Very new to the hacking/security world of computers.

[sanddbox]

I wouldn't say necessarily say "don't stray from books", so much as that I find I can learn a lot better by doing and googling then by sifting through reading material.

If that floats your metaphorical boat, though, then go for it.

[neuromanta]

Learning from books (and attending to college btw...) is about learning the underlying concepts. Nothing more, and nothing less. You can't learn practical things from a book, but you will understand the concepts of that particular area, and that is very important. Many say that it's time wasting to learn about old concepts. That's not true... the new concepts is based on the old, so in order to understand the new things, you have to know the old ones too.
Here is example: you can't understand java without understanding C. You can't understand C without understanding ASM, You can't understand ASM without understanding electronics and hardware. But if you understand the underlying concepts, then you can learn the newer stuff easily.

[morpheus03ex]

I was going to get my CEH, but someone on here recommended that I start off with getting my CompTIA A+ first. I am going for that and getting tid bits here and there but I want to get a good, solid book that will show me the ropes.

Any ideas or recommendations?

The best thing I would recommend is that you find a class that teaches the fundamentals of the CompTIA A+ Certification and has plenty of hands-on as well. The class I've taken involved a lot of hands-on practice with actual customers' computers: troubleshooting hardware and software, building computers, repairing laptops, the whole nine yards. We also dealt in customer service, such as actually talking to the customer about the problem they're having with their computer, and explaining to them what might be done to it, and give them an overall pricing and an estimate of when the computer will be finished. The customers fill out their information on a job order form, including their phone number so to call them and let them know they can pick up their machines.

A book I would recommend was just recently released, A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC by Jean Andrews. The link below goes to the 7th edition of the book, which has information about the A+ 2009 objectives, and also includes little notes throughout the book highlighting information that may be taught in the 220-701 and -702 exams.

http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Managing-Maintaining-Your-PC/dp/1435497783

Good luck

-Morpheus

[cyberpirate]

I was going to get my CEH, but someone on here recommended that I start off with getting my CompTIA A+ first. I am going for that and getting tid bits here and there but I want to get a good, solid book that will show me the ropes.

Any ideas or recommendations?

The best thing I would recommend is that you find a class that teaches the fundamentals of the CompTIA A+ Certification and has plenty of hands-on as well. The class I've taken involved a lot of hands-on practice with actual customers' computers: troubleshooting hardware and software, building computers, repairing laptops, the whole nine yards. We also dealt in customer service, such as actually talking to the customer about the problem they're having with their computer, and explaining to them what might be done to it, and give them an overall pricing and an estimate of when the computer will be finished. The customers fill out their information on a job order form, including their phone number so to call them and let them know they can pick up their machines.

A book I would recommend was just recently released, A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC by Jean Andrews. The link below goes to the 7th edition of the book, which has information about the A+ 2009 objectives, and also includes little notes throughout the book highlighting information that may be taught in the 220-701 and -702 exams.

http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Managing-Maintaining-Your-PC/dp/1435497783

Good luck

-Morpheus

I will take that recommendation in effect, Morpheus. The only qualm I have is the class taking. Can't spare the money at the moment, so my only guess is book reading and trying to see if I can do practice hands on work of sorts.

-- Mon Feb 22, 2010 8:46 pm --

So, should I go for the CompTIA or CompTIA Securiy +?