MCSD Retirement Question
Kevin
With the MCSD VB 6.0 track set to retire in June, if
someone passes 70-100, 70-175, 70-176 before June 30 and
then passes 70-229 (which won't be retired because it's an
elective for MCSD .Net) in July would that person be MCSD
certified (having met all requirements, but after the
retirement date)?
Andre
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The Poster Formerly Known as Kline Sphere
Are you really sure about that? It sure don't sound that way on the
web site, but then again it could be just be worded badly.
Kline Sphere (Chalk) MCNGP #3
Andre
before 6/30.
Andre, MCP
>.
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The Poster Formerly Known as Kline Sphere
is quite ambiguous: -
<quote
source='http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcsd/requirements.asp'>
Note: As denoted in the tables below, Microsoft Visual Studio® 6.0
based exams are scheduled for discontinuation on June 30, 2004, after
which the MCSD on Visual Studio 6.0 track will no longer be available.
Anyone who earned the MCSD certification before June 30, 2004, will
remain certified.
</quote>
Kael V. Dowdy
MCSD VB6 and was gonna use it as an elective for the MCDBA, but wasn't
sure if I was going to take all the core exams before the 175 exam
retired. I did end up taking all the MCDBA exams prior to 175
retiring (which retires on June 30, 2004) so I didn't have to worry
about that. However, I never got a definitive answer on that
situation. I'd email mcp...@microsoft.com just to be sure...
Kael
The Poster Formerly Known as Kline Sphere <.> wrote in message news:<0v6b70tealvic8ue8...@4ax.com>...
The Poster Formerly Known as Kline Sphere
Andre
Andre, MCP
>.
>
Kevin
mcphelp:
I have a question about the retirement of the MCSD for
Visual Basic 6.0 exams.
If I take and pass exams 70-100, 70-175, and 70-176 before
June 30th, and then take test 70-229 after June 30th,
would I be MCSD certified?
I posted this question on the MCSD forum, but no one has a
definitive answer.
~Kevin
This is the response that I received:
Hello Kevin,
Thank you for your e-mail regarding completing the MCSD
Visual Studio 6.0 exams before they are discontinued.
We can confirm that if you successfully complete exams 70-
175, 70-176, 70-100, and 70-229 before June 30, 2004, you
will achieve the MCSD Visual Studio 6.0 Certification.
Mind you that we suggest strongly that you not leave the
exam completion for the last moment, as exams take 5 to 7
business days to post on a candidates record, which can
cause doubt and confusion close to the discontinuation
date.
We were unable to locate your file in our database with
the information you have provided. In order to assist you
further, we will need to verify some additional
information. Please reply to this email and include the
following information as it appears in our database...
...Once we receive your reply with the included
information, we will be able to assist you with your
future inquiries.
If there is anything else we can do for you, please let us
know. Thank you for contacting Microsoft...
So, I didn't really get an answer. Plus since I haven't
actually taken any MCP tests as of yet (the first will be
Friday: 70-176), I can't reply to this message and restate
my original question in a manor that will be eaiser for
this person to understand.
For anyone following this thread, I plan to respond to the
message Friday after I pass the test.
The Poster Formerly Known as Kline Sphere
Frisbee®
> Thanks for the advice. I sent the following email to
> mcphelp:
>
> I have a question about the retirement of the MCSD for
> Visual Basic 6.0 exams.
>
> If I take and pass exams 70-100, 70-175, and 70-176 before
> June 30th, and then take test 70-229 after June 30th,
> would I be MCSD certified?
<Snip>
> This is the response that I received:
<Snip>
> We can confirm that if you successfully complete exams 70-
> 175, 70-176, 70-100, and 70-229 before June 30, 2004, you
> will achieve the MCSD Visual Studio 6.0 Certification.
Deer $deity who is Microsoft hiring for tech support these days?
Outsourcing?
I'll bet the person who replied to your VERY clearly stated question with a
completely ambiguous answer doesn't even have a high school diploma, and
probably makes twice what I do.
--
Fris "I wonder if they're hiring?" bee®
Certaholics
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/certaholics
Frisbee®
> So the answer to your original question is 'NO'!!!
Not necessarily. I can see how MS's reply could be read that way, but I
think the MS person is just an idiot. Anyone could see what the OP's
original concern was, and I don't think they answered it definitively at
all.
Is MS planning on retiring exam 70-229 on that date? I though only the
other three exams were being retired. I know that you can still get an NT
4.0 MCSE if you've already passed all the retired exams, but manage to take
one of the electives that are still offered, or at least you could at one
time, so I would think the same should apply in this case.
The MS employee should have worded the answer in a way that acknowledges
they understood the question. I don't think they did.
--
Fris "shoe them!" bee®
Certaholics
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/certaholics
Kevin
though only the
>other three exams were being retired.
The answer to that is no. In fact, part of the reason
I've chosen to take 70-229 as the elective for my MCSD 6.0
cert is because 70-229 as also an elective for the
MCSD .Net cert. Kill two birds with one stone.
The Poster Formerly Known as Kline Sphere
>Outsourcing?
