. are skirting the lines at times. Some of the authors will take a real exam and then reveal questions in their practice exam. I've seen Transcenders that had the question from the exam, word for word, with a numerical value changed. I think Microsoft has tried to crack down on these, but it can be hard to do so.
As an author of an exam book, I've taken the exam to be sure i was covering the proper material, and tried to make my practice questions similar to, but not exactly like, the exam questions. I think some companies do this, some try to cheat and "ensure" their customers will pass.
As Gail mentioned, using a braindump is cheating. I think purchasing an Examcram (or similar) tool to help you is a way of studying and nothing wrong with that.
July 16, 2015 at 7:59 am
I stand corrected! 🙂
The reason I said that was way back in 2005, I knew a guy who claimed he got work with his partner proof reading the exams. Yes thinking about it it is quite a wild claim but I thought he was a reputable source. I am very gullible though.
July 16, 2015 at 8:16 am
Blackdog (7/16/2015)
I stand corrected! 🙂The reason I said that was way back in 2005, I knew a guy who claimed he got work with his partner proof reading the exams. Yes thinking about it it is quite a wild claim but I thought he was a reputable source. I am very gullible though.
So, just prepare for the exam using approved study guides. Otherwise, by cheating you're admitting to yourself that you're a below average poser.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
July 16, 2015 at 8:24 am
Eric M Russell (7/16/2015)
Blackdog (7/16/2015)
I stand corrected! 🙂The reason I said that was way back in 2005, I knew a guy who claimed he got work with his partner proof reading the exams. Yes thinking about it it is quite a wild claim but I thought he was a reputable source. I am very gullible though.
So, just prepare for the exam using approved study guides. Otherwise, by cheating you're admitting to yourself that you're a below average poser.
I certainty approve of the methods I use. My moral compass is pointing in the right direction. So there's no need to worry about me my friends.
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