Developer Certification Exam

[modpluz]

hi guyz, long time no post, i've been kinda busy studying.
pls i want to find out a few things.

what kind of certification exam(s) do you recommend for a

• Website Developer
• Software Developer
• Website Designer
• Graphic Artist

thanks

[RhinoBull]

None.

No, seriously certifications are as good as yesterday's newspaper - they only last for a year or so or until next major release of product you're certified.
You will continuesly have to recertify yourself. And after all they mean almost nothing although many employerrs require to have one (requirement is really laughable).
On the other hand if you have BS or MS or even PhD it's yours forever and there is no expiration date on your diploma.

Anyway, good luck to you.

[RobDog888]

The MS certifications do not expire. They are considered no longer an active certification at some point in time that the technology is no longer supported. I think I remember something about MS gives 1 year after a test if retired for it to still be an active certification. Certifications are just like degrees, no one can take them away from you once you achieve one but a degree in some old technology could be just as obsolite as a certification on Windows NT4.

[Hack]

Have a look at this.

[RhinoBull]

The MS certifications do not expire. They are considered no longer an active certification at some point in time that the technology is no longer supported...

Isn't it the same thing in general? Common, you know perfectly well that noone is interested to see cert for some product that basically is a history...

[RobDog888]

I would disagree as not every shop is going to be using VS 2008. Most will be using VS 2005 and some will still be using 2003. It just depends upon the situation but it also shows that you have historical knowledge from being certified in those past versions. Knowledge is never worthless.

[RhinoBull]

I would disagree as not every shop is going to be using VS 2008. Most will be using VS 2005 and some will still be using 2003....

Bad comparison - 2008 is not yet deployed and 2003 is 5 years old so 2005 is pretty much recent so is the cert.
A year from now it might not be considered anymore... You may argue, however I never fully understood the point of "getting certified".

Regards.

[RobDog888]

Jeez, just an example as 2008 isnt even officially released yet.

[Hack]

You may argue, however I never fully understood the point of "getting certified".

Bragging rights.

[RhinoBull]

Someone's on my side at last.

[RobDog888]

Well if it was only about bragging then why didnt you decline the MVP?

[RhinoBull]

MS's MVP program has nothing to do with certifications what so ever and I think we need to stop dragging this thread to far off topic.

[RobDog888]

Sure it does as its a similar "title" if you will.

I didnt start it, you did

[killer7k]

oK Guy
So what Are the competence that you should have to be an Microsoft MVP ?

[penagate]

"MVP" is a token award that doesn't imply certification (or even skill level, really).
Product certifications are a little more meaningful in the short term, but rather useless in the long term. Something like a degree is more useful, because it implies that you have a thorough grounding in useful concepts, rather than just practical details, which anyone can memorise.


But really the only useful qualification is experience.

[RobDog888]

You couldnt be more wrong PG

A degree is just like getting a MCSD for example. When you go to college/university you take classes, study and pass test in order to achieve a degree which is also a certification stating that you have certain competencies in that area that you are degreed in, just like you do with Microsoft certifications. True you dont "have" to take a class but studies, skills and passing the tests are exactly the same.

An MVP is suposed to be only awarded to those that have skills and share their knowledge in Microsoft technologies. True there is no test but there is something like less then 10% of the quantity of MVPs then there are MC???'s

[penagate]

A degree is just like getting a MCSD for example. When you go to college/university you take classes, study and pass test in order to achieve a degree which is also a certification stating that you have certain competencies in that area that you are degreed in, just like you do with Microsoft certifications. True you dont "have" to take a class but studies, skills and passing the tests are exactly the same.

I don' think they are, really. At university/college one actually studies concepts and methods, i.e. theory.
A Microsoft or Sun certification on the other hand will tend to test practical knowledge of a rather specific nature.

You could argue that practical knowledge is more important than theoretical understanding, on the basis that you can't actually do anything without practical knowledge, but I think that argument holds little water. Products come and go and practical knowledge comes and goes with them.
Someone with a good understanding of the theories behind software development will always outperform someone who has memorised lots of facts but has only a token understanding. A degree is more representative of the former; a certificate the latter.

[RhinoBull]

An MVP is suposed to be only awarded to those that have skills...

Absolutely NOT NECESSARY!!! It is as said a token of appreciation from Microsoft to those who are willing to help community worldwide regardless of anyone's skill level.
Coincidentally vast majority of MVPs are quite skilled and quite of few are the experts in whatever they do.

Can we please stop this back firing in kidergaten like style? Thank you.

[RobDog888]

Well Rhino you are not required to post to this thread. So...



But to address your response:

We present the MVP Award to thank individuals for their exceptional contributions to technical communities worldwide. When a community participant sees an MVP in a technical community, whether in a newsgroup, as a user group host, a conference speaker, or a respondent in forums, that community participant can be confident that the information shared by the MVP will be of the highest caliber and will help every user make the most of the technology.

Case closed, end of story. I dont see how you argue with MS.

I'm done with this thread as it seems to have been turned into something that I dont want to be a part of.