SCJP 5.0 Beta Limited-time Offer for Participants

[Evelyn Cartagena-Meyer]

SCJP 5.0 Beta Limited-time Offer for Participants

For a limited time only, when you help set Java technology industry standards by taking the SCJP 5.0 Beta exam, Prometric will send you a voucher number which can be used to take any future SUN exam for 75% off, at any Prometric Testing Center - valid from July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006.

Don't delay! This offer is limited to the first 500 Beta participants who pay the $49 Beta exam fee and COMPLETE the SCJP 5.0 Beta exam. If you are one of the first 500 participants to register for and complete the SCJP 5.0 Beta exam, Prometric will send you a voucher number by email. If you have already paid the $49 Beta exam fee and have taken the exam, or are already registered and subsequently complete the exam, you are automatically included in the group that will receive the voucher.

This voucher number will be sent via email to you on or before March 31, 2005. The following details will apply to this voucher number:

- Valid for 75% off any SUN exam, at any Prometric Testing Center.
- Valid from July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006.
- Voucher will ONLY be sent to candidates who pay the $49 Beta exam fee and complete the 311-055 SCJP 5.0 Beta exam.
- Voucher CANNOT be transferred to another person.
- Voucher CANNOT be applied to an exam that has already been taken.
- Voucher CANNOT be combined with any other promotion or discount.

For Beta details and sign-up procedures, please see:
<http://www.sun.com/training/certification/java/beta.xml>.

Please let me know if you have any questions at [e-mail]

Thank you.

Regards,

Evelyn Cartagena
Java Certification Program Manager
Sun Microsystems, Inc.

[Srinivas Velamuri]

So this offer is valid only for the first 500 beta participants, who paid $49 exam fee and PASSED the beta examination, right?

[Martin CHOW]

I already have a free vorcher on the SCJP5.0 beta Exam, but still haven't taken the exam right now. If I want to get this offer, whether I need to paid $49 fee to take the beta exam rather than use the free vorcher ?

BTW, Can I know how many paid exam taker right now? which can help me to decide to giveup the free vorcher or paid $49.
[ February 18, 2005: Message edited by: Martin CHOW ]

[Nicholas Cheung]

Evelyn,

I have already taken the exam. Does this mean, if I get pass, I will definitely receive the 75% off offer?

In addition, as I can receive the voucher before 31 March 2005, is that mean I will get my result before 31 March 2005?

Nick

[Jay Ashar]

It says "This offer is limited to the first 500 Beta participants who pay the $49 Beta exam fee and COMPLETE the SCJP 5.0 Beta exam" so you don't have to pass the exam to qualify for this, looks like you just have to pay 49$ and sit for the exam, it doesn't say pass. Atleast thats what I figured from above post, maybe I am wrong.

[Nicholas Cheung]

It depends on how you "decode" the word "COMPLETE". It can mean took the exam only or pass the exam.

Anyway, I wish I can get it so that I can use it for SCEA part III.

Nick

[Nart]

hmmm... somehow it kinda sounds like those who just took it.. not necessarily passing... but i could be wrong... as i usually am

[Richard Huang]

I will understand it as whoever took it.

It makes sense that whoever took it, no mather passed nor not, has contributed to the exam itself. So it will be fair to give it to whoever paid and took the exam.

It sounds to me like that so far, by now, there are less 500 beta test takers...

[Nicholas Cheung]

there are less 500 beta test takers

It is quite normal because the beta period is too short (or in rush) for learning Tiger. Also, it needs pay! In the past, as the betas are free, whoever will take the exam even they dont study well and hopefully can pass by luck. This highly affects the result analysis. Now, if there is a payment, in case I have not studied well, and no confident to pass, I might cancel the exam.

It makes sense that whoever took it, no mather passed nor not, has contributed to the exam itself. So it will be fair to give it to whoever paid and took the exam.

It does not really make sense if the offer is to offer everyone who took the exam, with such a great discount, the above problem might happened again.

