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ACE section still around?

I finally got around to renewing my ACE certification, but I don't see an ACE section in the forums. Does it still exist, or do I need to make a call for access again?
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Comments

  • ericmedleyericmedley Posts: 4,177
    I can see it. 'prolly need to make a phone call to the powers-that-be and get yourself re-upped.
    e
  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    DHawthorne wrote: »
    I finally got around to renewing my ACE certification, but I don't see an ACE section in the forums. Does it still exist, or do I need to make a call for access again?
    You didn't get the memo about your first born? Once he/she is submitted and you've completed the ACE requirement you'll get access. :)
  • ericmedleyericmedley Posts: 4,177
    I just got my T-Shirt and certificate.
  • VladaPUBVladaPUB Posts: 139
    ericmedley wrote: »
    I just got my T-Shirt and certificate.

    Me too ! How to access ACE forum ?
  • PhreaKPhreaK Posts: 966
    Hmmmm... I should really finish that certification some time. The main reason I want it is for the forum access. I imagine there is nudity and instructions on how to obtain free beer.
  • ericmedleyericmedley Posts: 4,177
    PhreaK wrote: »
    Hmmmm... I should really finish that certification some time. The main reason I want it is for the forum access. I imagine there is nudity and instructions on how to obtain free beer.

    Who spilled the beans???
  • AuserAuser Posts: 506
    Oh yeah? Well I'm going to create a NO-ACE section 'cos I can't see myself ever having time to do the certification.

    There will definitely be nudity and free beer. And pizza. So there. :P
  • Joe HebertJoe Hebert Posts: 2,159
    A room full of drunk sweaty nude male geeks pecking away at their keyboards and eating sausage pizza?

    I’m bound to have nightmares now. (I was going to say “Stop the world I want to get off.” but that sure didn’t sound right.)
  • DHawthorneDHawthorne Posts: 4,584
    Auser wrote: »
    Oh yeah? Well I'm going to create a NO-ACE section 'cos I can't see myself ever having time to do the certification.

    There will definitely be nudity and free beer. And pizza. So there. :P

    That's where I was, but I just did the challenge test, which was a heck of a lot easier than taking classes and such ... and after a dozen years working with the stuff, that wasn't much of a big deal either.
  • the8thstthe8thst Posts: 470
    DHawthorne wrote: »
    That's where I was, but I just did the challenge test, which was a heck of a lot easier than taking classes and such ... and after a dozen years working with the stuff, that wasn't much of a big deal either.

    How much time did you spend on the challenge practicals? Work should be slowing down enough in the next month or so that I might be able to carve out the time get ACE back.
  • DHawthorneDHawthorne Posts: 4,584
    the8thst wrote: »
    How much time did you spend on the challenge practicals? Work should be slowing down enough in the next month or so that I might be able to carve out the time get ACE back.

    The online test was maybe 10 minutes. The programming practical was a grand total of 24 hours ... mostly in 1-2 hour chunks between other things. I might add I could have done it in like 4 hours if the project was set up like my typical job ... I spent a lot of time saying to myself, "why would they want to do that?
  • the8thstthe8thst Posts: 470
    DHawthorne wrote: »
    The online test was maybe 10 minutes. The programming practical was a grand total of 24 hours ... mostly in 1-2 hour chunks between other things. I might add I could have done it in like 4 hours if the project was set up like my typical job ... I spent a lot of time saying to myself, "why would they want to do that?

    Thanks. That sounds pretty close to what I was expecting.

    Did you just do the ACE programmer or did you do Installer and Designer as well?
  • DHawthorneDHawthorne Posts: 4,584
    the8thst wrote: »
    Thanks. That sounds pretty close to what I was expecting.

    Did you just do the ACE programmer or did you do Installer and Designer as well?

    I just did programmer. I have others in the shop with the other certifications, and was cramming it in year-end.
  • AuserAuser Posts: 506
    DHawthorne wrote: »
    That's where I was, but I just did the challenge test, which was a heck of a lot easier than taking classes and such ... and after a dozen years working with the stuff, that wasn't much of a big deal either.

