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Like many others, I suspect, I thought that the vast majority of my colleagues had MS certification of some sort or another and that I was the exception (clever MS).
I wouldn't mind MS certificates to prove to others that I can do what I actually know I can do, because for instance I'd have a much better chance at gaining employment with government etc if I have the bit of paper so I'd have more options, but the truth is (and this really is the truth) I have been so busy I simply don't have the energy to dedicate or the time to put aside.
In the past I've always gained something from courses that has made my worklife easier, even if it's just a keyboard shortcut to use in the editor, or failing that I've met with people who it's just nice to chat with and swap ideas.  But most I have found to be 90% time wasting when I have important things that need to be done.
For years I had the Access Pack from Microsoft (Access Pack for the most part is a pack of much of the latest server software etc with single user/developer or restricted use licenses to give developers a chance to experience and be familiar with the Microsoft products) because I thought at £200 (about $350) it was good value to be able to keep current. But now MS insist I take their qualifications to continue having it. I guess that makes commercial sense for them in the short term, but in the long term it means I (maybe amongst many others as the survey reveals) am going to be less and less able to recommend MS products as time goes on.
Certainly I'm not in a position now to know whether a Server 2008 upgrade would benefit the company I play a major part in, and as I'm the one in a position to make that recommendation I don't like not being in a position of knowing what's available. Reading the hype is never the real story so hands on is best.
With the abdication of Bill Gates, is Microsoft going to cease being a forward looking company and become just a corporate monster with no underlying philosophy of "hang the expense, let's see if this is going to fly", and of looking to the future? Possibly. If accountants run it then that will be the end of MS.
In my opinion .NET has been one of the greatest innovations of this century. The idea isn't original but Microsoft have taken the plunge and done it and made it work, and what .NET has opened up to the rest of us is truly phenomenal with regard to what we can now all do with a bit of simple code to access libraries that in the past we would have had to write ourselves. Truly forward thinking.
Making certification accessible to developers like myself who live on the bleeding edge is not easy, and I'd hate to have my thinking confined to someone elses preconceptions of what can and can't be done (I do what "can't be done"), but if the price is low enough and the course can be spread over time without silly time limits then maybe, just maybe there'll be one more certified developer (and yes, being certified is something that I should be!)
Seasons greetings to all. Sorry for the ramble but most of it was relevant to the survey
Dave
Software Developer
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Microsoft Certified Solitaire Expert (MCSE).
People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world. - Calvin (from Calvin and Hobbes)(The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes, p105-3)
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From my point of view I don't think certification mean any thing
because I know many peoples who they are certified but lake of basic knowledge or with another main purpose of it to work as trainer in some organizations. without having any practical knowledge in what they are certified.
Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it
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Certs are just another way MS can make money from you. Maybe ok if you have no experiance but I've met many certified people who are crap and met many more non-certified people who are great. If I am hiring a complete newb, I'll look at certs but I could care less for experianced hires.
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Perhaps you give them a spelling test to see if they are qualified for the job? (experienced, not experianced)
I agree that the certifications should not be the only metric used when evaluating someone's skill set, but it is certainly a place to start. Anyone that codes in the MS world for their day job should have time to get at least one certification over the span of a couple years. Anyone that doesn't show the initiative to develop themself professionally in some manner is probably not a first choice when hiring. Besides, the tests are not that difficult so there isn't much of an excuse not to take at least one.
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If you apply for a job, they are good means.
I dont see any other reason for existence.
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I been a developer professionally for past 6-7 years now, don't think even HR need to look at certificates no more.
dev
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Those who need to know that I know programming know it...
Why take an exam and get a certification? I do not want a job in the public sector or something like that...! 
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If you have certification, your company can get Microsoft Gold Certified which translates to lot of savings when it comes to buying MS products. No wonder lot of consulting companies have that.
Personally, I will prefer to have certification is some subject in which I have little knowledge. That will be a an excuse for learning it.
Yes and I don't think certifications mean anything in terms of knowledge. Any certified candidates I have interviewed turned out to be lacking knowledge (and some time even basic knowledge).
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Rama Krishna Vavilala wrote: Personally, I will prefer to have certification is some subject in which I have little knowledge.
There are a lot of people that are "certified" that have little knowledge.
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
-----
"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001
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Yes, that is precisely the reason I want to do that too.
I can get Certified in "Exchange Administration" even though I may not have seen exchange.
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Yes - but there're also many people who are NOT certified and know just as little.
Personally, I been developer for 6-7 years now I no longer bother, nobody gives a damn about it that it's more shame than pride telling people you actually have certification.
dev
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Considering there are only 20 or so Certified Architects it is great that 7 of them already voted.
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Actually it says on the Microsoft site that there are over 70 of them. 
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Even if Alan is right 22 of them - sounds like wishfull thinking to me!
I know CP is good but.....
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
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I have taken more than 15 Microsoft Certification exams, and I do it for my own selfish reasons.
As most developers, I have a natural curiousity about everything related to being a developer, therefore I want to know what it's all about.
With the current rate of new technologies emerging, even just from within Microsoft, I find, that it can be callenging to really get the grasp of things by only reading articles on the net and toying a bit with the stuff in VS.
On the other hand I find, that reading the Self-Paced Training Kit for an exam actually gives you a very thorough understanding of the topic.
I agree, that you do not become an expert in the topic, but you will definitely broaden and deepen your knowledge with every exam you study for.
In fact, you could just read the book and then don't take the exam, but having booked the exam works as a motivator for me: I want to get through the book before the exam, and I want to have a good enough grasp on things, that I can pass the exam.
A side note:
The poll is missing Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD) and Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD), even though these are close to being outdated.
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I've bought the books but could be bother to take the exam, seems pointless.
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My employer would like me to get some for various reasons, but I think my .net knowledge is too narrow and my disdain for several features too deep.
A while back I took a short skills evaluation; on a few questions I gave the answer I know to be correct while knowing that it wasn't the answer they were looking for. On three others the correct answer wasn't available so I had to give the incorrect answer that I knew they were looking for.
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PIEBALDconsult wrote: My employer would like me to get some for various reasons, but I think my .net knowledge is too narrow and my disdain for several features too deep.
If the employer is willing to pay for it and allow you to study on pay time, then it may even be a good idea.
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Yes, but those are new tricks.
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earning such certificate is waste of time..
if u want a good certificate then u should look for an academic one or something such PMP or ITIL etc..
i'm now .net developer and i agree it is good to earn MS certificate but it is good for short time only.. coz it will freez me in my place (career) since it has a career limit while the academic one or PMP, ITIL etc.. has a better career future in short term or long term..
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Do you know what ITIL is?
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Maybe something like an IDIC? But IDIC is more universally accepted.
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Do you think the PMP is a valid indicator of a decent project manager? Even if they've never programmed before.. Ug..
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i just gave an example when i said pmp and yes it is.. how about ITIL.. ?
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