[macroy]

http://www.networkworld.com/weblogs/...009619.html?nl

Wow.... talk about a hit on the credibility of MS certification programs. Not to take anything away from the little girl... but wow. The next time someone boasts about their MCSE (not that anyone does...) I'll just reply "yea? Terrific, just like that 10 year old..."

[Scandalous Ion Cannon]

I dunno they have 13 year olds graduating from collage.

[starman]

Mozart created his first piece when he was 5.

[mdc]

i had a free pass to take another microsoft test a few months ago. i did the windows xp one, and got a 925 (out of 1000).
i studied a lot, i always study a lot for all these sort of tests i take, but in my opinion, anyone can pass these tests. all you have to do is go and buy/find/whatever the testking notes and memorize those.

[Jacob]

True, same with A+ exams....

[typoon]

Originally Posted by Jacob

True, same with A+ exams....

I'll have to agree. Only thing with A+ is if you have been doing computers for a while you should be able to pass it without even reading or using any of the material.

[wdlove]

That is one amazing 10 year old.

[rjenkinson]

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

I dunno they have 13 year olds graduating from collage.

to what... fingerpainting? macramé?

-r.

[typoon]

Originally Posted by Jacob

True, same with A+ exams....

I'll have to agree. Only thing with A+ is if you have been doing computers for a while you should be able to pass it without even reading or using any of the material.

[turtle777]

Pfff, I could have done it at age 8. I was too bored though

-t

[tooki]

There was some other kid (12, maybe?) that got MS certified years ago.

It was a crappy cert then, and it's a crappy cert now.

tooki

[jcadam]

Certificates are worthless. Only experience matters. If I have a BS in Comp Sci. and can't get an interview because I have no work experience I know this to be true.

[typoon]

Originally Posted by jcadam

Certificates are worthless. Only experience matters. If I have a BS in Comp Sci. and can't get an interview because I have no work experience I know this to be true.

I don't think Certs are worthless. Not in the computer industry. I think if you have the certs and experience it trumps pretty much anyone with a computer science degree.

[macroy]

Originally Posted by typoon

I don't think Certs are worthless. Not in the computer industry. I think if you have the certs and experience it trumps pretty much anyone with a computer science degree.

Well... certs are not all worthless... but MS ones pretty much are.... And its pretty much because how they award and maintain it. The tests are lame, hell, you can pass one without ever touching a computer until the day of the test. And once you have it, you have no obligations as far as continuing education.

As far as CS degrees... ALL ELSE EQUAL, will always trump certs of the same discipline. Yea, a CS major isn't gonna win over a CCIE as a network architect, but he/she would most definitely will over a MCP in something like VB.

Just my .02.

[ghporter]

Certifications can get your foot in the door, as can documented experience or certain degrees-honors in Computer Science gets you looked at where just a CS degree might not.

The problem with Microsoft certifications is that they are completely and utterly Microsoft; they have little or no applicability to anything but their products and operating systems. The same is true to some extent with Cisco's certifications, though they are far less isolated, as so many people use Cisco devices as part of their infrastructure.

An objective, broadly based computer hardware certification would be difficult to set up, but I think it would be very worthwhile, as would broadly based software certification (which would be even harder to set up).

[CharlesS]

http://www.techtales.com/ttales0605.html#tale43

[Link]

I coulda past the MCSE when I was 9. No #@%*.

*edits* Ya know, I think a lot of people here were capable of that too, we simply didn't have parents suggesting to us to do those things, I know I didn't, in fact I got addicted to computer stuff because my oldest brother and my dad started taking classes at the college and their book had me addicted.

[macroy]

Originally Posted by ghporter

The problem with Microsoft certifications is that they are completely and utterly Microsoft; they have little or no applicability to anything but their products and operating systems. The same is true to some extent with Cisco's certifications, though they are far less isolated, as so many people use Cisco devices as part of their infrastructure.

Actually - thats actually the point. Most vendor based certs are supposed to be a "validation" that you know their specific products... (MS, Cisco, Novell, HP, Red Hat).

And what you mentioned regarding Cisco will also apply to MS as they both pretty much dominate their respective markets. I would actually tip my hat at MS a bit more as they probably more coverage in general IT

Originally Posted by ghporter

An objective, broadly based computer hardware certification would be difficult to set up, but I think it would be very worthwhile, as would broadly based software certification (which would be even harder to set up).

That's where the compTIA certs comes in - but they have to stay somewhat basic. You get too detailed, then you just end up specializing again.

Some others are discipline based (Risk management, Penetration testing, security management etc..) like ISC2, ECCouncil but they also require a bit more depth of knowledge and are definitely not the "get your foot in the door" types.

[jcadam]

Originally Posted by typoon

I don't think Certs are worthless. Not in the computer industry. I think if you have the certs and experience it trumps pretty much anyone with a computer science degree.

I'm in the catch-22 of software engineering. Need someone to hire me to get the experience. But no one will hire me without experience.