Exactly.
>I'll bet the person who replied to your VERY clearly stated question with a
>completely ambiguous answer doesn't even have a high school diploma, and
>probably makes twice what I do.
The person simple copy the 'ambiguous' answer from the web site.
The Poster Formerly Known as Kline Sphere
>
>Not necessarily. I can see how MS's reply could be read that way, but I
>think the MS person is just an idiot. Anyone could see what the OP's
>original concern was, and I don't think they answered it definitively at
>all.
>
>Is MS planning on retiring exam 70-229 on that date? I though only the
>other three exams were being retired. I know that you can still get an NT
>4.0 MCSE if you've already passed all the retired exams, but manage to take
>one of the electives that are still offered, or at least you could at one
>time, so I would think the same should apply in this case.
>
>The MS employee should have worded the answer in a way that acknowledges
>they understood the question. I don't think they did.
This is point! The 'information' on the web site is *clearly*
ambiguous and the 'answer' Kevin received back never answered his
question.
Andre
Andre, MCP
'Round and round we go, nobody know seems to show'
>.
>
The Poster Formerly Known as Kline Sphere
.. or NO! (just kidding!)
Kevin
easier access. If the material within doesn't make any
sense, you'll want to read the entire thread.
I emailed Microsoft again with a much more detailed
explanation of what I was trying to accomplish and this
was their reply:
Hello Kevin,
Thank you for your e-mail regarding the MCSD
Certification.
We understand your concerns in the matters you questioned.
However, as long as the requirements are taken and passed
by the discontinued date of the exam, you are okay. Exam
70-229 can be taken at any time before it is scheduled to
be discontinued.
When these exams are taken and passed you will be
certified as an MCSD. As these exams are scheduled to be
discontinued not retired. Once an exam is retired, a
candidate can become decertified. However, you still hold
certification with a discontinued exam...
So, what I gather from this email is that Microsoft
differentiates between a test that has been 'discontinued'
and a test that has been 'retired'. Retired test are
basically removed from your 'record' while discontinued
test remain active. Therefore, if you pass the core tests
before they're discontinued and take the final elective
thereafter, you will have obtained MCSD 6.0 status.
Neel Roy
Thanks for your input. I was planning to take Visual Basic 6.0 desktop as
elective and pass it before 30th June but Core Exams of Visual C++ 6.0
desktop and distributed themselves are leaving me breathless.. but now I
have better option of taking 70-229 and can pass that after June 30 before
MS decides to 'discontinue' it... I imagine they wont do that at least till
september....
Thanks a lot again...
Neel...
"Kevin" <anon...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0ea001c42608$aa4b9350$a301...@phx.gbl...
The Poster Formerly Known as Kline Sphere
>have better option of taking 70-229 and can pass that after June 30 before
>MS decides to 'discontinue' it... I imagine they wont do that at least till
>september....
I would say not before June 2006.
Kevin
on MS's website:
The Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) program
continually monitors current industry trends and makes
appropriate changes. Microsoft develops new exams and
discontinues others to ensure that all exams reflect
current job roles... Announcements of exams scheduled for
discontinuation will be made once a year in June on this
Web site.
So, 70-229 is safe until at least next June. Furthermore,
I agree with Kline, 70-229 will probably stay around until
at least 2006.
Good luck with your exams.
Neel Roy
Thank you ,
One thing that came to my mind was the course/book MS has mentioned for
70-229
MCSE Training Kit: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Database Design and
Implementation
Is this enough or you guys suggest anything additional ?
Neel.
"Kevin" <anon...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1abb01c426ed$c4a79c40$a301...@phx.gbl...
Kevin
studying for the exams because I've only passed 70-176.
However, because you asked, I think the best way to
prepare for the exams is to purchase the Transcender
practice tests and use book study to polish up your weak
areas, which the practice tests will point out.
When I took the 70-176 test I used:
http://www.transcender.com/products/product.asp?
SKU=KKVBK0600
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-
/0072119306/qid=1082551198/sr=1-11/ref=sr_1_11/103-4402064-
5680626?v=glance&s=books
I scored 900 out of 1,000. I attribute most of that
success to the Transcender practice tests. If you can
afford them, I'd say they're worth the price. Also,
Transcender has a money back guarantee if you do fail.
The Poster Formerly Known as Kline Sphere
>Implementation
In my view, not very good
>Is this enough or you guys suggest anything additional ?
Real world experience.
BOL & MSDN
Professional SQL Server 2000 Programming (wrox press)
Inside SQL server 2000 (MS press)
SQL Server Magazine (and other online resources).
Alistair
sake of clarity.
In my email, I asked:
"I have already passed 70-175 and 70-176. If I pass 70-100
before 30 June and then 70-229 after 30 June, will I
achieve MCSD status?"
The reply:
"To clarify your suspicions, yes. If you take exam 70-100
before it is discontinued this June and eventually pass
exam 70-229, you will have archived the MCSD
Certification."
So now all I have to do is pass 70-100 in the next 2
months, then pass 70-229 before it is discontinued. All is
not yet lost!!
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