Re: [Hampshire] Basic Linux Training
On 18/03/11 08:36, Lisi wrote: > On Friday 18 March 2011 07:56:38 Sean Gibbins wrote: >> Hi All, >> >> I'm not sure how newsworthy this is, but since the question of basic >> Linux training courses that crops up from time to time I thought I'd >> pass it on. >> >> It appears that the Open University are now offering a module that >> explores the basics of Linux system administration, and that can provide >> students with LPIC-1 certification as well as counting towards an OU >> degree. > I have done this course. Sysadmin doesn't feature at all. And it is nearly > useless for LPIC-1 unless you do considerable additional work. >> The article: >> http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/149152/index.html >> >> The course: >> http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/t155.htm >> >> On the face of it that looks like pretty good value. I haven't got any >> experience of this particular course, but having studied other OU >> computing courses can vouch for the quality of the training materials >> and instruction. > I too have done other OU courses and found them excellent. This one is > lousy. > The material is poor and full of errors and the instruction avowedly > non-existent. It is internet based and so there is no such thing > as "training materials". The first unit is simply a rehash of MS > advertisements. It is aimed very low (GCSE) - and it hits its mark! > > The final test is a test of an individual's skill with graphics and WP, not > Linux. Most of the instructions are specifically for Windows computers. The > one assignment has to be handed in in MS doc format, and you are penalised if > the formatting is not to their liking. odt is not accepted, nor is pdf. > >> The LPIC aspect of it is not straightforward, i.e. completion of the >> course doesn't appear to automatically provide you with certification, >> it seems it is something you need to optionally request through CompTIA* >> who are working with the OU to provide the training. > They wish! That is simply not correct!! They have negotiated a reduction > in > the fee for CompTIA for those who do the course, but the voucher must be > bought immediately and used within 6 months. That is _all_ the co-operation > between them, and they even took weeks to deliver on that. > > In addition, their entirely internet based course is run on so little > bandwidth that it was like being back on dial-up. > > Far from being good value, it is ludicrously over-priced for what you get. > > They are thinking of running another follow-on course and have asked what > support there would be. I though that you must have seen an advertisement > for that, since it may well cover sys-admin. > > Anyone on this list has nothing to learn from this course, since I imagine > that all everyone here can install and use Linux. Unless you have never used > VB. You might learn something about that. Woah - looks like I opened a can of worms there - I'm glad I added that little disclaimer about not having done the course too. What a shame though, it seems like a missed opportunity to me. Sean -- music, film, comics, books, rants and drivel: www.funkygibbins.me.uk -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Basic Linux Training
On Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 02:20:33PM +, Dr A. J. Trickett wrote: > However, I'm told that if you have never used a computer in your > life the ribbon design is actually quite a good idea. Indeed, it allows you to remember the locations of things spatially, and more heavily used items are larger. These are good for usability. Dan -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Basic Linux Training
On Fri, 18 Mar 2011 at 10:01:12AM -0400, Jim Kissel wrote: > Dr A. J. Trickett wrote: > >However I think Lisi's comments and others suggest it's a bit > >half-hearted yet. Apparently if you sign up for a Linux course I > >can get MS Office at a really good price.. > I fail to understand why anyone would want the *latest* version of > MS office even at a *good price*. I found the ribbon interface > difficult to use and very difficult to locate any particular > feature. No I don't own a copy, but have had the misfortune to try > to use it on a friends computer. It was intended in irony... However, I'm told that if you have never used a computer in your life the ribbon design is actually quite a good idea. We now have Office 2007 at work and having used the "ribbon" for a few weeks I find it a good idea in principle but very slow and it doesn't group things the way I would, so it can be very confusing to find things. -- Adam Trickett Overton, HANTS, UK Do not assume the other fellow has intelligence to match yours. He may have more. -- Terry Thomas -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Basic Linux Training
Dr A. J. Trickett wrote: However I think Lisi's comments and others suggest it's a bit half-hearted yet. Apparently if you sign up for a Linux course I can get MS Office at a really good price.. I fail to understand why anyone would want the *latest* version of MS office even at a *good price*. I found the ribbon interface difficult to use and very difficult to locate any particular feature. No I don't own a copy, but have had the misfortune to try to use it on a friends computer. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Basic Linux Training
Hi, > > It appears that the Open University are now offering a module that > > explores the basics of Linux system administration, and that can provide > > students with LPIC-1 certification as well as counting towards an OU > > degree. I think it's good that the OU have thought about this, but... > I have done this course. Sysadmin doesn't feature at all. And it is nearly > useless for LPIC-1 unless you do considerable additional work. > > I too have done other OU courses and found them excellent. This one is > lousy. > The material is poor and full of errors and the instruction avowedly > non-existent. It is internet based and so there is no such thing > as "training materials". The first unit is simply a rehash of MS > advertisements. It is aimed very low (GCSE) - and it hits its mark! > > The final test is a test of an individual's skill with graphics and WP, not > Linux. Most of the instructions are specifically for Windows computers. The > one assignment has to be handed in in MS doc format, and you are penalised if > the formatting is not to their liking. odt is not accepted, nor is pdf. However I think Lisi's comments and others suggest it's a bit half-hearted yet. Apparently if you sign up for a Linux course I can get MS Office at a really good price... -- Adam Trickett Overton, HANTS, UK I am not a PC - I am a free man! -- anon -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Basic Linux Training
