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Barbara Karst-Sabin wrote:
>
> I'm afraid that the trend
> toward certification in applications is turning us into applications
> specialists rather than documentation specialists.
It's not just in TWing either. You'll find companies looking at
programmers' resumes to see if they have some manufacturer's
certification in something that a screwdriver tech should be doing, like
wiring up and configuring an office network.
My take on certification is that it has been a nice revenue generator
for manufacturers who charge $995 to teach you pretty much the same
things that the corresponding $30 Quick & Reilly or For Dummies book
would have.
L.
--
Linda K. Sherman <linsherm -at- gte -dot- net>
Freelance Writer: Technical - Business - Government