CompTIA wrote me back about the erroneous question

Okipatrick · January 2004

I mentioned in my message about passing the Core exam that one of the questions didn't have a correct answer. I wrote to CompTIA through their website and today (2 days later) I got a reply.

Basically they said "thanks for the correction to our oversight" and hopefully no-one else will encounter this question.

I'd be embarrassed, personally, if I offered an exam whether for a certification or not and didn't include a correct answer, especially when a large number of people who pass do so by a small margin.

If anyone else sees that same question I feel for you if you don't pass by 2 to 5 points.

Just to entertain me, though. The memory address and IRQ for COM2 is supposed to be IRQ3 and 02F8h is it not?

RussS · January 2004

It is - a quick check of http://www.techexams.net/technotes/modems.shtml would have shown you

Ummm - Comptia is beyond reproach and above the criticism of us mere pleeps

Perhaps one day someone will take them to task, but I can't see it happening soon.

Okipatrick · January 2004

Perhaps they are indeed above their own laws but the person who wrote those questions was obviously either not A+ or one of those guys who claims to be booksmart but would have a hard time putting in a modem b/c the PCI card just won't fit in that long brown slot.

bellboy · January 2004

Okipatrick wrote:

Basically they said "thanks for the correction to our oversight" and hopefully no-one else will encounter this question.

yup. you'd have expected them to have been grateful.

rigpig · March 2004

Hi guys, another new poster here..is that the right word?

I'm getting ready to take the A+ Core (next week) and have trawled the net for practice exams etc, and have spoken to a couple of folks who just took the exam.
One thing strikes me about the exams, assuming the real ones reflect the dummies, they include a lot of questions that rely on the candidate comitting to memory cartloads of figures, SCSI speeds, CPU speeds etc.
Now I've worked in tech training for years, not PC but the principle is the same, and one thing we DO NOT do under any circumstances is examine our students on tables of stuff taken from tech manuals. Why, because if, in a field situation they make an error they may..
a. Injure themselves or others
b. Damage equipment
c. Waste company money

We expect them to know the principles, but to look up exact specs from the correct manuals and then proceed appropriately.

OK, guess what, I am having a problems remembering processor and SCSI specs

What do you guys think..keep the flames on a low heat, I don't have my Class C fire extinguiser to hand

CompTIA wrote me back about the erroneous question

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