8/7/2002 -- According to the Sun Microsystems Web site, the launch date for its new 1.4 Sun Certified Java Programmer exam will be August 19.

As reported earlier, Sun has decided to version its Java certification exams. The current version, now named SCJP 1.2, will remain available after the 1.4 exam is launched.

Objectives for both exams can be found here.

In other Sun news, the company recently announced that beginning this month, North American candidates can now schedule all Sun exams directly through Prometric testing centers. Previously, Sun required all candidates to purchase vouchers from local Sun education centers before registering for an exam.

""We have listened to our customers and their feedback was a major driver for the change," explained Rick Bunzel, Sun's director of professional certification. "Another factor is that a large number of our candidates are coming from developing countries where it is not as easy for them to get to the local Sun office to purchase a test voucher. With the new process, they [can] go directly to their local Prometric Testing Center to register and take the test."

Direct registration began in the U.S. and Canada on Aug. 1. Sun said it will expand the process worldwide later this year.

To schedule an exam with Prometric, visit www.2test.com. -B.N.