views:

274

answers:

6

Hi

Am thinking of getting certified in MCTS and MCPD for ASP.Net and SQL Server (Developer).

My question is since Visual Studio 2010, NET Framework 4.0, SQL Server 2008 R2 would probably get released late 2009 or early 2010, should I just wait and take tests for the new versions.

Am still planning to study ASP.Net 3.5 and SQL Server 2008 (it doesn't hurt), just not sure if I should waste money taking tests for current version and then have to pay more money to upgrade to the new version.

Thanks Michael

+2  A: 

You just have to take my word on this, but i never considered MS Certification, or ANY certification a good investment of money....

Technology is running and those certificates are good for a limited amount of time...

You are better off investing in some good books, and personal development time.

Konstantinos
Depends on the employers. In some industries certifications are becoming more and more important, from faster selection into shortlist to absolute requirement. And other companies don't care. And that's just my country.
Henk Holterman
Don't get me wrong, i am talking from a practical perspective here.I totally understand a person's need to get a certified in order to recruited in the case that he doesn't have real world experience. In case someone though has real world experience i don't see how a certification will contribute to his set of skills.Of course companies and public service sectors may require certification in which case there is nothing to discuss here, but just go and get certified...Certification was only valid before internet, nowadays if you can learn, **everything is out there**...
Konstantinos
Having a certification is at least evidence that you have spent some time studying the runtime libraries. Too many .NET developers know only a fraction of the features provided by the runtime, then waste development time implementing buggy and limited alternatives to what is already available.
Jon Rimmer
Following technology by your self is alot more valueable as a programmer than getting others to teach you. Technology, doesn't follow certificates, it's the other way around. So, it's better to develop the skills that allow you to find what you need, and absorb it, than try to figure out which certificate you should learn next.
Konstantinos
Even if a developer is experienced, occasionally a company will prefers certifications, because certifications are a requirement towards being a Microsoft 'partner': your employees [at least a few of your employees] need some certifications. I took a (otherwise unecessary)certification for that reason: because it was a requirement for my employers' becoming a Microsoft partner (and there are various reasons that might incent an employer to become a Microsoft partner).
ChrisW
"Having a certification is at least evidence that you have spent some time studying the runtime libraries" - in what world do you live in ?
majkinetor
MS partners need a certain % of employees to be certified to maintain their partnership level. It does matter.
JP Alioto
Another way for money to flow towards M$...
Konstantinos
A: 

The MCTS exams are not related to any version of the .NET framework.
They are about the .NET Framework in general.

This Technology Specialist (TS) exam,

Exam 70-536: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework, Application Development Foundation, became available in March 2006. This exam is available in English, French, German, Japanese, and Chinese (Simplified). Exam 70-536 is designed to measure your knowledge of .NET development fundamentals and is not tied to a particular version of .NET. Since the exam is now applicable to both Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 and Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 certification tracks, we have changed the name of the exam. Formerly TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Application Development Foundation, Exam 70-536 is now called TS: Microsoft .NET Framework, Application Development Foundation. If you are a .NET 2.0 developer, you do not need to learn .NET 3.5 to pass Exam 70-536; conversely, if you are a .NET 3.5 developer, you do not need to review .NET 2.0 to pass the exam.*

Marwan Aouida
Not true; there are definite version dependencies; contrast http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcts/vstudio/2008/default.mspx(3.5) to the 2.0 versions: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcts/webapps/default.mspx | http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcts/winapps/default.mspx | http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcts/distapps/default.mspx
Marc Gravell
I know there are some exams that are targeted to some technologies related to a framework version like WPF cert (v3.5) but concerning MCTS for web development(in the question) it is not based on a specific version of the framework as stated in the extract "you do not need to learn .NET 3.5 to pass Exam 70-536; conversely, if you are a .NET 3.5 developer, you do not need to review .NET 2.0 to pass the exam." and "
Marwan Aouida
Hmm, but you do need to know 3.5 to pass Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 ASP.NET Application Development http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exam.aspx?ID=70-562 - you'd be better off taking 562 than 536 just for the extra buffer before it's retired.
Zhaph - Ben Duguid
A: 

The only reason you should do it if :

  1. Employer pays for it, so you don't go to the job but you go on course instead (assuming your job is worst then the acutall course)
  2. Its prereq for some job you would really like (but again, do you really want that kind of job?)

Most of those MSXXXYYYZZZ dudes don't really know much outside of that domain. I remember once I asked one of them to zoom the screen as I didn't see anything, he was trying for 5 minutes then give up (before that he was having 5 minutes monologue about all certificates he has)

The true IT professional isn't bind to specific applications or even systems (like handicraft). Thats the reason why such courses are waste of time & money for anybody serious enough. Also, people should choose alone how to upgrade themselves and study alone or with the help of devoted community, like this one.

At the end, such courses are by default, full of repetition and explanation of things you already know as they must cover the broadest type of pupill. For instance, on one of the courses I had that had to do with object oriented design, dude was explaining what classes are because someone in the public didn't know that.... typical.

And all other things Konstantinos said... I couldn't agree more.

majkinetor
Oho, I already got - from MSCD. Keep em coming guys...
majkinetor
Maybe you go minus for not answering the question: the OP didn't ask whether certifications are worthwhile: he asked whether to take the cert now, or to wait for the next release.
ChrisW
Thats true :) Ty
majkinetor
+1  A: 

There is no harm in taking them now -- there is usually a very short update path from old to new certifications, i.e. rather than 4 new tests, you will only have to take 1 or 2 update tests to be current.

JP Alioto
A: 

go get certified, every time is the right time, you can upgrade your knowledges when you want, and those money are worth spending both in certifications and books. Good luck

Ada
+1  A: 

It can take a long time for the new exams to come out. Given that the largest investment is in the time you spend studying for the exams, and that .NET 4 is a superset of .NET 3.5. You should start to study now.

As the exams are cheep (apart from the fact they take half a day each) you might as well take the .NET 3.5 exams if you are ready to take them before the .NET 4 exams comes out.

(Not that match changes in .NET 4, it is not like a bit jump from . NET 2 to . NET 3)

You never know what you learn studying for the Exam make help you do a better job and get you a pay increase in the mean time…

Ian Ringrose
True, it took them nearly a year after the release of 3.5 (19 November 2007) for MS to release the 3.5 versions of the MCTS exams (04 August 2008).
Zhaph - Ben Duguid