Boson Tests border on Unethical [7:26639]
I too recently passed my written CCIE. I would go so far to say that the Boson tests push the limits in terms of ethical test preparation. I would say there were approximately five questions on the practice exams that were right out of the Cisco test. Most of these questions were worded almost exactly the same as they were in the CCIE written and the material they touched on was pretty esoteric. Brent Gardner Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=26639&t=26639 -- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: Boson Tests border on Unethical [7:26639]
I thought about that after I took the exam, but there was something else I noticed when taking the boson tests. Try taking one of the more popular CCIE prep books, or maybe even the CCIE Professional Development books, and go through a section. (Not a chapter, but one section of a chapter). Then, try to think of 5 questions you could ask someone that would test their comprehension of that section. I'm willing to bet that 4 of those 5 questions you thought of will show up, worded slightly differently, on the boson tests, and 1 or 2 of those 5 questions are in the test bank for the written. Just my .02 > -Original Message- > From: Gardner, Brent [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2001 11:07 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Boson Tests border on Unethical [7:26639] > > > I too recently passed my written CCIE. I would go so far to > say that the > Boson tests push the limits in terms of ethical test > preparation. I would > say there were approximately five questions on the practice > exams that were > right out of the Cisco test. Most of these questions were > worded almost > exactly the same as they were in the CCIE written and the > material they > touched on was pretty esoteric. > > Brent Gardner Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=26863&t=26639 -- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: Boson Tests border on Unethical [7:26639]
It's easy to see what's happening here. All of Boson's tests are done by different authors. Each author is going to try like hell to get their questions as close as possible to the questions on the actual exams, if not right from the exams. Boson doesn't care because they state right in their author contract that they are not responsible for exams that contain questions that break the NDA. The author will be held responsible. It's not like Boson's going to double-check every authored exam for NDA violations. Anyway, the closer the author comes to the actual exam questions, the more exams he'll sell when word gets around that, for example, "Boson Test #2 is the one you need to get". However, Boson isn't doing anything different than any other company selling certification practice exams. It's a ridiculously huge, cut-throat, and competitive market out there for study materials. Shawn -Original Message- From: Logan, Harold [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 11:28 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Boson Tests border on Unethical [7:26639] I thought about that after I took the exam, but there was something else I noticed when taking the boson tests. Try taking one of the more popular CCIE prep books, or maybe even the CCIE Professional Development books, and go through a section. (Not a chapter, but one section of a chapter). Then, try to think of 5 questions you could ask someone that would test their comprehension of that section. I'm willing to bet that 4 of those 5 questions you thought of will show up, worded slightly differently, on the boson tests, and 1 or 2 of those 5 questions are in the test bank for the written. Just my .02 > -Original Message- > From: Gardner, Brent [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2001 11:07 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Boson Tests border on Unethical [7:26639] > > > I too recently passed my written CCIE. I would go so far to > say that the > Boson tests push the limits in terms of ethical test > preparation. I would > say there were approximately five questions on the practice > exams that were > right out of the Cisco test. Most of these questions were > worded almost > exactly the same as they were in the CCIE written and the > material they > touched on was pretty esoteric. > > Brent Gardner Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=26882&t=26639 -- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: Boson Tests border on Unethical [7:26639]
Interesting observation. I don't think Cisco would even care if a company was putting out test questions that matched the exam... after all, if less qualified people try and fail at the lab, that's just easy money for them anyway. Either way, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. I'm just going to make sure I'm not "easy money". Hal > -Original Message- > From: Kaminski, Shawn G [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 12:46 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: Boson Tests border on Unethical [7:26639] > > > It's easy to see what's happening here. All of Boson's tests > are done by > different authors. Each author is going to try like hell to get their > questions as close as possible to the questions on the actual > exams, if not > right from the exams. Boson doesn't care because they state > right in their > author contract that they are not responsible for exams that contain > questions that break the NDA. The author will be held > responsible. It's not > like Boson's going to double-check every authored exam for > NDA violations. > Anyway, the closer the author comes to the actual exam > questions, the more > exams he'll sell when word gets around that, for example, > "Boson Test #2 is > the one you need to get". However, Boson isn't doing anything > different than > any other company selling certification practice exams. It's > a ridiculously > huge, cut-throat, and competitive market out there for study > materials. > > Shawn > > -----Original Message- > From: Logan, Harold [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 11:28 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: Boson Tests border on Unethical [7:26639] > > > I thought about that after I took the exam, but there was > something else I > noticed when taking the boson tests. Try taking one of the > more popular CCIE > prep books, or maybe even the CCIE Professional Development > books, and go > through a section. (Not a chapter, but one section of a > chapter). Then, try > to think of 5 questions you could ask someone that would test their > comprehension of that section. I'm willing to bet that 4 of those 5 > questions you thought of will show up, worded slightly > differently, on the > boson tests, and 1 or 2 of those 5 questions are in the test > bank for the > written. > > Just my .02 > > > > -Original Message- > > From: Gardner, Brent [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2001 11:07 AM > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: Boson Tests border on Unethical [7:26639] > > > > > > I too recently passed my written CCIE. I would go so far to > > say that the > > Boson tests push the limits in terms of ethical test > > preparation. I would > > say there were approximately five questions on the practice > > exams that were > > right out of the Cisco test. Most of these questions were > > worded almost > > exactly the same as they were in the CCIE written and the > > material they > > touched on was pretty esoteric. > > > > Brent Gardner Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=26888&t=26639 -- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: Boson Tests border on Unethical [7:26639]
The basic analysis here seems to make sense. But there is an implied assumption that doesn't. There will always be some people that take advantage of a situation, but the majority of people do not. Our society and economy, to say nothing of complex organizations in general, could not possibly function as they do unless that were the case. Boson has always suggested to me that tests should be written based on the stated exam criteria on CCO and the subjects covered in associated cisco curricula. YMMV. Jason - Boson author (bcmsn1, bscn2, bsci, quizware ccie) Kaminski, Shawn G wrote: > > It's easy to see what's happening here. All of Boson's tests > are done by > different authors. Each author is going to try like hell to get > their > questions as close as possible to the questions on the actual > exams, if not > right from the exams. Boson doesn't care because they state > right in their > author contract that they are not responsible for exams that > contain > questions that break the NDA. The author will be held > responsible. It's not > like Boson's going to double-check every authored exam for NDA > violations. > Anyway, the closer the author comes to the actual exam > questions, the more > exams he'll sell when word gets around that, for example, > "Boson Test #2 is > the one you need to get". However, Boson isn't doing anything > different than > any other company selling certification practice exams. It's a > ridiculously > huge, cut-throat, and competitive market out there for study > materials. > Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=27061&t=26639 -- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
