Braindumps vs. technotes (i dont understand)

Forgive my question if this offends anyone...

I'm fairly new to the certification scene. I keep hearing how braindumps are cheating. Well, I don't know exactly what a braindump looks like, but in my mind, I thought it was pretty much what the tech notes are. I just read like 3 threads back to back that mentioned cheating and braindumps and errr...what was it....AH! Certking. Whats so different. I suppose I should check out CertKing just so I understand. Could someone(s) clarify. I used the technotes, in addition to experience and the MSpress book and transcender tests to pass my 70-270.

Comments

  • royalroyal Member Posts: 3,352 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Braindumps are real Questions and Answer. Because of that, a lot of people (cheaters) read the real Q&A to get certified but don't understand fundamentals, the meat of the information, and because of that, won't be able to fully understand and dynamically think about situations in which the material is relevant.

    On the other hand, Technotes are not real Question and Answer. The Technotes are there to provide information so you can actually learn the material so you can fully understand and dynamically thinka botu situations in which the material is relevant.

    Braindumps = Real Q&A
    Technotes = Mini-Books/Articles and not Real Q&A

    Does that help?
    “For success, attitude is equally as important as ability.” - Harry F. Banks
  • ThunderPipeThunderPipe Member Posts: 120
    Ah. I just checked the *** **** *** site.
    "100% REAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS"

    Nice...Hell of a way to lower the value of passing a test.

    The term "braindump", in my mind, was an information overload...errr...
    Gathering up the essential info to pass. Which is why I thought that the technotes
    were...errrr...legal braindumps. I read a considerable amount of the MSpress book, but
    felt that I gained at least as much from reading the technotes as I did the few chapters
    out of the microsoft book. I suppose its the term that I was stuck on. Those tech notes
    sure did help. I got about 5 questions right because of them. Ah well.
    Thanks.
  • dynamikdynamik Banned Posts: 12,312 ■■■■■■■■■□
  • ThunderPipeThunderPipe Member Posts: 120
  • KaminskyKaminsky Member Posts: 1,235
    I've come across some of these braindumpers in my time and their memorising skills are quite remarkable. Practically like photographic memory. They can wiz through a cert in no time flat with a good set of **** questions.

    I've had discussions with them about applying their skills to actually studying the material properly to truly understand the cert and not have to blag evey interview they go to and they look at me like I have two heads. "If the employer just wants the cert, it's easier for me to get it this way than the long way....<to me> you shouldn't waste your time doing it like that... do it this way, it's a lot quicker" <and here is the clincher> "it's the same cert..."

    I've tried and tried but to no avail. Whenever something comes up they should know, they fluff and bluster and dodge the issue, getting into an email war over some triviality rather than address the real issue until someone else actually fixes it.

    Is such a shame because the ones I have met could truly be great if they wern't so lazy in the first place. Everything anyone tells them about braindumps they just think are sour grapes..
    Kam.
  • skrpuneskrpune Member Posts: 1,409
    here's how I look at it - if someone is *so* defensive about something like dumping, they certainly know that there's a problem with it. Some small part of them realizes that it's wrong and it becomes a clear case of "thou doth protest too much." They will have to live with themselves and their actions. I don't lose any sleep over my certs because I got them the legit way. Not sure they can say the same.

    If someone cheats at certs, what else did/do they **** at? What other rules do they skirt because it makes their life easier?? If they have a degree, did they buy all their grades too?? Once you ****, all your accomplishments come into question and can be viewed as possible "purchases."

    And one word: karma. She be a b**ch folks, and although she can be slow to act sometimes, she eventually will...and when she comes to slap the cheaters upside the head, it will be the slap of the century. I am looking forward to the day there's a centralized ****/**** enforcement agency and the day of reckoning comes for dumpers. icon_twisted.gif
    Currently Studying For: Nothing (cert-wise, anyway)
    Next Up: Security+, 291?

    Enrolled in Masters program: CS 2011 expected completion
  • mikej412mikej412 Member Posts: 10,086 ■■■■■■■■■■
    skrpune wrote: »
    the day of reckoning comes for dumpers
    It's already here -- it's called a job interview.

    Our technical phone interview failure rate on a simple 10 question test for CCNAs (with or without IT experience) is 50-60%. It weeds out the dumpers and the people who may have studied to get the Certification but then forgot it all.
    :mike: Cisco Certifications -- Collect the Entire Set!
  • royalroyal Member Posts: 3,352 ■■■■□□□□□□
    The term "braindump", in my mind, was an information overload..

    It could mean that as well. It depends on the context in which the word braindump is being used.
    “For success, attitude is equally as important as ability.” - Harry F. Banks
  • skrpuneskrpune Member Posts: 1,409
    mikej412 wrote: »
    It's already here -- it's called a job interview.

    Our technical phone interview failure rate on a simple 10 question test for CCNAs (with or without IT experience) is 50-60%. It weeds out the dumpers and the people who may have studied to get the Certification but then forgot it all.
    Yeah, I know interviews do some weeding out, but some people are great at interviews and can schmooze their way through almost anything. Plus, if a staffing agency is involved with the hire process, then it's entirely possible that they hand out test questions to interview candidates...I had this happen to me once before an interview. The staffing rep obviously had a stake in me getting the job and wanted to increase his chances of getting that hire bonus, so he emailed me some, ahem, "example" questions from the technical test. Nice.

    I was thinking more along the lines of a heavier reckoning, like getting all their certs pulled and being banned from future certs from all vendors. That's a lot harder to gloss over & explain away in an interview..
    Currently Studying For: Nothing (cert-wise, anyway)
    Next Up: Security+, 291?

    Enrolled in Masters program: CS 2011 expected completion
  • PsoasmanPsoasman Member Posts: 2,687 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Here's my 2 cents. Braindumps are simply cheating. They might help you get a job, but once your boss asks you to do something you should know...your cover is blown.
    I think braindumpers should be stripped of any certs they have and loose the ability to test for any more.
  • PC509PC509 Member Posts: 804 ■■■■■■□□□□
    Well at least you know that the real ones are wrong and won't use them. That saves me the trip, the alibi and the use of my crowbar! :D

    Braindumps are very bad, and I've heard people saying they use them to pass the test but they know the material. It's just faster. I've heard a lot of good sounding arguments. But, what they don't get is that it is cheating. Plain and simple. It's about ethics. If you **** there, why should you be trusted to run a companies network? I wouldn't trust that.

    I really like Certguard and what they do. The team is even pretty active in the Microsoft public usenet servers, as well. Good people.
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