MCSD/MCP+SB FrontPage 98 Exam Cram (Exam: 70-055) [Paperback]

Ed Tittel (Author), Kurt Hudson (Author), James Michael Stewart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 10, 1998 | Series: Exam Cram (Coriolis Books)

Designing and implementing Web sites Using FrontPage 98 (exam #70-055) doubles as one of the core options for MCP+Site Builder and as an elective for MCSD. This title covers all the necessary skill areas, provides practice exam questions, and covers all of the curriculum objectives of the exam.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ed Tittel (Austin, TX) is president of LANWrights, Inc., a training and content development company. His author team specializes in certification training and networking and has authored over 100 best-selling computer books.

Kurt Hudson is a Microsoft Certified Trainer and a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. He has trained for Productivity Point, TeKnowledge, and a variety of private organizations, and co-authored The IIS 3.0 Bible (IDG, 1997).

James Michael Stewart is the "handler" for an NT Forum on the Softbank Forums Web site, and the leader of the NT Study Group for the Central Texas LAN Association, and co-author of several books. All authors reside in Austin, TX.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Coriolis Group Books; illustrated edition edition (December 10, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576103986
• ISBN-13: 978-1576103982
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,962,934 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Surveys the needed topics, but provides little content, May 14, 2000

By 

Dr. Robert C.A. Goff, MCSD, MCSE, MCDBA "Coun... (Blacksburg, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: MCSD/MCP+SB FrontPage 98 Exam Cram (Exam: 70-055) (Paperback)

Of all the Exam Cram books I have read, this one is the most like an expanded set of exam objectives, and the least like a resource. Its greatest use is in providing a framework for studying elsewhere (online docs, other books). While that is an important and useful function of an exam preparation book, such a focus means that the exam candidate absolutely MUST learn from other sources -- another book and a lot of FP98 practice. So it's no surprise that the "Need To Know More?" sections at the end of this book's chapters are longer than those of many other Exam Cram books.

So, what is this book good for? If you have FP98 experience, and have studied a comprehensive book on the subject (I heartily recommend "FrontPage 98 Unleashed".) you are still left with the question, "Have I covered all the exam objectives?" While you can download the objectives from Microsoft, these are not explained in enough detail there to make one comfortable. Another value of this book to the exam candidate is in the "Need To Know More?" sections. When you stumble over a particular issue, the book gives you somewhere to begin your search.

WEAKNESSES: Content. Content. Content. There are just far too many subjects that are introduced but never explored in useful detail. You can compensate for this scarcity of content by using the book as a study plan, while sitting at your computer with FP98 running. But this combination will never provide you with the insights gleaned only from extensive on-the-job experience. The book is almost totally lacking in the many caveats that accompany development with FrontPage 98. Other books on FrontPage 98 are the only answer here.

Another problem rests in mistaken concepts provided by the authors. They assert that the programming languages used to develop a web site have no affect on performance. Just compare C++ components for data access with those written in J++. They repeatedly claim in test questions that FP98 has no 3 column page template, despite the fact that it appears in their own screen capture of the template dialog, and is described in their own text on the subject. Multi-site publishing is said to be a capability of FP98, even though their own italicized note on multi-site publishing explains that you must publish individually to each site.

STRENGTHS: Rather than a book with inadequate content, we may take advantage of this book's use as an extremely detailed listing of exam objectives. Its end-of-chapter bibliographies are valuable. The last two text chapters, "Web Servers, Server Management, And Server Extensions", and "Site Analysis, Design, And Maintenance", are more substantial than earlier chapters. The "Cram Sheet" included with the book is excellent.

CONCLUSIONS: Not the best effort of its talented authors or of Exam Cram (Coriolis). It does have a place as a final review, to help you identify weak areas in your knowledge of FP98. If you need to learn FP98, read the comprehensive, "FrontPage 98 Unleashed".

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Stay away from this book, November 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: MCSD/MCP+SB FrontPage 98 Exam Cram (Exam: 70-055) (Paperback)

I purchased the book and found a great number of errors within. I contacted the primary author who advised me of the web site his company has set up to notify the public of errors within the Exam Cram series that he is involved with. There are so many that he offered to refund the money I spent on this book. He also advised me that the publisher is refusing to make changes in subsequent printings.

I would not depend on it primarily for passing the test.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book with minor lackings., April 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: MCSD/MCP+SB FrontPage 98 Exam Cram (Exam: 70-055) (Paperback)

This is NOT a study guide.

This book is for people who has already read a study guide and are very familiar with FrontPage 98.

It is a good book to use as the step between the study guide and the exam (70-055), but there is a couple of things in the exam, that are not documented very well, or not documented at all. I can mention database access and proxy server setup.

If you read the Official FrontPage 98 from Microsoft first, and spend a lot of time using the product and it's GUI, you should be ready to pass the exam.