SCJP 5.0 BETA Certification Exam

[Ko Ko Naing]

Originally posted by Joyce Lee:
I sent an e-mail to Evelyn asking her about this. She said that those who participated in the blueprint survey would receive a voucher next week.

Can anyone share me, if he/she got the voucher and does not want to take the exam? I will surely prepare for it and put my highest affords on the exam not to bias the passing rate on the real exam... I have both Tiger's Developers Notebook and Herbert Schildt's J2SE 5.0 Tiger New Features as a hard copies...

But I guess everyone who took the blueprint survey will take the exam...

[Robert Hayes]

Maybe this has been asked and answered, but: how many of those 138 questions are related strictly to 1.5? Ie: will the majority of the exam be a rehash of what I did for 1.4?

And... were all 1.4 certified developers sent the offer email?
[ December 19, 2004: Message edited by: Robert Hayes ]

[Nicholas Cheung]

how many of those 138 questions are related strictly to 1.5? Ie: will the majority of the exam be a rehash of what I did for 1.4?

It is not obviously, as the language fundemental of 1.4 and 1.5 might be simpliar. But I am sure that, if you have only 1.4 knowledge, it might be very difficult to pass this beta exam, as Bert said, this exam is very difficult.

And... were all 1.4 certified developers sent the offer email?

What do you mean by the offer email? If you are refering to an email from SUN that asking you to join this beta exam, then the answer is NO. Everyone who pay USD$49 can join this beta exam.

Nick

[Jim Yingst]

[Robert Hayes]: Maybe this has been asked and answered, but: how many of those 138 questions are related strictly to 1.5? Ie: will the majority of the exam be a rehash of what I did for 1.4?

I think about a third of the questions involve new features from 1.5. Maybe more. And there are also some things from before 1.5 which were not covered in previous exams, but are covered now. So I'd say over half the exam uses material that wasn't on previous exams. Evelyn will be posting the objectives tomorrow (Monday), that will give you a much better idea what's there.

---

Regarding the "JLS3 beta" - note that it's also available from Sun's main Java documentation page. Follow the link to the Java Language Specification, then see where it says "for the latest updates and proposals, see the Java Language Specification maintenance information." However, for most people I wouldn't recommend trying to learn from the JLS. It's a reference, not a tutorial. It's good for authoritative infomation on the exact details of how the language works. But it's not good as an introduction to the new features. It's rather difficult to read.

For info on the new language features, a good place to start is in the JDK 1.5 release notes themselves. Here is a good overview of the key features - if you study the links on generics, the enhanced for loop, autoboxing, enums, varargs, and static imports you'll be in pretty good shape. (You don't really need annotations for the exam.) For generics, be sure to follow the link to the generics tutorial too. Also you'll want to study various packages and classes in the core libraries (old and new) - see the the upcoming post of the objectives for more info on this.

And don't forget - write lots of code, trying out the new features as you learn about them. The JDK itself is one of the best learning resources you have.
[ December 19, 2004: Message edited by: Jim Yingst ]

[Vedhas Pitkar]

By making the Beta paid,Sun has disheartened me.I was preapring seriously for the Beta,but $49 is too much for me(just for a Beta).In this case, I will wait until the Final exam is released & the give the Real thing.Why waste 4 hrs on a beta?

[Nicholas Cheung]

Why waste 4 hrs on a beta?

Because the fee is two-third of the real exam, while the number of questions is just double of the real exam. So, what you save is more than what you give.

Nick

[Nicholas Cheung]

Thanks Jim for additional info.

Will you go for the beta as well?

Nick

[Jim Yingst]

[Vedhas]: Why waste 4 hrs on a beta?

Well, if you pass, your certification is just as valid as if it weren't a beta. And it still costs about a hundred dollars less than the regular exam. And you get your 1.5 certification a few months earlier than you could otherwise.

[Nicholas]: Will you go for the beta as well?

Actually, I helped write it.

[Pradeep bhatt]

Jim,
Some mock q's please.

[Nicholas Cheung]

Actually, I helped write it.

Jim, any book recommended? How's Cay's Core Java 7th edition?

Nick

[Sharika Raj]

What is the passing criteria for this beta? I mean how many shud be correct out of 138?

[Anusorn Swasdee]

I've just registered the SCJD ( Dev. Exam ) for a month.
Writing the code.
Can I register this beta exam while taking SCJD.
Is it legal?

Thanks for advance.
Anusorn

[Theodore Casser]

Originally posted by Vijayadi Bin:
What is the passing criteria for this beta? I mean how many shud be correct out of 138?

Part of the reason for the beta is to determine the passing score. They're going to analyze the comments and the scores on each question based on the demographic information you have to give at the beginning to decide the criteria.

So, basically, you're paying $49 for the chance to try 138 of the potential questions for the real exam, perhaps to achieve the certification early, in part to help them decide what those who come after have to achieve.

[Mark Spritzler]

Originally posted by Joe Schlabottnik:
Hi Folks,

thanks for your help

I found it via JSR 901 at

http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/jls-proposed-changes.html

Greetings from the cyberspace, Joe

"Joe"-
Welcome to the JavaRanch! Please adjust your displayed name to meet the

JavaRanch Naming Policy.

You can change it

here.

Thanks! and welcome to the JavaRanch!

Mark

[Barry Gaunt]

Interestingly the $49 for the 1.5 Beta is less than the cost of Sun's mock exams for SCJP 1.4. So I reckon it's a good deal.

[Mark Spritzler]

Originally posted by Jim Yingst:


Actually, I helped write it.

But we will still make him take the Beta.

