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18 August 2008
Microsoft sues site selling answers to certification exam questions
A federal court in Connecticut has ordered a certification test help-site to stop publishing Microsoft-related materials, after the software giant sued the company, claiming that it was selling actual certification exam questions.
In a preliminary injunction signed last week, US District Court Judge Warren Eginton ordered Pass4sure.com and its parent company, Freetech Services, to stop distributing the materials.
Pass4sure sells "high quality IT exam practice questions and answers," according to its website. The company promises a full refund to anyone who does not pass an IT exam on their first try after using its testing engine.
However, Microsoft says that the company is selling actual exam answers. Company investigators downloaded the Pass4sure practice exams for a variety of tests in early May and found that they were "identical or substantially similar" to Microsoft's own certification exams, Microsoft said in court filings.
Pass4sure sells questions for many certification tests, including those offered by Cisco Systems, Oracle and IBM. The tests cost between about $80 (£42) and $125.
These kinds of professional certifications are an important measurement of professional advancement amongst IT professionals and can translate into bigger salaries for those who earn them.
Although Pass4sure no longer lists Microsoft tests on its website, cached pages linking to dozens of tests can be found on Google.com.
The company did not return messages seeking comment for this story.
Microsoft declined to comment on this story.
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Comments received
Get Over IT said on Monday, 18 August 2008
As Far as Having a certification making you more money. Well, "Plain CRAP" get over it. If you Don't have the experiance, Holding up a piece of paper that says, Score 700 is passing DOES NOT DO ANYTHING FOR YOU. You still have to interview, you still have to get in there and fix it. The Certifications are more so people can decorate thier Cubicals.
freddie macs fanny said on Tuesday, 19 August 2008
yea, like a certification means anything - the worst systems I ever worked on were written by ms certified professionals. good on those enterprising folk I says.
Mark Rae said on Tuesday, 19 August 2008
Microsoft "certifications" are a total and utter waste of candidates' time and money and any employer who regards them with any sort of value is not someone I'd ever want to work for...
Philippe Vanstipelen said on Tuesday, 19 August 2008
MS Examens are a waste of time indeed. But the truth is that Microsoft partners are required to have x employees with a Microsoft certificate.
Certifiable said on Tuesday, 19 August 2008
You might well say they are a waste of time, but they are often seen by potential employers as a "badge" that proves you can do the work (even if we know it doesn't really)
Obviously they are no substitute for experience, but recently getting my MCTS (*legitimately!*) probably added at least £5-10k onto the salary of the new job I just accepted, so they're certainly not worthless :)
Expert said on Tuesday, 19 August 2008
MS Certificates are a good measurement of your knowledge of the stuff.
RedZone said on Tuesday, 19 August 2008
Certifications have a meaning. It isn't the meaning that the industry wants you to believe it is. An ASE Certified automobile technician isn't anything special, but customers are more likely to take their car to someone with the certs than someone without. A cert is for the customer, not the employee/employer. I work in the computer industry but currenly hold 7 ASE certifications. I also have Microsoft, Citrix, Bluecoat, and ITIL certifications. Do I think I'm something special? No, but I do know that when I am in competition with someone else for a job the employer will take the certs into consideration. It also shows how dedicated you are to your career. People who try to stay current with certifications show that they are continuing to learn new technologies. Citrix and VMWare won't allow certification until certain classes are taken. Having the cert proves the class was attended. It doesn't prove you stayed awake during it, just that you were there. So, certs DO mean something.
You are wrong said on Tuesday, 19 August 2008
Certifications do help you get hired and get you raises. Employers look for personnel with these certifications. It doesn't mean they are an expert, but let's them know what knowlege they are already familiar with. Certifications on a resume are a plus. Experience matters, but some people put Active Directory experience on their resume if they happen to walk past the domain controller twice a day. It has been my experience that certified personnel know more than non-certified personnel. Therefore its best to have experience and certifications.
Ramon Ecung II said on Tuesday, 19 August 2008
Yes, certs don't mean that you are an expert or that you know more than the next guy (you can relate this to going to college as well) but it does separate you from the rest of the people that know the same amount as you, but don't have the motivation to get certified. It's just another way make yourself different from the rest of the people.