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117 of 124 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Geared towards learning the topics, not towards passing cert, May 25, 2004
(This review is a variation of my review for the individual 70-315 "redbook") Microsoft approaches certification exams the same way that the Educational Testing Service approaches SAT, GMAT and GRE college entrance exams. ETS discourages people from using SAT preparation classes and books and, rather, encourages people to just work on their verbal and quantitative skills. They suggest that doing so is enough to do well on the exams. We all know better. Microsoft takes the approach that, if you have a good mastery of the subject being tested then that is all you need to pass the certs. The Microsoft Self-Paced Training Kits (known as the "redbooks") do a reasonable job of teaching you the concepts of ASP.NET (and WinForms and the VB.NET/C# language and other tested topics), but they do a poor job of preparing you for the certs. It's true that, if you review vocabulary words a lot and practice intermediate algebra and 10th grade geometry problems in the weeks preceding your SATs you may improve your score by 3 or 4%. But if you use that time to review sample test questions and analyze the structure and logic behind SAT questions using Princeton Review or Kaplan etc., then you will improve your score by considerably more than a few percentage points. The same goes for Microsoft certs. If you master the topic being tested (in this case, Web apps, ASP.NET), you may still pass the exam or, at least, slightly increase your score. But knowing the topic is not enough. You must know the exam, as well. This thinking goes against Microsoft's view of their own certification exams. Microsoft's thinking and point-of-view is reflected in their "redbooks." Therefore, if all you want is to learn ASP.NET using either of the dialects of the VB.NET/C# language, then this book is OK (if a bit pricey compared to other "cert prep" books). But if you are looking for certification preparation (as opposed to just learning the topic), then a combination of one of the cert prep products such as TestKing or Transcender along with a book like Kalani (ISBN: 0789728222) is a much better approach. These tools will help you pass the exam. Kalani, in particualr, will help you master the topic AS WELL AS prepare you for the exam. TestKing and/or Transcender will give you practice with close-to-actual exam questions. No, they don't repeat real questions but they do give you examples of the TYPES of question to expect and give you practice with the nuances, languages and tricks that are part of the cert exam questions. You can't pass the certs without understanding the topics (and I would never hire anyone who passed the exam by memorizing questions -- believe me, I can tell). But knowing the topics alone is usually not enough. The "redbooks" teach the concepts and prepare you for using the ASP.NET tools, but the "redbooks" do not prepare you for the exams. If the books were cheaper (or if you can share with 2 or 3 friends), and your goal was just to learn how to program (but not necessarily pass a cert) then I would recommend this book for learning the topic. For cert preparation, however, use something else.
- - - - NOTES:
(1) I gave the entire set 3 stars even though I gave the individual 70-315 book only 2 stars because if you buy the entire set, not only is the discount price below that of buying all 4 books separately, but also because the test vouchers inside reduce the price even more (if you use all 4). The reduced price makes it more of a bargain. Also, the 70-300 exam book was closer to the actual exam than the other three books. (2) When you buy the boxed set, the volumes are softbound (paperback). When you buy the books individually, they are hardcover. (3) For "server" certs, the equivalent to the Microsoft "redbooks" are the "bluebooks." For the 70-229 exam (T-SQL and SQL Server), the "bluebook" is ISBN: 0735619603. 7-229 can be used as the elective on the MCAD or as the required "server" cert on the MCSD exam. In addition to the 4 books in the above Self-training kit, you will need the 70-229 "bluebook" (unless you go for one of the other server certs, such as Biztalk Server or Commerce Server). The 70-229 "bluebook" is closer to the cert exam than the "redbooks" are to their respective exams.
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by Rebecca M. Riordan
by Jeff Webb
by Northrup
by Microsoft Corporation
by Matthew A. Stoecker
