70-646

kellyc

Passed it this morning with a 900. I used the Microsoft Press book and the Transcender.

I passed the test the first time with a pretty good score and I know I shouldn't complain but...

I really hated that Microsoft Press book. I though it was very poorly done. I though the 70-640, 70-642, and 70-643 books were pretty good and was disappointed that the 70-646 book seemed so bad.

That book seemed like it would never end and the exam tips were just about worthless. They drone on and on and on. The authors were Ian McLean and Orin Thomas. I've read some of their other books and they all seem to be that way. I really wish Microsoft Press would stop using them for so many books. There's a 3rd author and unfortunately his name escapes me at this time. He wrote chapter 11 and it was the best chapter in the book in my opinion.

So if I had it to do over again I would probably read the Sybex book for 70-646 and avoid the Microsoft Press book. The Microsoft Press book was very painful to get through.

danclarke

Congratulations!

I muct confess that I find the MS Press books written by McLean and Thomas to be amongst the more readable exam preparation texts.

However, I think there is a generic problem with many of this genre of books: the authors frequently lose the plot (if you'll pardon the pun), doing some topics to death, covering other topics which don't seem to come up in the exams, whilst glossing over others which come up in the exams.

I think we've all experienced that situation when you come across questions in the exams on a totally unfamiliar situation - and when you get back home you check the preparation material and find: "nope - nothing about that in here."

Now, I know that candidates should read around the subject and should gather knowledge through experience. However, if (say) 10% of an 800 page book is not relevant to the task in hand, then it could be argued that the authors are guilty of wasting the time of their readership.

dfosbenner

Congrats on the pass. It's always hit and miss with books, but I think in the end that the 646 did what we needed it to do.