Customer Reviews

McSd Training Guide: Microsoft Access (Training Guides)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

This book is very poorly edited. The code snippets are wrong in many cases and even whole diagrams are incorreclt labeled. Moreover, even some of the errata on the website is wrong. Items promised on the accompanying CD are not delivered with the book. The practice tests cover questions not even addressed in the text.

Before I read these reviews I sent a email to New Riders describing the problems I had with the CD and asking if there were any bug fixes. They told me they had never heard of the problem, to try the cd on another machine and that the book was no longer covered by their support agreement anyway. The exam is still valid, so why isn't the book? Luckily I have used Access for a long time and could spot the errors, but a beginner is likely to get very confused. Use with caution.

Flat out, hands down the worst computer book I have ever read.

It is so full of errors that before you are through with 2 chapters you stop trusting what the authors are telling you.

Don't buy it.

I can see why it's good for the exam. However, it's our only choice. I've read another New Riders book, a VB book. Though not as bad as this book...I can honestly say, I will not buy another New Riders book again, unless it is the only option. In fact, I made sure that the company that I work for doesn't buy anything from New Riders again. It's not completely the authors fault. Although I was somewhat concerned that they didn't have this certification themselves. It's ultimately the publishers responsibility. Obviously they aren't very responsible. Supply and Demand, for better or for worse.

While the book seems to cover all the required curriculum, it's impossible to see if you're really "getting it" when you check the review questions. Since it's the only game in town, use it along with a good mailing list to get feedback on your best guess of what the author actually meant to say. The part I really hate is when I get a question wrong because the material was never covered in the book, then I'm advised to go back and reread a section that doesn't mention anything in the question. The publisher didn't even answer my email request for a refund. I'd expect at least an apology. Someone should wind up in Hell for this book. I'd recommend punishment by sorting punch cards in a hurricane.

This book is full of logic, formatting, and test/answer errors. I NEVER read a book like this before. Beginners will be confused by contradicting text, questions that are jumbled together, and outright wrong answers. If I were not familiar with VBA and Access, I would have been sorely confused. They should be ashamed of themselves. I've noticed other revisions, but I would think twice about even considering a book from "New Rider."

I read the other reviews but bought the book anyway because (as we all know) this is about all that's available as a study guide. But, I've just finished the first chapter and almost every single review question contains at least one error. This coupled with the errors in the chapter make it difficult to score myself

In the bookshop this book looked like it covered everything, good CD, lots of examples. BUT there are so many errors you can't believe everything you read and that's not what you want from a certification book. New Riders should get there act together, this won't do!!!!!!! Don't waste your money

The lab exercises they mentioned on the CD were never to be found. The Exam engine has full of repetitions in the practice exams (one question repeats 20 times). In some cases the answers are wrong. For some one who is not so familiar with Access - This book is not accurate enough to learn and pass the exam.

It really looks to me like these guys had the bright idea of putting the first MCSD Access study guide on the market. They rushed to press, and it shows.

There is a great deal of technical detail, and I am learning from the book. At least, I think I am. Given the errors I've found, I have to wonder what I'm learning. I've read two other books, Access Unleashed (recommended) and Beginning Access 97 VBA (highly recommended), and had intended this book to cap off my study headed into the exam. I will have to go through the other two books pretty carefully to verify and validate the info in this book.

A couple of caveats if you're still thinking about buying: This book was written by MCSEs, not MCSDs; they issue a disclaimer saying the information contained may be less than accurate (this is a "feature" - I'm not kidding). Also, the enclosed test disk, on the first run through, asked me the same question 11 (I counted) times and, while I generally got ! less than 50% of the questions right, scored me at 1,013 (isn't 1,000 the max?).

Don't end up regretting the purchase of this book, as do I.