On Jun 8, 2007, at 5:58 AM, Pieter Verberne wrote:
Hi there OpenBSD users,
I wonder how much time it took for the average person to 'master'
OpenBSD or a similar OS.
About 10 years through deliberate practice, just like any other complex
area of study.
See "The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert
Performance" by Ericsson, et al.
http://projects.ict.usc.edu/itw/gel/EricssonDeliberatePracticePR93.pdf
Choice quote:
"Our review has also shown that the maximal level of performance for
individuals in a given domain is not attained automatically as function
of extended experience, but the level of performance can be increased
even by highly experienced individuals as a result ofdeliberate efforts
to improve. Hence, stable levels of performance after extended
experience are not rigidly limited by unmodifiable, possibly innate,
factors, but can be further increased by deliberate efforts. We have
shown that expert performance is acquired slowly over a very long time
as a result of practice and that the highest levels of performance and
achievement appear to require at least around 10 years of intense prior
preparation."
The areas of study particular to mastering systems administration
haven't changed much over the decades, just the particulars. I think
the table of contents and bibliography of _Essential System
Administration_ by Frisch is a good introduction to the topics.
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/esa3/toc.html
Others mentioned BSDCertification.org which also has a pretty
comprehensive list areas of study.
http://www.bsdcertification.org/downloads/
pr_20051005_certreq_bsda_en_en.pdf
--
Freedom, truth, love, beauty.
John Rodenbiker
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