    AMX Australia do not allow people to take a challenge test. You must attend Programmer II (I checked yesterday).

    They can keep their ACE certification. I've been doing this for a number of years so I'm unlikely to learn much from PII and I do not have the time to waste a couple of days in a classroom not learning anything.

    We have programmers in the organisation who are ACE certified, so the company can boast this certification on tender submissions. The only reason I want it is to access the ACE section of the forums - I can't see any other benefit.

    I'll continue to put new programming staff through ACE Programmer, but a number of ACE programmers I've encountered over here have had a sub-par level of knowledge and been pretty poor at what they do so the certification doesn't hold enough weight for me to warrant pursuing it for myself.
  • DHawthorneDHawthorne Posts: 4,584
    I took Programmer II way back when I really could use it ... my original certificate says January 2002, and I have a designer cert. from May 2001, so that was right when NetLinx was first introduced. Even then, I thought it was pretty basic, though all my prior experience was Axcess. In fact, I learned a few things that I would never, under any circumstances, use again ... I suspect even the trainers at that point hadn't quite learned from experience that some of the things that looked good on paper didn't quite work out in the real world.
  • rynandorynando Posts: 68
    If there's a mod checking this thread I'd like access to the ACE subforum too. I'm happy to submit a photo of my t-shirt and certificate if required. ;)
  • HedbergHedberg Posts: 671
    When I look at the forum, I see all threads in all forums that have had messages posted to them within the last 24 hours (someone posted how to do that a couple years back it looks like http://www.amxforums.com/search.php?do=getdaily) and I never even notice whether it's the ACE forum or another. But, I just looked at the contents of the ACE forum and there's not really much going on in there. Looks like only a small percentage of the interesting (to me, anyway) threads end up there. So, all you guys that don't have access to it, not much happens there though there are occasional threads about programming and hardware issues (those are the things that most interest me), but not many. You're really not missing much good stuff.
  • davidvdavidv Posts: 90
    rynando wrote: »
    If there's a mod checking this thread I'd like access to the ACE subforum too. I'm happy to submit a photo of my t-shirt and certificate if required. ;)

    What you didnt get a coffee mug?
  • VladaPUBVladaPUB Posts: 139
    davidv wrote: »
    What you didnt get a coffee mug?

    I did not receive a coffe mug :(
  • DHawthorneDHawthorne Posts: 4,584
    For what it's worth, 8 months later, and an assurance that my data was sent to someone, I still have no access to the ACE forums. No big deal really, just sayin'.
  • jjamesjjames Posts: 2,908
    Yeah - this forum has gone down the tubes. The people in charge are slacking big time. Thumbs up to Suzanne and the other moderators that come here but maybe once a month?

    This place is a joke now.
  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    DHawthorne wrote: »
    For what it's worth, 8 months later, and an assurance that my data was sent to someone, I still have no access to the ACE forums. No big deal really, just sayin'.

    I can't help but think that the BS program and last years practical exam requirement forced alot of folks out that had been ACE certified. Virtually making being an "ACE" meaningless since the old timers, the guys with all the experience let their qualification lapse. If the guys that know what they're doing aren't ACE and the newbies are then what meaning does being an "ACE" have.

    A few month ago my rep who is now gone told me that I was the only fully ace certified dealer in New England and at first I thought wow, I'm hot $hit but them thought wow, that's pathetic, an electrical contractor is the only fully certified dealer in New England. That doesn't say much about AMX or the ACE program.

    By forcing out the experienced guys who didn't feel like jumping through hoops just for the amusement of the suits they made ACE meaningless so why maintain the forum.
  • jjamesjjames Posts: 2,908
    Glad I'm not the only one that feels this way.

    A very nice 3,000th post!
  • DHawthorneDHawthorne Posts: 4,584
    Well, they definitely monitor these forums at least. My little gripe about not having access got to Susan's attention, and she re-instated it with apology.

