12/1/2008 -- The .NET exams are coming fast and furious, as another one went into beta last week. Available since Nov. 25 through Dec. 15 is Exam 70-505 TS: .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Forms Application Development.

Those who pass 70-505 in either the beta or live version will earn the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Forms Applications title, as well as earn credit toward two Professional-level certifications: MCPD: Windows Developer 3.5 and MCPD: Enterprise Application Developer 3.5.

The exam can be taken worldwide at Prometric centers except in China, India and Pakistan. While in beta, the exam is numbered 71-505.

Microsoft recommends that candidates who plan to take 70-505 have at least a year of experience "working with Windows-based applications using the .NET Framework," according to the exam objective guide. For candidates who want to prepare for the exam, Microsoft lists two official courses related to this exam:

• 2546B: Core Windows Forms Technologies with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 (three days)
• 2547A: Advanced Windows Forms Technologies with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 (two days)

There's also a self-study guide from Microsoft Press, MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-526): Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Windows-Based Client Development.

Exam 70-505 is expected to go live in February 2009.

The beta is free to those who provide the promo code when registering for the exam; for the code, click here. Michael Domingo