Looks pretty good, I'm currently studying for the Linux+ exam in my own time you can now optionally put yourself forward to also obtain the LPCI-1 and the Novell Certified Linux Administrator Certifications, So 3 certs for the price of one is pretty damm good going. Thought I would hammer through this before going down the Microsuck route. Best material I have found for the Linux+ is the new train signal videos ( These are expensive to buy but ahem all I will say is bit torrent) they are really clear and concise and cover both exams required for the Linux+, Also another worthy investment is the new Sybex Linux+ Book by Roderick Smith. Picked mine up for about £20. Got Debian, Centos and SUSE all runing virtually am and just labbing away breaking stuff best fun ive had in ages :) Another subject are there any local meetings coming up? Thanks Ally > From: xendis...@gmx.com > To: hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk > Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:50:07 +0000 > Subject: Re: [Hampshire] Basic Linux Training > > On Friday 18 March 2011 08:36:03 Lisi wrote: > > On Friday 18 March 2011 07:56:38 Sean Gibbins wrote: > > > Hi All, > > > > > > I'm not sure how newsworthy this is, but since the question of basic > > > Linux training courses that crops up from time to time I thought I'd > > > pass it on. > > > > > > It appears that the Open University are now offering a module that > > > explores the basics of Linux system administration, and that can provide > > > students with LPIC-1 certification as well as counting towards an OU > > > degree. > > > > I have done this course. Sysadmin doesn't feature at all. And it is > > nearly useless for LPIC-1 unless you do considerable additional work. > > > > > The article: > > > http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/149152/index.html > > > > > > The course: > > > http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/t155.htm > > > > > > On the face of it that looks like pretty good value. I haven't got any > > > experience of this particular course, but having studied other OU > > > computing courses can vouch for the quality of the training materials > > > and instruction. > > > > I too have done other OU courses and found them excellent. This one is > > lousy. The material is poor and full of errors and the instruction avowedly > > non-existent. It is internet based and so there is no such thing > > as "training materials". The first unit is simply a rehash of MS > > advertisements. It is aimed very low (GCSE) - and it hits its mark! > > > > The final test is a test of an individual's skill with graphics and WP, not > > Linux. Most of the instructions are specifically for Windows computers. > > The one assignment has to be handed in in MS doc format, and you are > > penalised if the formatting is not to their liking. odt is not accepted, > > nor is pdf. > > > > > The LPIC aspect of it is not straightforward, i.e. completion of the > > > course doesn't appear to automatically provide you with certification, > > > it seems it is something you need to optionally request through CompTIA* > > > who are working with the OU to provide the training. > > > > They wish! That is simply not correct!! They have negotiated a reduction > > in the fee for CompTIA for those who do the course, but the voucher must be > > bought immediately and used within 6 months. That is _all_ the > > co-operation between them, and they even took weeks to deliver on that. > > > > In addition, their entirely internet based course is run on so little > > bandwidth that it was like being back on dial-up. > > > > Far from being good value, it is ludicrously over-priced for what you get. > > > > They are thinking of running another follow-on course and have asked what > > support there would be. I though that you must have seen an advertisement > > for that, since it may well cover sys-admin. > > > > Anyone on this list has nothing to learn from this course, since I imagine > > that all everyone here can install and use Linux. Unless you have never > > used VB. You might learn something about that. > > > > Lisi > > > > > > -- > > Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk > > Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire > > LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk > > -- > > Some of you may be interested in this project then > > http://www.freesoftwareuni.com/ > > Tim > > -- > Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk > Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire > LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk > -- -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Basic Linux Training
> I wouldn't really have minded, but at the time there was no way to > opt out without just not using LPI. I've had a few organisations do that sort of thing to me. My /etc/mail/access file has quite a lot of swearing in it... Vic. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Basic Linux Training
On Fri, Mar 18 at 07:56, Sean Gibbins wrote: ... > It appears that the Open University are now offering a module that > explores the basics of Linux system administration, and that can provide ... OU> This course includes online computer activities - you can access these OU> using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave. ^ By the time you've got Shockwave running on your linux box you probably don't need the rest of the course. -- Bob Dunlop -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Basic Linux Training
On Friday 18 March 2011 08:36:03 Lisi wrote: > On Friday 18 March 2011 07:56:38 Sean Gibbins wrote: > > Hi All, > > > > I'm not sure how newsworthy this is, but since the question of basic > > Linux training courses that crops up from time to time I thought I'd > > pass it on. > > > > It appears that the Open University are now offering a module that > > explores the basics of Linux system administration, and that can provide > > students with LPIC-1 certification as well as counting towards an OU > > degree. > > I have done this course. Sysadmin doesn't feature at all. And it is > nearly useless for LPIC-1 unless you do considerable additional work. > > > The article: > > http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/149152/index.html > > > > The course: > > http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/t155.htm > > > > On the face of it that looks like pretty good value. I haven't got any > > experience of this particular course, but having studied other OU > > computing