With this book, measureUp exams and MSDN just took me one weeks to prepare WOSA II and I passed with more than 800. I used the same formula for WOSA I and I also passed whit 811. It's true that the book have some errors, but those help me to test my achievemets while i Was studying.

I just passed the exam using only this book and Transcender. Probably due to the fact that the book was written by two authors, the structure is quite inconsistent with repeating information and information about a single subject being spread out over several chapters (this is especially true for BackOffice). When looking back at the exam, I find the book weak on user-interface and logo compliance issues, but complete in most other areas.

Well, this book is not as good as Win Arch I in that it leaves out a lot of content that appears in the exam. I particularly found weak areas to include MAPI, TAPI, Code Signing and User Interface issues. However, some areas are very well covered including Internet, Internationalization (wow - long word!), and logo compliance (boring subject!). The questions in the book are very easy, but are accurate at least, which is more than I can say about the first book. To pass the exam, I would recommend reading this book cover to cover, reviewing the first book, take the Transcenders and brush up on any weak areas through additional information from the MSDN library.

Well, this book is not as good as Win Arch I in that it leaves out a lot of content that appears in the exam. I particularly found weak areas to include MAPI, TAPI, Code Signing and User Interface issues. However, some areas are very well covered including Internet, Internationalization (wow - long word!), and logo compliance (boring subject!). The questions in the book are very easy, but are accurate at least, which is more than I can say about the first book. To pass the exam, I would recommend reading this book cover to cover, reviewing the first book, take the Transcenders and brush up on any weak areas through additional information from the MSDN library.

I used the Ezzell book and the Transcender test for the 70-160 test. Scored over 900...enough said. However, due to a LOT of factors I didn't have as much time to study for this one. PLUS My transcender disk was corrupt. With three days to go til the exam, I didn't have a chance to get the new Transcender disk, so the book was ALL that I had. I still scored over 850 with just the book. Enough said!

I passed the WinArchII exam the first time with a 849 using this book and Transcender(very important)!

Excellent resource, but needs to be a little more focused on the WinArchII content. I felt that this one didn't match up as well as the WinArchI did against the actual exam, but it was still an excellent guide.

I wish people would stop being unrealistic in their expectations. You WILL NOT find EVERYTHING you need to pass a Microsoft Architecture exam in ANY single resource! Get over it people. That's the way the tests were designed. It is going to stay that way. I found this to be an excellent guide and I think it unfair to stomp it just because it doesn't do the impossible.

I learnt what I did not know I did not know and then some, but the exam was still harder. Much better than the Microsoft material but still not conprehensive - especially the Logo requirements for Windows/Office/BackOffice. The test engine does not run - GPF even after fix from website.

Before reading this book, I had 2 1/2 years experience in Access, and been working sporadically in VB (3/4/5) for the same amount of time. This book is an excellent introduction to the topics covered on the Windows Archtiecture II exam, however I feel that studying for the VB5 exam in many ways was as useful, if not more so, than this book. This book also tends to be weak on certain issues such as normalization (1NF, 2NF, 3NF), Internationalization and User Interface issues. And of course, the questions at the end of the chapter look like nothing on the actual test. However, this book in conjuction with testing software (I used SelfTest, which was excellent), Visual Basic study, some of the choicer MSDN articles (especially on Code Signing) will help you pass the exam. A worthy effort on a difficult exam. My thanks to the authors.

The book is very clear and easy of understood, but there is not comparation with the dificulty of the exam. Even you see in the exam issues or terms not described in the book. Is a very good option to start, but you must see other sources to pass the exam.

I found this book, as well as the test exams from Transcender, very useful in passing my MCSD. I know that Microsoft is changing the program to keep up with advances in technology but I am sure the authors will update their materials in due time. In the meanwhile I still use this book (as well as the Architecture I book) as a good reference guide in some of my consulting engagements.

This is a good book for the exam and general information. It was not stuffy and it presented the information for the course in a clear and concise format. Read it if you want to pass the exam and learn some really good stuff too. I passed the first time reading from cover to cover.

The book is clearly written, and should be a breeze for anyone with a basic familiarity with the Microsoft technologies. It doesn't go into any great detail for any of the topics, which is acceptable, but a little disappointing all the same. The included questions are very easy, if you can't score 80-90%, re-read the material. Supplement this with the Transcender exams and the recommended reading list and you will cruise the exam (a passing mark in the 60s is ridiculously low anyhow).

