Just spent too much money (~$129.95) on some crappy CCNA test prep software called Cram Master by Exam Force (Farce). That is to say, the question/answer content is crappy. The version I purchased is supposed to be a test-prep for the 640-821 Intro exam.
I purchased roughly the same software several years ago. I thought at that time that 640-801 test prep. software was well written. I was judging the software by its content, but I think my understanding of cisco concepts has increased since then...now, I believe I was wrong in my first assessment.
The software sounded good because it is supposedly built on an adaptive learning algorithm -- to test and retest you in your weak areas of knowledge/understanding.
That's all well and good -- if the actual test-prep. material is worth your time.
It is not. The test questions and answers are poorly written, and often misleading. I would say they hinder your preparation, not facilitate. The wording of the questions make me wonder about the author's understanding of cisco (and networking in general) technology.
The software is supposedly based on the Exam Cram books. I have several exam cram books, and believe me, you're better off with them instead of this software.
For example, there are questions about VLANs that leave out information, making the questions ambiguous.
There are many questions about access lists, which would be fine if the test I were preparing for was the 640-801.
I know the access list topic is important, but it's not a topic on the Intro exam, at least not filtering configurations, extended ip access lists, implicit denys, etc.
I was looking for a test-prep exam (not necessarily lab) simulator tailored to the Intro exam. This software is not it.
If the adaptive part of the engine works, it would be based on extraneous test material for the Intro test.
If some (more than a few) questions are misleading, how can you trust any of the content?
It's been a waste of my money, and time in preparing for the Intro exam. I imagine the -801 test prep uses the same question database, only expanded, so (due to the ambiguous questions) it must be a waste as well.
Cram-master lives up to its obscene-sounding name.