Customer Reviews

MCSD Analyzing Requirements: Exam 70-100 (MCSD Study Guides)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(67)

 

 

It could be argued that this book contains good reference material for Analyzing Requirements. Argue away. However, it purports to be a study guide for the Microsoft 70-100 test, which it most definitely is not.

Having just obtained my MCSD, and using Osborne/Syngress to study for all four tests (70-029, 70-175, 70-176, 70-100), this was the worst and most useless of the lot. The other three proved fairly good in conjuction with Transcender. This one is useless (unless you have a lopsided coffee table that needs a two inch lift under one leg).

In addition to having exercises and chapter end quizzes that do not test material that appears on the Microsoft test, the book rambles, and yes, actually repeats information word for word. On numerous instances, a paragraph would look familiar. Referring to previous chapters, I could find entire paragraphs copied and pasted into later chapters. It was a case of having the wrong information (one chapter's worth), and stretching it to fill 11 chapters. Yes, I read the entire book. No, it did not help in the least.

Avoid this book at all costs, use some other study material and the Transcender test and you'll do fine.

This book is badly written, repeats itself, has incorrect answers and is absolutely no help in passing the exam - oh and the cd-based test exams are completely useless. The book covers MSF and nothing else - trouble is, MSF is not covered in the exam. Someone should take the publishers to court for misrepresentation.

I tried to give this book no stars, but this wasn't allowed, so it gets one star, but actually deserves a negative rating for the time you will waste if you buy it.

I read the book cover to cover. I used its self-test software more than once (and scored well, by the way). And I've taken the official Microsoft 70-100 exam. I can assure you, the book and the exam have NOTHING in common save the title. Maybe Microsoft is guilty of pulling a fast one and changed their exam contents after this book was published - who knows? But the result is the same either way: THIS BOOK IS COMPLETELY USELESS AS A STUDY GUIDE FOR 70-100.

Maybe it could be good book for learning about Microsoft Solution Framework but for studying for the 70-100 Test is COMPLETELY USELESS. Don't buy this book if you are intending to pass this exam, its has nothing to do with it. Besides its a really BIG BOOK full of theory on how to implement an IT Project

I bought this book back in 1999; although I never made it all the way through, I rememember spending hours and hours studying MSF and its related terminology. As it turns out, the content of this book has little to do with the real 70-100; the core (accounting for perhaps 80% of the total exam score points) of what 70-100 tests is the ability to read a condensed case study and extract the pertinent facts regarding requirements, and then use entity-relationship analysis, data flow diagrams, and three-tier architecture knowledge to prepare a solutions architecture. Memorizing a lot of facts will not get you through the 70-100 exam!

After seeing a lot of negative feedback regarding this book, I gave up on it and switched to using the Ezzel and Exam Cram study guides, along with the Transcender practice exam (the most effective ... investment in study aids I ever made). When the time came to take the real exam, I flew through it so fast that I had an hour to spare, and I had a comfortable passing margin, too.

To summarize, this book has little relevance to the real exam, while the Transcender practice exam (which makes some references to the Ezzel book) will be your best friend.

I give it negative 5 stars. What a fool I was not to have read these reviews earlier. I bought the book months ago, but am just now getting around to studying and taking the test. The original reviews were good to excellent so I bought the book. Problem is, the exam has obviously changed entirely to the point where the book's relevance has dropped to zero. Painful waste of time and money. What I wouldn't give to get those days of my life back!

Look at the newsgroups for mcsd certification and you will find that this book is useless. The exam tests nothing for the MSF (which is all this book is about). I am really mad that I wasted my $$ on this book! The foreward of the book states that the book was written for beta tests of 70-100 (which they later decided to not include the MSF stuff). The exam will cover more of: database design, reading a case study and implementing a solution using workflow, erd, and other database specific questions. If you don't know what a foreign or primary key is dont take the exam yet. Try trancenders demos to get a peek at exam questions.

More than 50% of this book consisteng of 11 chapters, does not contain matrerial that Microsoft lists as objectives for writing the exam! The rest of the book (Chapers 7 to 11) has no down to earth technical material. The acompanying CD does not have any real-world test examples LIKE those that occurs in the test. (HOW CAN MICROSOFT PUT THEIR NAME ON THIS BOOK and promote it as a study guide for their tests??)

Bottom line is, dont buy this book. You'll prepare yourself better by gettiong in a good night sleep the night before, than trying learn something.

It doesnt even deserve one star!

I have studied this book cover to cover 5 times, repeatedly taken the practice exams several times. I took the exam and failed BADLY.

The material on the exam had NOTHING to do what was in the book. The little material I did know on the exam was based on common sense and previous knowledge.

It was so bad I walked up to the administrator and told him I must be taking the wrong test! Unfortunately I wasn't and got screwed.

I wasted 100 dollars on the exam and 50 dollars on the book.

The people giving this book a 4 or 5 star rating obviously have not taken the exam. I have taken the exam and passed, so I can honestly tell you that this book does not help at all for 70-100, and is really a rip-off to people trying to become Microsoft Certified. The book covers and is a great reference for MSF, but it has nothing to do with the exam.

I also find it dispicable that this web site shows a 5-star review first and calls it review of the day, even though that review was written a long time ago. The big A needs to look over their Product Review Engine, because I constantly see this on other useless books, including all 70-100 books that made the same mistake as this one.

All of the 4 and 5 ratings skew the real value of this book, which is 0 for preparing for the exam.