This book is useful for the WinArch II exam, but is inconsistent and in places misleading. The best chapters, in my opinion, are the ones on the Internet (especially ASP, one of the most important topics) and the Registry. (I learned quite a few new things about the Registry!) Other parts of the book are barely adequate for the exam, which is somewhat harder than WinArch I. The chapter on Logo Compliance confuses recommendations with requirements. The chapter on User Interface is weak and insufficient - the author wastes a lot of space on his own ideas, which have nothing to do with the exam. The same could be said of some of the material on database design and network installations. One example -- the author has a highly idiosyncratic definition of First Normal Form. Every book I've ever seen (including Microsoft material) defines 1NF to mean you can't have repeating fields. Try to get that out of this book! On the other hand, some database issues (such as decision-support vs. OLTP) are handled very well. The WOSA chapter is OK (barely), the Internationalization chapter is fairly good, the stuff on BackOffice is boring as all get out. A few subjects that Microsoft places a certain emphasis on (such as accessibility) are glossed over. I wish I had prepared more on these, and especially on user interface issues. Still, with this and the other Sybex book, the Transcender tests, and MSDN, I was able to pass with 849. This book does contain a lot of helpful information - just don't rely on it exclusively. The sample questions are very weak, more so than the other Sybex book, and not at all representative of the exam. But hey, at least the answers aren't wrong!

The authors provide very clear explanations of some very compex topics. It got me through the exam.

I reviewed MCSD Win Arch I (Ezzell) and Win Arch II (Lee) over a period of three weeks and passed Win Arch I test on Aug 21 and Win Arch II test on Aug 24. I would highly recommend that both books be reviewed concurrently as there is a great deal of overlap in the two tests, and the books tend to reinforce each other. Both books are reasonably well written and easy to comprehend. Along with these two books, get the Transcender tests, and you're well on your way.

As with it's Win Arch I counterpart this book quickly gets you focussed on the areas you need to pass the exam. [I would suggest you supplement your study w/a little more Unicode and User Interface info as there is more of this on the exam than the book covered.] The quizzes are a little weak but again w/this JUST this book and the Transcender exams I passed on the first try.

This volume is clear and easy to read. The chapters are well laid out and very modular. I do not recommend the book as a source of information. The subject matter is way to broad for a few hundred pages. But, for an overview and for passing the exam it is just the ticket. I studied each chapter, did the sample questions, reviewed what I got wrong and passed the exam with a good grade.

I found this book to be very easy to study. It lays out the material clearly, in plenty of detail. I passed the test with room to spare, so I have no complaints. :-)

The chapters were well divided and easy to understand. In another arch book I purchased, the author tried to amuse you with stories and impress you will his large vocabulary. This book gives a quick real world reference at the beginning of each chapter and then gets right to the details you need to know in a plain and clear manner. The sample test on the CD was great. It allows the user to take the test in sections, allowing you to focus on problem areas. I passed the test on the first try after reading this book.

Haven't finished reading the book, but it's got two things going for it that the other architecture study guide don't:

1> Contains most or all the information needed to pass the exam (unlike the MSPress book) 2> Focuses on the exam subjects and doesn't go off on non-exam subjects.

So, this is definately the best WinArch study guide I've seen yet. The review question are actually pretty good too.

While Microsoft is incredibly foolish for changing the MCSD program, why wait? It's good for another 2 years and by that time everything will have changed again. Besides, these tests cover things you should know REGARDLESS of the exams.

I say get this book and go for it!

Well, Microsoft seems to indulge in creating problems for all. I still am going for the older MCSD.

Only half way through but I'm finding this book is easy to read and very informative. In light of the changing MCSD program, I say "Why wait?". Why not get your MCSD now? The books are available. New books for the new program are probably a year or more away. By the time they come out, the program will no doubt change again.

I've been waiting for this book for 6 months. Just as this book was published, Microsoft retired this exam and completely changed MCSD requirements. The new requirements for the MCSD seem less at the nuts and bolts Windows level and more at the system analyst level. Interesting because, for the first time, salary surveys in the computer professions show that code crankers are earning more than analysts. Microsoft moves in mysterious and frustrating ways. My sympathies to the authors of this book.