Websphere Studio Application Developer

[Michael McElwee]

With the new release of Websphere Studio Application Developer (WSAD) now available, I would be reluctant to spend money on either the WebSphere Studio 4.0 or VAJ 4.0 exams. Unfortunately, one or the other are required for the IBM Certified Solution Developer exam. (I passed the VAJ 4.0 exam, but I took it when IBM was offering it for free.) On the plus side, it looks like WebSphere 4.0 exam will be current for at least a little while. Any ideas when WebSphere 5.0 is going to hit the market?
-Michael McElwee
Sun Certified Java Developer
IBM Certified Solution Developer
Microsoft Certified Solution Developer
IBM Certified Solutions Expert (DB2)

[Doug Wang]

I am eager to know when the WSAD cert will be released.

[Axel Janssen]

me, too.
What to do?
email to IBM educational support?
private message to Kyle Brown?
I'll try ibm business partner support germany.
In every case, please tell us here if u know s.th.
Axel
[ March 19, 2002: Message edited by: Axel Janssen ]

[seema mani]

Yes, i too agree that no point spending time and money with VAJ certification.
Is this certification going out or new version is coming? Will it continue to be part of JCert?

[Stephen Wei]

Hello ALL:
I am considering getting the IBM Certified Enterprise Developer cert. SO I need to get the IBM certified solution developer first.
At the current time, the only solution developer choice is VAJ4.0. As people mentioned before, The new WSAD is more useful, so is it possible for IBM to make it WSAD soluction developer soon? Should I wait for it?
Also, What is exactly WSAD, combines VAJ and Websphere?
Please advise, thanks.

[Curt Combar]

Why would anyone consider it useful to receive certification for an IDE? Are there actually employers who look for people that are certified in an IDE? It seems to me that there are much more useful certifications to be had.
Curt

[Michael McElwee]

I will attempt to answer some of the questions/comments on this trail:
WebSphere Studio Application Developer is essentially the combination of VAJ and WebSphere Studio. It is now file-based (VAJ is repository based), allows you to swap out which JDK you use and is otherwise more flexible than VAJ/WebSphere studio were.
Why get certified in an IDE? Basically for the same reason that one would get certified in anything. If you have no work experience, a certification may give you some credibility. If you do have work experience, certification may help to set you apart from others without certification. Also, certifications, like degrees, are a lot more "provable" than work experience; unless, of course you give tests to the people you are interviewing. Even then, the certified person might be better off, as he is used to taking tests.
I don't view IDE certification any more or less valuable than certification in anything else. It is just proof that you've mastered a product (or at least mastered enough of it to pass a specific test).

[Doug Wang]

Michael,
Thanks for your informative answer.
Stephen,
Actually, to get the IBM Certified Enterprise Developer cert, any solution developer of jCert initiative is OK, including IBM's, BEA's, HP's, Oracle's, etc.

Originally posted by Stephen Wei:
I am considering getting the IBM Certified Enterprise Developer cert. SO I need to get the IBM certified solution developer first.

[ March 20, 2002: Message edited by: Doug Wang ]

[Craig Schwabl]

Here is the latest information from IBM's web site here
"Planned Certification availability date for WebSphere Studio Application Developer V4.0 is April 15, 2002."

Unfortunately there were no additional details about it.
Craig

[JeanLouis Marechaux]

Originally posted by Michael McElwee:
[QB]Any ideas when WebSphere 5.0 is going to hit the market?
-Michael McElwee
QB]

I was once said by an IBM guy that WAS 5 will be available by the end of 2002.
But it was an unofficial timeframe