Re: What ever became of GroupStudy ...!

[Annlee Hines]

Fair warning--a long response follows.   I lurked for quite some time before I actually felt I had something to contribute. I, too, have noticed that the group has become not just cisco-certification oriented, but downright exam-centric. The problem I have with this is that it's putting the cart before the horse...perhaps even before the foal.   As I see things (and bite my head off--gently, please--if you see things rather differently), certification was originally intended to verify an existing level of knowledge, of the sort gained by experience. However, it seems to have evolved to where one is expected to be certified (in something) before one can get the first job with which to gain that experience.   Either route is valid. The apprentice system takes longer; it also stands a higher chance of losing ideas and/or having to reinvent the wheel because knowledge does not become centrally stored and widely distributed. Indeed, there is an incentive to hoard knowledge, to put value in having been apprenticed by Master So-and-so. On the other hand, it also tends to slow down fools inclined to rush in, and ensure that no one becomes a member of the guild without having demonstrated certain skills first.   The medical school model seems to me to be the opposite. One acquires the academic knowledge, demonstrates that in a series of examinations, and is allowed to begin to practice, under close, adult supervision. This ensures that mistakes due to ignorance are far less likely, but it opens the door to the skilled test-taker, the paper cert. Perhaps one solution would be to divert the exam-centric material, as the jobs material was diverted, by setting up a separate list for that.   There are 3 lists now, with the "serious people" having the CCIE lab list for those who have passed the written. A CCNA/DA/NP/DP exams list might divert the exam-centric traffic and allow those who want to focus there to exchange ideas. I suspect it might need close monitoring, as such things tend to ward violations of the NDA--as we all saw with Novell/MS etc. Alternatively, we could simply declare that we aren't going to muck about with exam issues any more. Post in the FAQ how to go find it yourself--good practice! If you want exam information with less effort, there are plenty of other places to get it that way.   And, of course, we can always do nothing, hoping that this, too, shall pass. I vote for the next to last, as I don't think this shall pass.   Annlee Hines NNCSS-P, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, etc ""Nigel Taylor"" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message [EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]... Groupstudy,                 Let me pose this question again, "What ever became of GroupStudy?".  The reason I ask is as of lately the post within the group has been more unrelated to groupstudy than ever before that I've seen.  <snip>