A+ Certification for Dummies

Rating:
Summary: Hardware good; Software lacking
Review: The A+ is two exams, Hardware and Software. This book devotes 4/5 of its space to Hardware, and 1/5 to Software. This book will prepare you for Test One very well (five stars), but you'll need additional study materials to learn enough to pass Test Two (where this book earns only two stars). In fact this book should be called merely "A+ Certification Hardware Exam for Dummies."

Rating:
Summary: overall A+
Review: This book has some high points and some low points. Overall the high points far out wiegh the bad. First the hardware is very well presented. Clear concise and doesn't leave the reader thinking "what about that one thing" very often. However he could have gone more indepth on his explanations for number conversions, and there were some inconsitencies when he would right numbers out. The Operating system was lacking in base knowledge, but I feel that it was justified. You can't expect to take the exam with out hands on experience, and if you have had *enough* hands on experience than you will realize that he isn't lacking that much.

Overall I give this book an A+. I think it servers as a great reviewer, I've read 3 different A+ prep books and I feel this was the best.

Rating:
Summary: little software
Review: very little software that is on test hardware ok but very lacking in the software section

Rating:
Summary: Not bad
Review: To be brief, this book is very nicely organized. However, it contains some typographical errors and there's also a lot of redundancy present. Plus, the author goes on some length to describe no-brainer topics. Thus I wouldn't recommend this book unless you are a "Dummie" or you don't want to spend $... on a good book.

Rating:
Summary: I passed!
Review: With this book and this "A+ Question of the Day" thing I was getting in my email each day, I passed the test. With the exception of a few small errors here and there in the book, it proved to be very reliable.

Beware...And I'm not certain of the validity of this, but another reviewer said that the test has changed since I took it, so this book alone might not be enough for potential test takers.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

Rating:
Summary: good for old exam prior to January 2001
Review: The book itself is good however the exam has changed. Advertizing book out of date for the new exam is very deciving to possible customers. Do all of us a favior if it is does not cover operating systems/core do not advertize it like a new book. Put it back in the closet where it belongs!

Rating:
Summary: Ha! And to think I was told I couldn't get certified!
Review: This really is THE book for dummies. I went from knowing zip about computers to building my own PC. I couldn't take the technical jargon of other books. I sure had fun through this one!

All Dummies books follow the same format and you can start anywhere in the book (In English that means that the author doesn't assume you've read a previous chapter).

The jokes, humor and cartoons do a good job at keeping you awake. After reading, I played the Quiklern game on the CD after going through the lessons and, Voilá! I felt ready and went and took both tests on the same day. Now I have my A+ Certification from CompTIA.

You DO have to study and give the test the seriousness it deserves. Whipping out over a couple of hundred dollars for a test is no laughing matter.

Study the exam objectives, learn the content of the questions and not the answers and you should do well on the test.

Rating:
Summary: Passing the A+ exam
Review: This is a very well written book that is easy to read and understand. Not a whole lot of technical mumbo jumbo. Ideal for anyone new to the computer field but also very good for the experienced professional. All around a very good book. This is a very inexpensive way to study for and pass the A+ exam.

Rating:
Summary: "A+ Certificatio for Dummies" does the job!
Review: Mr. Gilster's 2001 edition of "A+ Certification for Dummies" is a comprehensive preparation guide for the new A+ examinations. It stays true to the "Dummies" concept of serving as an introduction to anyone wanting to learn more about computers, but it is a serious read and study guide for anyone wanting or needing to obtain A+ certification.

The final chapter in the book categorically lists other web sites that contain simulators or other test prep information (one of them, ..., will send you a test question each day). The software that comes with the book contains an excellent test simulator.

In preparation for my A+ exams I also read the 2001 edition of Ron Meyers' "All In One A+ Certification Guide." With so much material floating around I did not want to rely on just one source to prepare for the exams; I wanted to pass these tests the first time around. Mr. Meyers' book is comprehensive but weighs in at about twice the size of the "Dummies" book (and you need to load a patch to get the software to run properly). My point is that I write this review with the benefit of having read two separate -- and excellent -- guides on the new A+ examinations. If, like me, you have a lot of experience with PC's then the "A+ For Dummies" book might be the only guide you'll need to pass the exams...

Rating:
Summary: Decent but not the best
Review: I used this book exclusively to study for the A+ exam. I passed both tests my first try, but I just barely squeaked by on the OS. The book only devotes three chapters to a topic that could be an entire book by itself. I also felt that the networking section of the book was lacking.

If you are like me and just wanted to brush up on your computer repair knowledge before spending the money to take the tests, this book -may- work for you, but if you are new to the computer world, I suggest a more thorough study guide.

I would also recommend that you not use the practice test for study since it contains an untold number of errors and could be confusing if you are cramming for the test at the last minute. Most of the other sample tests that are included are worth taking your time to look at, though.