For example, now, I want to take SCJP 1.4 soon (or planned to take other SUN exams at July 2005). It costs me US $150 (assume no discounts). But due to this offer, I can try my luck again on SCJP Tiger, even without any study and even if I failed, I can still get the voucher and just need to pay US $49 (beta) + US $37.5 (offer price after discount=150x0.25) = US $86.5 to take SCJP 1.4 again, or take other SUN's exams, which is equivalent to 43% off.

As SUN does not give out discount offers, but people can get the discount via such logic, this will encounter the day-back problem for the free betas.

Thus, I believe the vouchers should only award to those who passed the exam, as this stops the people who want to "buy" a voucher at a discount for other SUN exams using this short-cut.

Nick

[Richard Huang]

Thus, I believe the vouchers should only award to those who passed the exam, as this stops the people who want to "buy" a voucher at a discount for other SUN exams using this short-cut.

Don't you think that whoever took the exam, no matter passed or not, did contribute their time and knowledge to the evaluation? I don't believe only people who pass contribute to the BETA test.

People will not go for the Beta exam only for the 40+% discount. They still have to pay, and spend time to stady and take the exam. Most important, their answers contribute to the evaluation. That is where the discount comes from�

[Jeroen Wenting]

What Nicholas is saying is that there's bound to be people who sign up for the beta just to get a discount for the exam they really want.
Get out there, tick random answers for the questions (no preparation at all), and get a discount voucher to spend at your leasure after prepping for something else.

I don't know if it happens, but if one person gets the idea it could be done others could well get the same idea and actually do it.

[Richard Huang]

I don't see any concerns there for random test takers only going for discounts... there is 500 quota.

First of all, within the 500 person, the majority is serious test taker, like Nick and me.. :roll:

Secondly, there may have been 499 test takers eligible for the discount, who would take that risk to pay $49 for nothing?

hahaha, enjoy...

[Nart]

Well, in any case i've just received an email from SunBeta, confirming that anyone who only takes it, not necessarily passing... will get the discount..

Nart

[Mark Spritzler]

You guys make me laugh at how much time and thought you are putting into this. Regardless of the exact math that calculates the 5.0 at $49 and 75% off 1.4 to get to take the 1.4 at 40%.

The offer is for anyone who has taken the exam pass or not, and it is a very nice and cool gesture of Sun to do this for us. I thank them very much.

Thanks Evelyn.

Mark

[John Barry]

It's definitely a cool thing if you are among the 500 first beta testers, but if you are not, then if you fail the beta exam, you're out 50 dollars and you still have to pay full price to sit for your SCJP.

[ankur rathi]

In my opinion Sun has got 500 beta-takers ( or may be , will get in 2-3 days ) . And in that case if anyone do hurry for 75% discount & suppose get fail in beta ( because of hurry ) and don't get discount ( because already 500 has got ) then it would not be good for that person ...

I think Evelyn should clear that , how many given beta ( how many elegible for 75 % discount ) ....

Please Evelyn , we all are waiting for your answer ...

Thanks a lot .

[Nicholas Cheung]

I think Evelyn should clear that , how many given beta ( how many elegible for 75 % discount ) ....

I think this information will not be released to public, just like you dont know when IBM has given out 2000 free vouchers for passing ICE tests.

Nick

[Barry Gaunt]

Originally posted by rathi ji:

Please Evelyn , we all are waiting for your answer ...

Originally posted by Evelyn:

Please let me know if you have any questions at [e-mail]

[Vedhas Pitkar]

I am interested only if Sun is offering a free voucher

[David Harkness]

Vedhas: Well, at least you tried.

[Barry Gaunt]

Closing this now because it's going from the sublime to the ridiculous.
And by sublime I meant the 1st post.
[ February 21, 2005: Message edited by: Barry Gaunt ]

[Barry Gaunt]

For a follow-up please see Bert's Post