I recommend the Sybex CID book by Robert Padjen. But, as you say, no book
is all things to all readers. Some people like the condensed, Cliffs Notes
type books. I prefer books with some meat. Padjen provides some interesting
insights into how networks really work and what to watch out for in the
real world. He goes beyond something like an ExamCram book which simply
paraphrases and condenses the real books, getting it wrong a lot of the
time. Padjen's book is many notches above most of the design books.
Priscilla
At 11:29 AM 12/18/00, Robert Padjen wrote:
>That is always a good recommendation. Of course, you
>will likely note that the woman who originally wrote
>the CID materials, an accomplished author herself,
>gave the Sybex text a glowing review. I fail to
>understand Mr. Huston's continued slams - he passed
>the test with the assistance of the Sybex publication
>and still harps on it. No book is all things to all
>readers no matter how hard an author/publisher/editor
>tries. I have repeatedly stated that some readers
>prefer CiscoPress - some prefer Osborne - but I do
>think that the only fair way to judge someone's work
>product is to remain objective. If one says I don't
>like X because I don't like it, well, that's opinion.
>If someone says X is incomplete because it is, well,
>that's unqualified. If someone says X is incomplete
>because it does not provide 20% of the information in
>Y, including how ABC works in PDQ environments, well,
>then we have a qualified critique. There is
>verifiablity and a constructive nature - it can be
>fixed, addressed, corrected, or dismissed without
>bias. I have learned to take all with a grain of salt
>over the years, and am only frustrated when
>insufficient information is provided to correct the
>issue and the critiques continue. Many have written to
>state (for all authors, publishers, titles) that "this
>book is full of errors..." only to have it finally
>disclosed that typographical mistakes and typesetting
>led to unfortunate problems. Wouldn't it be better to
>write - "Dear Author... I don't know if you know this
>but I think page 43 has a mistake. Could you comment
>on this?" I wrote all 13 chapters of CID, and yet I
>would never claim that it was entirely my product. I
>had a great team of copy, technical and graphics
>editors going over everything, in addition to
>submissions editors and other professionals to provide
>the best product. If I had CID to write over again
>under the current exam (640-025) I would likely add
>more information on SNA and x.25, but I have not seen
>any question in the exam or in the objectives that is
>not addressed in the current revision. I will not
>spoon feed questions to those who don't wish to study
>- CID has over 400 questions, but the real exam has
>only 100. None of the review questions include
>graphics like the official exam - we present this
>material in a different light.
>
>Having written for over ten years professionally, and
>a like amount of technical/networking experience, I
>can state that the critiques of computer professionals
>are much more intense compared to aviation, journalism
>and commercial reviews. I believe that CID, and the
>other Sybex texts, are quality presentations of the
>material needed to sucessfully prepare for the
>examinations that relate to the objectives of the
>book, and that they are crafted to focus the reader on
>the important materials and present it in a 'leading'
>style. It was frustrating to see that the 'official'
>test and materials left off, in large part, in 1997,
>and I had hoped that CID would expand upon its niche
>by adding real-world materials, and, based on the
>overwhelming positive responses, I would do that again
>in an instant. As for x.25 and SNA - well, don't
>remember seeing them on the CID beta (they may have
>been there - NDA, you know) - and on the 640-025 exam
>I have yet to see a question that one could not answer
>with the CID materials in the book. Some readers may
>want more, but I'd also like to be 6'6" - isn't going
>to happen anytime soon, and, you know, I already have
>a problem with headroom in my car. My hook shot may
>stink, but at least I know hold at the baseline.
>
>Thanks all.
________________________
Priscilla Oppenheimer
http://www.priscilla.com
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