CompTIA A+ Essentials

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Hi

I started a course with a distance learning provider. The cost of A+ and N+ was a bargain £362.

I am finding it confusing as the book by Jean Andrews "A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC" is not structured serially - usually, people start at chapter 1, 2, 3, etc like reading a novel. But the book requires one to go to different chapters for info for Module 1: PC Components lol. The cd-rom by Bill Ferguson is basic and not detailed as the book for the A+ Essential topics.

The problem is not the book is bad - in fact, it has color and good design.

I am biting my nails as there is a lot to learn - how am I expect to remember the various pin sizes and types etc, etc.

I won't touch the N+ until I finish the A+. The problem is getting motivated and remembering. I read chapter 1 of the book - Introducing Hardware - and I have forgotten 50%

Is A+ easy?? Also, I was thinking before doing this course to do CIW Web Design as I have some experience of HTML, Javascript, ECDL, and PaintShop Pro. Would CIW been easier than A+??

Insp Clouseau

 

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Jean Andrews book IMO is really boring, this book was given to us when i was studying A+, and after the 1st chapter i thought f*k it, i then decided to listen to the people here at CF, and theu advised me to get Mike Meyers AIO , which i did, and this book is A+. I found this book really helpful and suprising learned quite abit, although the book mixes hardware/software, it all interlinks nicely, when reading through this.

Another book which i have read good reviews on is PC Technician Street Smarts which is good in explaining *real* life problems you have with computers that may not be mentioned in Mike Meyers book...

Search the forums (A+ section) and you will find loads of questions, answers, faq's, tips...

Your last comment on which is easier, A+ or CIW... Well that is all dependent on yourself, which of those two you already know more on, which you would prefer to learn, which you enjoy more, we cant really answer that question but can give you some advise...

Hope this helps - and good luck with your studies...

 

Thanks Mr Cheeks for your advice - that was helpful. I heard about Mike Meyers and I will look for his books.

As regards CIW Web Design, I wanted to know if anyone has got CIW certification and is it easy? I believe you have a lot of books to study for it. Also, some training schools say that web design has less prospects due to "outsourcing" and too many people competiting for it. But demand is also high for A+ and especially for MCSE and there is no outsourcing.

Clouseau

 

The Mike Meyers book also will at times in chapter state, if you don't know this part have a read of chapter such and such. ie in the Windows xp chapter when its talking about how windows works on a network, it asks you to jump five chapters ahead to Networks then go back to the origional chapter.

But the Myers book is interesting.

 

Clouseau, the issue isn't so much which certification path is easiest or which one is most in demand, it's which career path do you believe is right for you. Take into consideration your talents and interests. PC repair and maintenance is light years away from website development. While it's possible to be good at both, usually one career path won't include both those general skill sets. Take a look at what each career path requires in terms of qualifications and then take a look at yourself and see which path is the correct fit for you.