    Whatever else might be said about AMX and it's policies, they sure do have good people.
  • ACE Cert
    vining wrote: »
    I can't help but think that the BS program and last years practical exam requirement forced alot of folks out that had been ACE certified. Virtually making being an "ACE" meaningless since the old timers, the guys with all the experience let their qualification lapse. If the guys that know what they're doing aren't ACE and the newbies are then what meaning does being an "ACE" have.

    A few month ago my rep who is now gone told me that I was the only fully ace certified dealer in New England and at first I thought wow, I'm hot $hit but them thought wow, that's pathetic, an electrical contractor is the only fully certified dealer in New England. That doesn't say much about AMX or the ACE program.

    By forcing out the experienced guys who didn't feel like jumping through hoops just for the amusement of the suits they made ACE meaningless so why maintain the forum.

    I've been an AMX programmer for 10 years and have been ACE certified..that is until they brought in the re-certification requirement. Some of my friends who are also programmers have never had the request to re certify and are still shown as being ACE certified, even though they qualified at the same time as me!
    I really don't have the time, or energy, to keep re-certifying especially as 30-40% of my jobs are putting right other programmers jobs that don't work!
    In the UK, where i'm based I really don't see how it improves by ability to get work. I don't advertise and all my work is by word of mouth.....I was also one of the VIP programmers but that was lost when my ACE certification lapsed.
    If someone from AMX can show me that its going to improve my life, considerably, I'll happily re-certify! The only thing it's stopped me doing so far was attending a course on DUET which I really wanted to do.
    It strike me that there is no reward for experience, which is a shame, since there are lots of us out there that have A LOT of experience and the request to spend time re-taking exams that you would give to a newbie, is driving people away.
    I, personally, think that it has been approached in the wrong way. I think that there should be some benefit to being ACE certified and I see none (or should that be 'dead people'), it's like having a budweiser bottle top as a qualification badge - sorry maybe thats a bit harsh but the people who are maintaining the brand quality, don't really get recognition...

    I'm now 12" shorter now I've stepped off of my soap box!
  • jjamesjjames Posts: 2,908
    Hear, hear!
  • And what up about us "poor saps" who have maintained their ACE certifications having realized that the requirements have not been onerous at all and has been time far better spent applied to something constructive as opposed to railing on and on about how unfair the system is. My company has benefited greatly from all our currently held and maintained ACE certifications (which would be most of them), and will gladly meet the renewal criteria for <s>2012</s> 2013 once posted.
  • Joe HebertJoe Hebert Posts: 2,159
    icraigie wrote: »
    and will gladly meet the renewal criteria for 2012 once posted.
    Check your ACE profile. I believe those of us who re-certified this year are good through 12/31/2012.
  • Joe Hebert wrote: »
    Check your ACE profile. I believe those of us who re-certified this year are good through 12/31/2012.

    Like I said, the time requirement for renewal is not onerous at all...
  • icraigie wrote: »
    And what up about us "poor saps" who have maintained their ACE certifications having realized that the requirements have not been onerous at all and has been time far better spent applied to something constructive as opposed to railing on and on about how unfair the system is. My company has benefited greatly from all our currently held and maintained ACE certifications (which would be most of them), and will gladly meet the renewal criteria for <s>2012</s> 2013 once posted.

    Its got nothing to do with what other people do....it was 'my opinion'. As a freelance programmer, recertifying ACE every year or two years is a bit ridiculous. Freelancers get more experience than employed programmers as we get 'dropped in' at the deep end in a lot of projects. As a company, you probably get a benefit of being able to advertise that you have ACE certified programmers. However, I spend a lot of time putting right stuff done by so called 'ACE' certified programmers, so I'm not convinced that it does what it should!
    I'm not saying that ACE is a bad thing, I'm just saying that when you've qualified once...you qualified! You pass your driving test once, they bring out new road signs, but you don't have to retake your test!

    Its a difference of opinion and I'm happy with mine!!

    Duncan
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