$2,400 'Introduction To Linux' Course Will Be Free and Online This Summer 84
kc123 writes "Earlier this week, The Linux Foundation announced that it would be working with edX, a non-profit online learning site governed by Harvard and MIT, to make its "Introduction to Linux" course free and open to all. The Linux Foundation has long offered a wide variety of training courses through its website, but those can generally cost upwards of $2,000. This introductory class, which usually costs $2,400, will be the first from the Linux Foundation to run as a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)."
Re:and if you call right now.... (Score:5, Informative)
Shit, there's been an intro to Linux course out for free for, like, 14 years now [archive.org]: it was written to be self-guided. I know this because, well, I wrote it.
(original announcement [seul.org] )
(...I'm kind of amazed it's still available online, though seeing it in .doc format is kinda funny. Tried to find the original Slashdot announcement, but the search engine on the site sucks.)
Re:Curious (Score:5, Informative)
The kind of person who thinks an education has value?
I agree that education has a value, and I still wouldn't buy this for $2400, or even $1200 or $600. When you consider that it is just video material --- it's definitely not worth so much.
"Has value"; does not mean "each individual course infinite value", AND the majority of the cost that goes into education should be the student's time.
Partly because I am familiar with Linux and don't need an intro class.
But even if I was not familiar with Linux; I wouldn't buy this because $2400 is 75% of a full semester college tuition, and this is just one class which might or might not turn out to be a good or useful class.
A price of $2400 for a couple weeks worth of coursework is obviously intended to provide profits for the institution putting the class on moreso than to provide an education at an economically reasonable price.
Imagine how much you need to pay, if you actually want more than an intro, and you want 5 or 6 classes worth of organized course work, to learn somewhat more than just the basics?
Is it really worth it to pay an extra $30,000 to become somewhat skilled in Linux? Probably earn no more money from a Linux-related job, even if you have one, or afew extra $K for some years than otherwise... obviously not recouping training cost.