The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group
For the bookshelf
Ash Nallawalla
 ash@melbpc.org.au

MCSE TestPrep Core Exams

Jay Adamson and 18 others have created this massive compilation of over 2000 practice questions that will help you to achieve the coveted Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) qualification. It is not meant to be the sole source of information; the reader is expected to be familiar with the subject matter and should treat this book as a study aid.

The MCSE qualification requires you to pass four core subjects and two electives: this book covers the core topics:

  • Windows NT Server 4.0
  • Windows NT Server 4.0 Enterprise
  • Windows NT Workstation 4.0
  • Networking Essentials.
I cannot do justice to a 1513-page book except to say that it is a truly comprehensive work that will be valuable to a MSCE aspirant or to the office guru who has learnt NT by trial and error. I would like to focus on the latter, because the former group of people is motivated enough to recognise the value of passing the exams but the latter represents another audience for the book.

The office guru can be forgiven for giving up in despair when confronted with hundreds of books on Windows NT. Many of those books are re-packaged or padded versions of the official Microsoft online documents and might be unnecessary for the semi-expert reader. Many of them are written months or years before the release of the product--when did you see the first Windows 98/Memphis book?

The self-taught guru needs the raw facts quickly, or to use an Internet term, the FAQs--the frequently asked questions (and answers). You don't want to wade through marketing puffery when your server is down.

Taking one random example, section 6.2 is entitled Troubleshooting Boot Failures and runs for 19 pages. Its broad divisions are:
  • Booting up (6 pages)
  • Troubleshooting the boot process (0.5 page)
  • The emergency repair process (3.5 pages)
  • Practice problems (6 pages, 57 questions)
  • Answers to practice problems (3 pages).
T he content includes a matter-of-fact description of the situation, in sequence, what could go wrong with the various parameters, which are the critical files, and how to fix the problem.

While I picked a "problem" for an example, the book also covers management and planning topics. In other words, the book could be viewed as a vast collection of overviews, process descriptions, and procedures, all of which are enhanced by presenting questions and answers.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I knew more than I realised and may be tempted to try the MCSE exams myself. I believe that this book will become wellused in every NT server environment. Be sure to check it out in the book store.
Jay Adamson et al: MCSE TestPrep Core Exams
ISBN: 1 56205 831 2
1513 pages
Published by Que
Distributed by Prentice Hall Australia
RRP: $89.95

Programming in C++

Programming in C++ is a straightforward, no-frills textbook that provides an introduction to the C++ programming language.

The authors, Nell Dale, Chip Weems, and Mark Headington, say that topics once considered too advanced for an introductory course are now being taught at this level. For example, preconditions and postconditions have been used to illustrate algorithm walk-throughs, the development of testing strategies, and interface documentation for user-written functions. Data abstraction and abstract data types are explained in conjunction with the C++ class mechanism, which forms a natural introduction to object-oriented programming.

Each chapter begins with a list of learning objectives. These are reinforced and tested using end-of-chapter exercises. Programming examples are sprinkled liberally throughout the book. They are solved and the output and code are discussed. "Quick check" questions are provided to check the student's recall without needing to look up something.

Instructors can request the Instructor's Guide, which contains teaching notes, answers to the remaining questions, transparency masters, and some examination questions. They can also ask for the Instructor's CD-ROM, which contains PowerPoint slides on the lesson outline, a computerised test bank, and a simulated Web interface that avoids the need for a live Internet connection.

The programming examples in the book can be downloaded from http://www.jbpub.com/disks. I learnt programming using Pascal, some ten years ago; I relate very well to the structure of this book and I believe it would be an excellent book for this purpose.

Dale, Weems, and Headington:Programming in C++
ISBN: 0 7637 0537 3
640 pages
Published by Jones and Bartlett Publishers
Distributed by Blackwell Science Asia
RRP: $81.95
http://www.jbpub.com/C++/links

Reprinted from the May 1998 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia

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