Rant: Who Is Robert Williams and Certguard ? And Are They Moral or Just Plain Stupid ?
June 17, 2008 by Greg Ferro · 8 Comments
I won’t go into the circumstances surrounding CertGuard accusing Ethan Banks of cheating. You can read articles at other Cisco Blogs. Here is my take:
Accuser has a vested interest
The person doing the accusing certainly has a lot to gain. As the CEO and ‘Co-Founder’ of a self proclaimed defender of certification integrity, he is certainly going to get publicity — as they say, bad publicity is better than no publicity.
Disclaimer: I am the CEO and Founder of my company. The fact that I am the only employee does not mean that I am not important. I don’t publicise this fact because I would feel uncomfortable about attempting to make myself look important.
About the Accuser
From his Profile —
“While on a quest for more knowledge, Robert decided to work on earning a certification when he noticed the abundance of braindumps and illegal services that plagued the industry. Putting his certifications and further education on hold, Robert decided that it was time for someone to dedicate their time to preventing the spread of these illegal products and services. And CertGuard was born…”
Does anyone else find this odd ? Let me ask some things that come to my mind:
Is he setting out to save us from ourselves ? Did we need saving ?
Do the exam vendors need his help to solve this problem ?
Certguard Mission Statement
I also find interesting the Certguard MIssion Statement, which is a misguided and amateurish piece of work if ever I saw it.
1. Maintaining and expanding its continued operational status.
So I read this to say that their first interest is to make sure they are making money. Which doesn’t sound right.
No mention of customer focus, or providing a service. Is this a reflection of Certguard’s real motive, to make money for its owners, while clothed in a veneer ofrespectability ?
Is CertSearch worthwhile ?
Its hard to say. The don’t appear to have partnerships with any of the major vendors since they don’t list any on their Web site. The best assumption is that no-one wants to publicly admit it, the worst assumption would be that CertGuard has no partners.
Ethan banks Integrity
Accusing Ethan Banks of cheating would seem to be the most outrageous claim anyone can make. Those of us who have corresponded with Ethan, and followed him over the last two years would find it hard to accept any wrongdoing on his part.
However, Robert Williams has taken an entirely pedantic view in his blog at NetworkWorld claiming that any form of cheating is simply cheating, replying to all comers that a zero tolerance position on cheating is the least that he can do. In fact, he owes it to all of us.
Immoral Business Practice
On one hand, the use of braindumps and illegal training materials is a problem but the approach that this company has taken to generate discussion is not moral. I am reasonably sure that the intention is good.
Is Robert Williams Stupid ?
Lets assume for the moment that CertGuard passionately believe that they are on some type of divine mission to do something about cheating, which is admirable.
If you didn’t have any business experience you might not understand how big business works — and thus you can’t make a partnership with a company like Cisco.
If you didn’t think about what your are blogging, you might get caught up in the moment and say something you later regret. Common mistake for many bloggers.
Then you might get offended by people who respond angrily to your offensive accusations. You might even be personally offended (even though you are a public person).
If you didn’t have any personal skills, you might not realise that you should apologise, and try to make good when have done something wrong.
But how stupid do you have to be, to offend the very community that you are trying to defend ? Are we not the people who are the very audience, the community who would have supported and encouraged CertGuard ? Does making us angry improve this situation.
Many people have responded to the NWW blog, and he has had every opportunity to resile from his position. That he has not done so suggests that something is very wrong with Robert Williams and CertGuard.
What next ?
Even if Robert Williams and Certguard comes up with an apology, and Ethan Banks accepts it, the question is, do we want CertGuard representing us in the future ?
My first response is that Certguard are proven untrustworthy, unable to build a community, given to offensive action and pedantic bigots.
On the other hand, no one else is doing anything about certification cheats.
Do we accept a second rate Certguard is lieu of any other choice ?
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All good points, except for the comment that ‘no one else is doing anything about certification cheats.’
See this recent interview with Cisco and Vue about certification security: http://www.trainingindustry.com/it/TO_Article.asp?ID=7882
Seems like they are doing a lot. They just may not be heavily publicizing the fact.
Thats a great link and good to see that the vendors are doing something. Creepy though, keystrokes and mouse movements to build a profile, sheesh.
Are you honestly this ignorant; “Do the exam vendors need his help to solve this problem ?”
That would be the equivalent of saying the police have no need for community watch programs. Neighborhood Watch, Crime Stoppers, and other community based programs assist law enforcement officers daily.
Are you aware of the massive problem with I.T. certifications? The term “paper certification” just doesn’t apply to Microsoft. Your precious Cisco community is littered with them as well. Some are just not that stupid to advertise they use it on their blog.
Stop placing people such as Ethan on pedestals. He reviewed braindump material, blogged it, admitted his ignorance, took down his blog, put it back up and everyone thinks he is a victim in all this???
Are CCIEs above suspicion? Even when they blog about it? The question is not whether Robert Williams and CertGuard are just plain stupid. The question should be is Ethan Banks for posting he used TestKing material and endorsing it?
Michael D. Alligood on June 20th, 2008 6:00 am
“Are you honestly this ignorant; “Do the exam vendors need his help to solve this problem ?”That would be the equivalent of saying the police have no need for community watch programs. Neighborhood Watch, Crime Stoppers, and other community based programs assist law enforcement officers daily. ”
Michael. Crime stoppers and neighborhood watches dont go around accusing people just for the heck of it. Williams basis his conclusions on assumptions drawn from his CSI-filed brain. He and possibily you, live in a dream world where you belive everything on anything without looking at the facts and most of all, using your god given common sence. But hey, I guess you havent used it for such a long time that it got rusted.
Let me burst your dream bubble Michael. (A) You cant prove in ANYWAY that the person cheated by using braindumps. You do that to me and I will sue your as$ for invasion of privacy so before you argue, cork it will ya? because you and I both know you are wrong, just wont admit it.
(B) Big vendors dont give a damn about you cheating. Why because they know brain dumps exists. If they started making questiones quougher and increasing the question pool size to something decent, this problem wont be a problem any more. How bloody hard it is to do that? But why they dont, is because they in it for making money. Get that in that tiny brain of yours.
© Finaly! Just who the fcuk are you anyway to tell me I cheated? If I did, thats my problem, my headache to deal with on the job. 9⁄10 times I will LEARN on the job. So just who emplyed you to be the company’s right hand man eh? If you would Stop kissing Mr. Robert Williams as$ so much you might acctually grow some common sence back!
People like you Mr. Michael are the result we have so much hatred in this world. Becuase people like you create artifical threats, baseless accusations and pass on your judgement as if you were the king of all man kind.
You are clearly intimidating people by the decertification bull. Have you look in your self in the mirror lately. I guess not! How could you if you’v got that big head with a tiny brain of yours stuck deep in side Robert’s as$.
Anyone with a common sence knows you are talking utter rubish and nonsence.
I read some pretty unprofessional stuff by Robert Williams on Brian Madden.com recently. The guy has no professionalism about him. He spews insults and can’t take criticism or alternate views at all. CEO material he’s not. He has no partners and is crusading on his own. Self proclaimed guru of saving us all.