Mark

[Barry Gaunt]

Originally posted by Anusorn Swasdee:
I've just registered the SCJD ( Dev. Exam ) for a month.
Writing the code.
Can I register this beta exam while taking SCJD.
Is it legal?

Thanks for advance.
Anusorn

No problem, go for it.

[Mark Spritzler]

Originally posted by Pradeep Bhat:
Jim,
Some mock q's please.

I think I heard a rumor that some mocks will be coming out and from great sources, but let them rest after last week, man skiing can really tire you out.

Mark

[Jim Yingst]

...particulary if you're used to living at sea level, eh?

---

Jim, any book recommended? How's Cay's Core Java 7th edition?

No idea. I haven't read any of the 1.5 books. I studied the links I previously cited, and wrote lots of test code.

---

I see that Evelyn has now posted the new objectives over here. Enjoy.

[Pradeep bhatt]

Originally posted by Vedhas Pitkar:
By making the Beta paid,Sun has disheartened me.I was preapring seriously for the Beta,but $49 is too much for me(just for a Beta).In this case, I will wait until the Final exam is released & the give the Real thing.Why waste 4 hrs on a beta?

I agree that $49 is lot for an Indian programmer. Why dont you ask your employer to sponsor. I know it is difficult but why dont you try?

[Joyce Lee]

Never taken a beta exam before. With limited information, my current concern is how in depth one needs to prepare for this exam based on the "Testing Objectives". Would the exam ask more than what stated in the objectives? Based on past experiences, this is usually the case. If underprepared, one may not be able to provide useful feedback to Sun or worst, fail the exam. So how about overprepared? Hmmm...there're books that are designed specifically for regular expression.

[Mark Spritzler]

Originally posted by Joyce Lee:
Never taken a beta exam before. With limited information, my current concern is how in depth one needs to prepare for this exam based on the "Testing Objectives". Would the exam ask more than what stated in the objectives? Based on past experiences, this is usually the case. If underprepared, one may not be able to provide useful feedback to Sun or worst, fail the exam. So how about overprepared? Hmmm...there're books that are designed specifically for regular expression.

That is a good point. Yes, you really need to be prepared. The objectives were rigorously followed, but you need to know the practical side not the memorization side of the objectives. I don't think you can ever be over-prepared for this exam.

They need beta testers to be well prepared so that they can give good comments.

Mark
[ December 21, 2004: Message edited by: Mark Spritzler ]

[Joyce Lee]

Thanks Mark for the comments. Just curious, were you involved in writing this beta exam? You seem to know a lot of inside info.

[Jim Yingst]

I think Mark may want to maintain plausible deniability here, Joyce.

[Joyce Lee]

Jim, he can't deny it cos he knows too much.

[Nicholas Cheung]

I agree, any additional insider info to be shared?

Nick

[Mark Spritzler]

Originally posted by Joyce Lee:
Thanks Mark for the comments. Just curious, were you involved in writing this beta exam? You seem to know a lot of inside info.

I just have this little bird that whispers stuff to me.

Mark

[Pradeep bhatt]

Joyce:
Did you get the Voucher?Thanks

[Joyce Lee]

Originally posted by Pradeep Bhat:
Joyce:
Did you get the Voucher?Thanks

Not yet.

[Martin CHOW]

Just got the voucher!
It say:

only valid for the 311-055, Sun Certified Programmer for the Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition 5.0 beta exam from January 13, 2005 until February 13, 2005....

You will have five (5) hours to complete 166 questions

[ December 23, 2004: Message edited by: Martin CHOW ]

[Joyce Lee]

Same here, Martin. This is truly a Christmas present from Sun.

But... how come there are 166 questions instead of 138?

[Mark Spritzler]

Originally posted by Joyce Lee:
Same here, Martin. This is truly a Christmas present from Sun.

But... how come there are 166 questions instead of 138?

Just to make you sweat even more.

Mark

[Martin CHOW]

Originally posted by Joyce Lee:

But... how come there are 166 questions instead of 138?

look like they have added more question lastly.
but,the objective in the email is still the old version(i.e No Queue<E> in Sect.6), which one is the real beta exam objectives?
[ December 23, 2004: Message edited by: Martin CHOW ]

[Henry Zheng]

Still waiting for the voucher here...

Hope I can find it in my emails when back from X'mas

[Joyce Lee]

Originally posted by Mark Spritzler:


Just to make you sweat even more.

I thought it was purely a typo mistake...

Regarding this little bird you mentioned, I suspect it is a Scarlet SunBird, a small beautiful and colorful bird from Java island.

[Billy Tsai]

tell u the truth I am not really interested in this new SCJP certification, so I am not going to take it.
Anyway I have to work and dont have the money to afford and the time to waste for this exam.
I have already paid lots money to Sun Educational services already from all the certification exam fees and so far the ROI is very little so I have realised this is just a hopeless effort even for self interest and improvemennt.

[Nicholas Cheung]

Upto a certain level, no matter how much you are investing in, the yield will become flatten because the concentration is already saturated.

Anyway, for beta exams or promotion exams, I feel it is still worth for investing time and moeny, especially there are sponserships.

Nick

[Anusorn Swasdee]

Originally posted by Barry Gaunt:


No problem, go for it.

Thank you for your reply.
Anusorn

[MannY Gates]

I heard the java 1.5 beta is free... how can I get that voucher???

[Joyce Lee]

Originally posted by MannY Gates:
I heard the java 1.5 beta is free... how can I get that voucher???

One must pay $49 US for this beta exam. Only those who participated in the blueprint survey last month would receive a free voucher.