courses can vouch for the quality of the training materials > > and instruction. > > I too have done other OU courses and found them excellent. This one is > lousy. The material is poor and full of errors and the instruction avowedly > non-existent. It is internet based and so there is no such thing > as "training materials". The first unit is simply a rehash of MS > advertisements. It is aimed very low (GCSE) - and it hits its mark! > > The final test is a test of an individual's skill with graphics and WP, not > Linux. Most of the instructions are specifically for Windows computers. > The one assignment has to be handed in in MS doc format, and you are > penalised if the formatting is not to their liking. odt is not accepted, > nor is pdf. > > > The LPIC aspect of it is not straightforward, i.e. completion of the > > course doesn't appear to automatically provide you with certification, > > it seems it is something you need to optionally request through CompTIA* > > who are working with the OU to provide the training. > > They wish! That is simply not correct!! They have negotiated a reduction > in the fee for CompTIA for those who do the course, but the voucher must be > bought immediately and used within 6 months. That is _all_ the > co-operation between them, and they even took weeks to deliver on that. > > In addition, their entirely internet based course is run on so little > bandwidth that it was like being back on dial-up. > > Far from being good value, it is ludicrously over-priced for what you get. > > They are thinking of running another follow-on course and have asked what > support there would be. I though that you must have seen an advertisement > for that, since it may well cover sys-admin. > > Anyone on this list has nothing to learn from this course, since I imagine > that all everyone here can install and use Linux. Unless you have never > used VB. You might learn something about that. > > Lisi > > > -- > Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk > Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire > LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk > -- Some of you may be interested in this project then http://www.freesoftwareuni.com/ Tim -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Basic Linux Training
On Friday 18 March 2011 07:56:38 Sean Gibbins wrote: > Hi All, > > I'm not sure how newsworthy this is, but since the question of basic > Linux training courses that crops up from time to time I thought I'd > pass it on. > > It appears that the Open University are now offering a module that > explores the basics of Linux system administration, and that can provide > students with LPIC-1 certification as well as counting towards an OU > degree. I have done this course. Sysadmin doesn't feature at all. And it is nearly useless for LPIC-1 unless you do considerable additional work. > > The article: > http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/149152/index.html > > The course: > http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/t155.htm > > On the face of it that looks like pretty good value. I haven't got any > experience of this particular course, but having studied other OU > computing courses can vouch for the quality of the training materials > and instruction. I too have done other OU courses and found them excellent. This one is lousy. The material is poor and full of errors and the instruction avowedly non-existent. It is internet based and so there is no such thing as "training materials". The first unit is simply a rehash of MS advertisements. It is aimed very low (GCSE) - and it hits its mark! The final test is a test of an individual's skill with graphics and WP, not Linux. Most of the instructions are specifically for Windows computers. The one assignment has to be handed in in MS doc format, and you are penalised if the formatting is not to their liking. odt is not accepted, nor is pdf. > The LPIC aspect of it is not straightforward, i.e. completion of the > course doesn't appear to automatically provide you with certification, > it seems it is something you need to optionally request through CompTIA* > who are working with the OU to provide the training. They wish! That is simply not correct!! They have negotiated a reduction in the fee for CompTIA for those who do the course, but the voucher must be bought immediately and used within 6 months. That is _all_ the co-operation between them, and they even took weeks to deliver on that. In addition, their entirely internet based course is run on so little bandwidth that it was like being back on dial-up. Far from being good value, it is ludicrously over-priced for what you get. They are thinking of running another follow-on course and have asked what support there would be. I though that you must have seen an advertisement for that, since it may well cover sys-admin. Anyone on this list has nothing to learn from this course, since I imagine that all everyone here can install and use Linux. Unless you have never used VB. You might learn something about that. Lisi -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Basic Linux Training
Hello, On Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 07:56:38AM +, Sean Gibbins wrote: > The LPIC aspect of it is not straightforward, i.e. completion of the > course doesn't appear to automatically provide you with certification, > it seems it is something you need to optionally request through CompTIA* > who are working with the OU to provide the training. My experience in 2008 was that to have an LPI qualification (or take any of their courses) you need to sign up for an LPI account, and by signing up for an LPI account you consent to their marketing policy. This enables them to share your personal information with anyone they like. As I found, when an organisation called LPI UK marketed their training material, repeatedly over a period of months, to an email address I had given to LPI (which is *not* LPI UK!) at a FOSDEM years previous, for the purposes of taking one of their exams. I wouldn't really have minded, but at the time there was no way to opt out without just not using LPI. I was advised that I'd have to opt-out individually from each of the LPI affiliates' marketing as and when. The opt-out procedure for LPI UK's offering was to exchange emails with an exceptionally rude individual called Bill Quinn who took several months to actually unsubscribe me and managed to both not apologise and to publicly call me a liar in the process. I hope they got their act together since then! Cheers, Andy signature.asc Description: Digital signature -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
