I think that the path to OCP 8 is easier for SCJP/OCP 6 (and earlier upgrades) than it is for OCP 7 holders, hear me out....
If you have OCP 6 or lower... to obtain OCP 8, you have a
£155 exam, with 60 questions, and a pass rate of 63%. It is 130 minutes in duration.
That's 60 questions with which to cover 8 big topics (7.5 questions on each topic by way of average)
If you have Java 7 and wish to upgrade... you have a
£155 exam, with 81 questions, and pass rate of 65%. It is 150 minutes in duration.
That's 81 questions, 21 more than the 6 or lower upgrade.... to cover ALL the new features in from 7 to 8 to a very in depth level, and you need a higher pass rate of 65%! There seems to be four main topics: Lambdas, Streaming API, Method References, and the Date Time mods. That's 20 questions per section, really a lot of that is going to be lambdas, streaming, and everything functional programming. i.e. the really tricky new stuff.
How can Oracle justify this?
More elements were added to Java from 6 to 8, so by normal logic you'd think there would be more questions to ensure that topic should be tested equally... But no, 6 has less questions, and a lower pass rate, and a shorter exam, for the same price.
The changes to Java 8 are substantial and by no means trivial. As a OCP 6 and OCP 7 holder, surely I'd be mad to put myself through the 7 upgrade path, when 6 -> 8 seems so much easier! Especially as all the OCJP 7 stuff is fresh in my mind. Part of me thinks that I could pass 6 to 8 upgrade now as long as I only get the Java 8 questions wrong as you only need 63% (and I could get the earlier train home!)
Can't help but think that the 6 to 8 upgrade exam cheapens the worth of the OCP 8 certificate.
Surely I can't be the only one.
p.s. Just received my Boyarsky/Selikoff OCP 8 Study guide in the post today, nice work guys, congrats on the new book!
p.p.s. Seems Jeanne Boyarsky has already reported similar puzzlement regarding the inclusion/exclusion of certain topics on her blog:
http://www.selikoff.net/2015/08/23/what-does-it-mean-to-be-ocp-java-programmer-ii-certified/