Any one else using this book?
 

"MCAD/MCSD Visual Basic .NET Certification" by Chambers, Fowler, Linde
and Sequiera, from Osborne. Part of the "All-in-one" series, covers
305, 306, 310. Been using this the last few weeks and curious about
other's opinions on its overall worth. It seemed a good value, covering
all three tests. My aim in pursuing certs is not just to get the certs,
but to get some experience with the .NET technology in a structured way,
since I don't have a job that uses it. It seems a good, if somewhat
perfunctory, intro to VB.NET and ASP.NET... can't say for sure about the
XML and web services etc. I've been concentrating on desktop to begin
with... have read all the rest, but don't know enough about the subjects
to know if they're being covered adequately. The included MasterExam
practice tests seem of dubious value. Only 56 available questions for
306 says to me that you're going to get every question, every time you
do it. I see no value in memorizing answers to practice questions, and
if every time you get the same questions, you're going to end up
memorizing them whether you want to or not. Also, according to the 306
practice exam, I'm ready. But surely don't feel like I have
sufficiently worthwhile knowledge of the material to warrant that.
Unlike when I was doing VB6 certs a few years ago. Suggesting that the
MasterExam, at least, is simple-minded. Is that true of the entire book?

rabbit

Re: Any one else using this book?
 

I have not used the book you're using, but I definitely
used Mike's books for my test prep. So, from my
experience and from the posts of others, I can definitely
say Mike's books are far better than anything out there.

Of course, using a single book for all 3 test prep would
definitely result in cost savings but if you really want
to go beyond test prep, I would advise you to take a look
at Mike's books.

The Amazon links for Mike's books are
70-305 : http://tinyurl.com/56cmr
70-306 : http://tinyurl.com/5hapf
70-310 : http://tinyurl.com/52oav
Errata : http://www.larkware.com/TGErrata.txt

- Raja.

>-----Original Message-----
>"MCAD/MCSD Visual Basic .NET Certification" by Chambers,
Fowler, Linde
>and Sequiera, from Osborne. Part of the "All-in-one"
series, covers
>305, 306, 310. Been using this the last few weeks and
curious about
>other's opinions on its overall worth. It seemed a good
value, covering
>all three tests. My aim in pursuing certs is not just
to get the certs,
>but to get some experience with the .NET technology in a
structured way,
>since I don't have a job that uses it. It seems a good,
if somewhat
>perfunctory, intro to VB.NET and ASP.NET... can't say
for sure about the
>XML and web services etc. I've been concentrating on
desktop to begin
>with... have read all the rest, but don't know enough
about the subjects
>to know if they're being covered adequately. The
included MasterExam
>practice tests seem of dubious value. Only 56 available
questions for
>306 says to me that you're going to get every question,
every time you
>do it. I see no value in memorizing answers to practice
questions, and
>if every time you get the same questions, you're going
to end up
>memorizing them whether you want to or not. Also,
according to the 306
>practice exam, I'm ready. But surely don't feel like I
have
>sufficiently worthwhile knowledge of the material to
warrant that.
>Unlike when I was doing VB6 certs a few years ago.
Suggesting that the
>MasterExam, at least, is simple-minded. Is that true of
the entire book?
>
>rabbit
>.
>

Re: Any one else using this book?
 

Yea, I think you're right. I've gone ahead and ordered 305 and 306.
Will hold off on 310 for the moment (I am unemployed, after all <g>).

Thanks for the input.

rabbit

Raja wrote:
> Of course, using a single book for all 3 test prep would
> definitely result in cost savings but if you really want
> to go beyond test prep, I would advise you to take a look
> at Mike's books.