|
Home > Archive > General Discussion > February 2001 > Question for Webmaster and Moderators
You are viewing an archived Text-only version of the thread.
To view this thread in it's original format and/or if you want to reply to
this thread please [click here]
| Author |
Question for Webmaster and Moderators
|
|
|
| Hi,
I have an honest question for you and I am not trying to stir up any trouble or get the age-old debate about braindumps going but in my opinion, there seems to be a difference of opinion on forum policy between some Moderators and the Webmaster on this subject and I am just trying to get some clarification because it's really bothering me.
Here is a quote by the Webmaster on 2/8/2001 from this CCNA forum link: http://www.examnotes.net/ubb/Forum8/HTML/002930.html
quote:
Basically we don't have the rule against posting links to braindump sites.
We only have the rule against posting actual questions from exams in our forums.
Braindumps are different. Some braindumps simply state what to use to prepare for exam, or how hard the exam was. These are fine. It's the actual exam questions that we don't allow to post. The word "braindump" does not mean something bad or illegal.
I just try to clarify what is and is not allowed in our forums. Of cause we don't allow links to sites that contain pirated software for download. Other than that link all you want, just don't abuse it.
------------------
Webmaster of this site and of
Cert21.com
CertPortal.com
MCSE+I, CNA, A+, N+, I-NET+
So who is correct? Seeing that threads are closed and statements are issued in contrast to the Webmaster comments, for example this Network+ forum link.
http://www.examnotes.net/ubb/Forum6/HTML/001310.html
Before you guys tie me to a stake and flame me, I am of the mainstream opinion that braindumps are bad for the certification industry and do not support them in general but I feel that if a forum site does not have an overall rule against posting links to braindump sites (which I can not find anywhere on this site) why are statements issued by some Moderators saying that links to braindump sites are not allowed or the Moderators close the thread? Am I missing something?
If I offended any of you in any way, I apologize, it was not my intention. It's just hard to play by the rules when there seems to be different rule sets in place.
With Best Intentions
Spid
Net+, MCSE
[This message has been edited by Spid (edited 02-15-2001).] | |
|
| Ahhhhh Flame grilled Spid...Yum Yum.
Spid I think the problem is that there are several of us out here/there/somewhere/universe that don't like the idea of braindumps period! To that end I suppose yes we are/will be at odds with the webmaster; However at the end of the day it' his call not ours. I suppose that it needs to be a balance in the end but I'd have to agree with the webmasters post you quoted.
Yeti 
MCNE, MCSE(NT4), SCO ACE, LCP, Compaq ASE, CCIE Wannabe (part of the Wannabe Boffin Club).
www.yetigbr1.plus.com or www.mcse2000.plus.com or www.mcse-2000.org & www.mcse-2k.co.uk
MCSE2000 Forum http://pub34.ezboard.com/bmcse200067298
Mailto: yeti@zerg.com or ICQ: 100660742 | |
|
| quote:
Originally posted by Yeti-GBR1:
Ahhhhh Flame grilled Spid...Yum Yum.
Yeti
MCNE, MCSE(NT4), SCO ACE, LCP, Compaq ASE, CCIE Wannabe (part of the Wannabe Boffin Club).
www.yetigbr1.plus.com or www.mcse2000.plus.com or www.mcse-2000.org & www.mcse-2k.co.uk
MCSE2000 Forum http://pub34.ezboard.com/bmcse200067298
Mailto: yeti@zerg.com or ICQ: 100660742
I prefer mine broiled.
Seriously though, there does seem to be a variance in interpretation. Maybe the rules should be modified to reflect what the owners of the site will or will not allow so that there is no question as to what is "legal", just a thought. Or at least a "statement of post content" or similar factoid with clear and concise guidelines. Personally I'd like to see a total ban on anything to with braindumps, that way there would be no confusion.
Wonder what a baked Yeti is like?
------------------
GIZMO
A+ i-Net+ Network+ CST
------------------
"technology is wonderful when it works"
[This message has been edited by gizmo (edited 02-15-2001).] | |
|
| It is probably just an honest mistake. Either the rules were not updated, they where misunderstood or carried in from another forum. You do have a valid point Spid in requesting clarification. I don't think anybody will get PO'd about it.
------------------
Anthony
"Knowledge is Power"
A+ N+
Studying CNA
[This message has been edited by fizz85 (edited 02-15-2001).] | |
|
| I think "braindump" originally meant just the low down on a test . . . what material to study, what resources may be helpful and so on. In time it seems to have come to mean almost exclusively to cheatsheets in which exact or extremely similar exam questions are used, which is illegal and a violation of the NDA. As well as the latter being unethical, it may give this board a bad reputation or possibly even legal repercussions if such things are permitted. It also devalues the certification and encourages people to not do the learning as opposed to just memorising. So, usually when I hear someone looking for a "braindump", I tend to think, "oh no, another luser too lazy to study . . . another paper tech in the making!", although some people may have different associations. Some people may refer to this site as a braindump site as people discuss topics from exams and may debate the validity/sense/possible solutions of any one exam question or to get help in mastering a concept. But this is not really the same as saying, "I just took the CCNA, here are all the questions that I can remmeber from the test".
So if I sense that the person asking for a dump really is just looking for test answers or is trying to cheat by asking other to violate the NDA (which could get them de-certified), I close the thread or delete it. If someone asks a genuine question that is aimed at understanding a concept that a question may be used to illustrate, I am cool with it. For example, there was a question some time ago as to whether a SCSI chain had seven or eight devices . . . this could well be a test question, but the idea behind the query was not to get an easy answer but to get some input as to what various others thought and why they thought so in order to get a better understanding of the concept. To a degree, it's a matter of semantics. I can't say all "braindumps" are bad unless I am certain of what your definition of "braindump" is, and that I usually can only glean from the context. | |
|
| So in the end of all this is there a final say ...what is the ruling???????? | |
|
| Well, like I said above, if there are links to sites containing actual test questions or if such are posed on the board I will delete them, otherwise I will allow them to remain. | |
|
| Hi,
Thanks for the input so far. I appreciate it.
I guess what is frustrating to me about the whole issue is here we have the Webmaster stating that "Basically we don't have a rule against posting links to braindump sites". Also there is no member rule stating that links to braindump sites are not allowed.
So now here's a member who comes along and asks "hey guys where can I find so and so braindump?" I've seen Moderators reply back to this type of post with "we do not support braindumps nor allow links to braindump sites". (or something to that affect)
I don't have a problem with the "we do not support braindumps" (heck I don't support them either). What I have a problem with is the "we don't allow links to braindump sites" IMHO that statement is imposing a rule standard based on a Moderators view and that rule is not listed in the membership rules posted when a person registers.
The way I see it is that the whole thing is about rules and personal views. As I've said before, I do not support braindumps, but that is my personal view (which would give me every right to make statements discouraging braindumps and how they are a bad tool to use and they are filled with errors and the people who write them are in violation of the NDA they agree to, etc and so on). But does it give me the right to say you can not post links to braindump sites or close/delete threads that contain links to braindump sites when that rule does not exist even though I personally loath the whole idea of braindumps? I don't think it does, but maybe I'm missing something 
With Best Intentions. |
|
|
|
|