I'm thrilled to see the braindump sites starting to disappear. While I don't necessarily support the criminal prosecution of such braindumpers (seems more like a civil issue), I must admit that I'm liking the results. There's a chance now that, someday, my hard-earned MCSE will mean something again. I can just see it -- potential clients actually impressed with my certifications. Maybe we're on the long road back to the good ole' days of IT consulting!

But to get there, more has to happen. Much, much more. First off, all you existing "paper" MCSEs would need to relinquish your certs, knowing that your sacrificial efforts will help restore prestige and value to your "real-world" compatriots. Go get an entry-level job, put in your time doing the grunt work, and then let's talk about your IT skills. Or at least show me that you've done something outside the lab in your garage.

But it can go even further. I'd like to see the "legitimate" purveyors of certification exam helps recall their offerings and agree to publish only traditional how-to and reference material. What we need on the bookshelves are step-by-step guides and easy-to-look-up references, example-laden configuration manuals and "let me tell you how I did this in the real world' books. Enough of the "cram with this book and pass the test" stuff.

And all you employers of IT professionals out there, you also need to join the fray. How many times have you hired someone for an IT position based on his myriad certifications? Replace all those richly certified but actual experience-lacking individuals with true IT professionals.

Next, I want to talk to the training providers, the bootcamps, the "we'll make you an MCSE, MCDBA, and MCSD in 8 weeks" folks. You guys need to start by truly screening potential students. Oh, I know you all claim to enforce prerequisite skills, but most of you accept anyone who qualifies for financial aid. You also need to change your curricula: Don't teach to the test, but rather provide real-world skills to address real-world situations. It'd be great if you couldn't collect tuition for a student until that student actually got hired and stayed on the job for at least 90 days.

And let's not forget the companies that started this whole thing: The software and hardware vendors that implemented certification programs in the first place. Microsoft, take a cue from Cisco and develop a lab-based exam that is virtually impossible to pass unless you truly know your stuff. In fact, why doesn't Microsoft (and other companies with certification programs) simply get out of the certification business altogether? Vendor-neutral certifications haven't completely established themselves as worthy alternatives to their vendor-specific cousins, but they are finding their way into acceptance as a valid measure of IT prowess. If these could evolve into higher-level programs that truly take a neutral yet comprehensive approach to vendor technology, then we'd be getting somewhere.

Yeah, I'm glad to see these braindump sites go. But even if they all disappear, it's only one small step towards reclaiming the glory, the prestige, the practical value of my MCSE. Maybe I'll actually hang my MCSE certificate back on the wall again!