some thoughts from fellow yaks...

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some thoughts from fellow yaks...

Author

Topic

spirit1
Cybernetic Yak Master

11752 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-29 : 10:19:57

i'm thinking about taking this:
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/exams/70-229.asp

so if any of you have any pro's or con's or can suggest something better i'm all ears.

Go with the flow & have fun! Else fight the flow

rockmoose
SQL Natt Alfen

3279 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-29 : 12:29:53

I thought You needed to take a Comedy Class

[url]http://www.sqlteam.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=43648[/url]

rockmoose

X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-29 : 13:09:32

Well, I may not have a cert...but I certifiable...

Brett

8-)

amachanic
SQL Server MVP

169 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-29 : 16:24:53

Pros: You can put it on your resume
Cons: Some managers I know won't call someone who has an MS cert on their resume

I've taken both 228 and 229; I thought 229 was a lot easier, and that 228 was full of sh*t -- both had lots of iffy questions (multiple answers that could be right -- but you need to use the MS answer!), but 228 was much worse. For 229, just remember, the Index Tuning Wizard is Good! And cursors aren't necessarily a bad thing -- REALLY! I had, IIRC, three questions where the "correct" answer was "Use the Index Tuning Wizard", and at least a couple where the only available answer that gave the correct result used a cursor, even though I could think of several set-based solutions... Leave it to MS to certify people on all the wrong skills...

---
Adam Machanic
SQL Server MVP
http://www.datamanipulation.net

Michael Valentine Jones
Yak DBA Kernel (pronounced Colonel)

7020 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-29 : 16:43:36

How can I get my MCCD, Microsoft Certified Cursor Developer, and MCITW, Microsoft Certified Index Tuning Wizard, certifications?

CODO ERGO SUM

derrickleggett
Pointy Haired Yak DBA

4184 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-29 : 16:47:52

CODO ERGO SUM

MeanOldDBA
derrickleggett@hotmail.com

When life gives you a lemon, fire the DBA.

amachanic
SQL Server MVP

169 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-29 : 16:57:10

MS will soon be offering the new Microsoft Certified Google-Using DBA (MCGUDBA) certification. This is certification for people who use newsgroups and forums such as this one, call themselves DBAs, yet haven't figured out how to go to www.google.com to search for some burning question that's already been answered 1000 times by others. I'm really excited for this new certification; I think it will bring a lot of value to the table. MS will shortly thereafter be offering the Microsoft Certified Bitch Slap certificate, which I plan to get. This certificate allows you to track down people who ask the same questions that are easily available via a Google search, and bitch slap them. That certificate will get a prominent place on the door of my office ;-)

---
Adam Machanic
SQL Server MVP
http://www.datamanipulation.net

byrmol
Shed Building SQL Farmer

1591 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-29 : 18:15:07

spirit,

There are plenty of HR departments that insist on this type of "certification". I did the 229 equivalent for version 7 and was absolutely horrified at the questions and answers. I swore after that I would never do any again. As Adam said, it is very MS centric, has no real intellectual value and is a blight on the product itself.

DavidM

A front-end is something that tries to violate a back-end.

rrb
SQLTeam Poet Laureate

1479 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-29 : 21:19:22

hey dave - don't hold back - tell us what you really think!

quote:
so if any of you have any pro's or con's or can suggest something better i'm all ears

There once was a slovenian lad
Who, though for his many ears, was still sad
He hoped that certification
Would bring him elation
But alas, he found it was just a fad.

--
I hope that when I die someone will say of me "That guy sure owed me a lot of money"

spirit1
Cybernetic Yak Master

11752 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-30 : 04:51:37

man that's a sad song

well it seems that our company will have a bit of leftover cash on their hands and so the idea was to send ppl on
some courses.
so for me it's free

MS ones are good for resumes, true.

so does anyone have any other MS certs to reccomend. .net, all 2005 incarnatins, app, sys designers?
i have no idea which are good and usefull and which aren't.

so guys and gals, i'm all ears

rrb: nice poem. a bit sad... kind of romantic in nature... looking for ideals that never come...

i was looking on dice.com to see what kind jobs you got in USA. i saw some weird stuff there. some company wanted
an experienced programmer with 7 years of strong .net development experience... bwaaa.
it seems that MSWhatever does open doors easily...

EDIT:
oh yeah. i'm not looking to be a hardcore DBA

just to have a overall overview. but to know enough, so ppl can't screw with me.
i.e.:
some guy: this will take 8 hours to complete because of this and that.
me: true. but if you do it in this way you'll be done in two hours.

Go with the flow & have fun! Else fight the flow

rockmoose
SQL Natt Alfen

3279 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-30 : 07:50:18

If You are taking the whole course, then I think You should pick
something that You are interested in, where You know little enough so
that You can pester a teacher with Questions.
The 229 course would be too easy for You

.

But I do think that You can go and cert Yourself anyway on the 229, won't hurt,
but You could probably just do some reading on Your own in the areas where You
need to brush up.

rockmoose

amachanic
SQL Server MVP

169 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-30 : 09:05:44

Actually, this is an excellent time to take certs you're a little iffy on -- MS is offering a free second chance if you fail the first time. So go for something interesting :)

---
Adam Machanic
SQL Server MVP
http://www.datamanipulation.net

jen
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4110 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-30 : 21:42:45

quote:
Originally posted by amachanic

Actually, this is an excellent time to take certs you're a little iffy on -- MS is offering a free second chance if you fail the first time. So go for something interesting :)

---
Adam Machanic
SQL Server MVP
http://www.datamanipulation.net

really? that's comforting...

--------------------
keeping it simple...

amachanic
SQL Server MVP

169 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-30 : 23:29:02

Yes, it lowers the value of certs even more... but hey, uh... well, something. I couldn't think of anything funny to say about this, because it's really quite sad. OH well.

---
Adam Machanic
SQL Server MVP
http://www.datamanipulation.net

jen
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4110 Posts

Posted - 2005-03-31 : 04:23:55

you know i was thinking how i would make my response funny without being sarcastic, coz my job is administering sql servers

and i'm not even certified...

--------------------
keeping it simple...

madhivanan
Premature Yak Congratulator

22864 Posts

Posted - 2005-04-01 : 04:25:18

I am not certified although willing to be certified

Madhivanan

Failing to plan is Planning to fail

mr_mist
Grunnio

1870 Posts