Hmmm... just a comment or two... I have a number of certifications (MCSE/D, CNE, ECNE, SolarisSysEngr, Oracle App Dev & thus Java2 Programmer/Developer) and I'm thinking about getting one of the security certs (not the one under discussion). Based on my experientially acquired knowledge, you KNOW when you've passed a cert. If you have doubts, than you probably flunked. tsk tsk! Study harder next time. I agree that being certified doesn't make you an expert, it just 'proves' you have a broad grasp of the subject matter. Also, as to being a writer... I co-authored a 'power user' book on SQL Server 2000... and I hadn't even LOOKED at SQL Server in almost 4 years! So I can vouch for the fact that you don't need to be an expert to write a book, however, AFTER you write a book, all the 'power users' (and down) will THINK you are!... which results in the same thing as BEING one -- a big paycheck. After all, folks, we're just talking about the computer industry, where fallability reigns supreme... remember when NASA, just a year or so ago, fired two missiles right at each other... and they missed? Who's kiddin' who? You don't need to be an 'expert' to make it in this industry, or just about any other, either ... but of course that is why we will eventually blow up this planet, because of all the half-a'd folks goin' around bleeting about their 'expertise'!

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