Microsoft Expels MCPs, Comes Down on Web Sites for NDA Violations
10/25/2000 -- Microsoft said recently that it has expelled a number of MCPs from its certification program as a result of its recently updated anti-cheating and exam non-disclosure policy. The latest iteration, made public in June (go to www.microsoft.com/trainingandservices and click on Certification, then on the news item “Microsoft Enforces Exam Security Policy”) threatens anybody caught cheating on an exam with immediate loss of any current certifications the candidate holds and permanent ineligibility for any Microsoft Certified Professional certification. Examples of violations include using notes brought into the testing center, copying test questions, and looking at the monitors of other test takers.
Microsoft is also hitting hard on Web sites suspected of publishing exam material. Alice Ciccu, exam development program manager in the MCP program, said the owners of seven sites were recently found to be in violation of the nondisclosure agreement by publishing questions from certification exams.
“We can go after individual posters, but that takes a long time,” said Ciccu. “If I can just get the Web site taken down, all those people [who] posted to it are removed.”
The site owners -- four MCPs in Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, and Texas -- were immediately decertified and are now permanently ineligible for any Microsoft certification.
“All four of those people had violated the nondisclosure agreement,” Ciccu said. “They also violated their MCP program agreement, which said they would not do anything to cause harm to the program or Microsoft, which a braindump site clearly does.”
Ciccu said she believes that most of the Web sites in question have either come down or removed content related to Microsoft exams. She added that a “couple of dozen” individuals will probably become decertified in the month of September for sharing questions or cheating.
The company requests those who know of specific incidents of cheating or exam piracy to provide details to or by calling 800-636-7544. As the policy states, “We will investigate all credible leads.” -- Dian L. Schaffhauser
This article originally appeared in the November 2000 issue of Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine.
What do you think of Microsoft's crackdown on braindumps? Post your comments below or enter our Forums.
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There are 54  user Comments for “Microsoft Expels MCPs, Comes Down on Web Sites for NDA Violations”
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| 1/25/01: Susie says: |
My brother worked part-time in a testing center and he supplemented his $5.35 an hour with tips from test takers to look the other way. Many of the organizations that use testing centers allow books, so people using books are not unusual. Sometimes he made as much as $65.00 in one shift |
| 1/25/01: Boris says: |
When you take a test, use a testing center in a country like Russia. Do you really think that Microsoft cares what goes on in Moscow? After all, they get paid don't they, even if a person takes the test for someone else? |
| 1/28/01: Finally MCSE says: |
I think the reason I started using sample test questions and dumps is because of the terrible and sneaky way that Microsoft wrote the questions. It seems that in many of the questions were worded to trick you, not test your knowledge or competency. How may times did I look at a question about a subject that I really knew, and could for the life of me figure out the answer because of the distorted way it was presented? The new 2000 tests have gone in the right direction in that regard, and will take care of some of the problem automatically. But the fact remains that if an expert administrator attempted the 4.0 tests without getting the jist of things with petri/ transcender/ braindump type questions, he would probably fail miserably because of the testing method. |
| 1/30/01: MCP says: |
I wonder if any of the Exam Question Providers....errr, practice exam providers on-staff MCP's and MCSE's still have their certifications? |
| 1/31/01: Microsoft Fan says: |
I am glad that they are getting rid of the brain dump sites. I looked at one when I took my first test around 2 yrs ago and it was more confusing than anything else. I also don't like the fact that when I started (part time) working on my MCSE, the average MCSE was being paid 60K+ to start; now they’re lucky to make 40K - 50K. The value of the certification is gone and is basically worthless now. And that’s unfortunate for the guys like me that work their as*es off for this Cert. By the way I should add that I think the practice exams are a good tool to help you study, as long as there not the only tool you use. You need a way to measure your skills and know what you’re lacking in. |
| 2/4/01: Practice says: |
What is the point of taking the Microsoft track? To have a better understanding of Microsoft products. Why are braindumps good? It gives you a chance to practice what you've read in the book. I'm not so worried about getting a piece of paper that says MCSE, I wont to be able to solve my network problem when and if they come up. Braindumps are simulations of real life problems. The more the better, because when it comes up in the real world I will have seen that problem and I will know how to go about solving that problem. Practice practice practice. |
| 2/15/01: malto says: |
Braindumps suck, and so does Transcender. |
| 2/18/01: Vijay says: |
well I'm fully agreed with Practice Anonymous..as I'm an MCP right now just bwcause of the Braindumps,Transcender which i had, after reading the book & lot of practice i think that was only given to learn more about Microsoft Products rather than providing the straight exams,I'm agree that some of the questions are on these braindups are very similer or you can say same as appears in the exams.But the main advantage of having these dumps is they provide the real life problem, if you go as per microsoft official curr. i assure you , you won't be able to solve the problem in real life. so these dumps are the key to solve that kind of problem. not only this we share our thoughts & experiance on these dumps which we face in our real life problems. so i think there is no harm to having these kind of dumps But make it sure you should have Practice enough & have read your MOC carefully. |
| 2/22/01: deshbir says: |
well,i am fully agreed with the microsoft that braindumps sites should be banned. as i have sepend lot if money and hard wirk to pass mcse. & i have seen people who doesn"t know the abc of nt but still they are mcse certified. if these people carries certification in the market, people will thought passing a mcse is a child play.then what is the use of of all the certification, i think it is a just show off case.by this either microsoft or any ither company wants to make poupler his products. in the end it will carry no values just a paper nothing else. i think if the companies doesn't taken any hard step, the certification value will be goen. |
| 4/13/01: jsprad says: |
I wonder how many of you could walk into a room with computers, routers, switches, hubs and NICS, put it all together from scratch and get the network running and on the net? |
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