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Education Linux

$2,400 'Introduction To Linux' Course Will Be Free and Online This Summer 84

Posted by timothy from the divide-by-zero-for-your-discount dept.
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)."
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$2,400 'Introduction To Linux' Course Will Be Free and Online This Summer More

$2,400 'Introduction To Linux' Course Will Be Free and Online This Summer

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  • and if you call right now.... (Score:3)

    by turkeydance ( 1266624 ) on Saturday March 08, 2014 @06:05PM (#46436669)
    you'll receive a bonus absolutely free! it's Saturday, here. waiting for DST. bored. sucks.

    • Re:and if you call right now.... (Score:5, Informative)

      by Penguinisto ( 415985 ) on Saturday March 08, 2014 @06:50PM (#46436895) Journal

      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: (Score:1)

        by Anonymous Coward

        Could you possibly translate it to HTML or ODT. If you won't do it yourself, would you license it under CCBY to let us to that.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Salgak1 ( 20136 )
      And just got an email from the people running the "free" course. You get an "Honor Certificate" for taking the course. BUT. . . . for the low, low fee of $250.00, you can get a "Verified Completion Certificate". . .

  • I've been a Microsoft user myself, since about age 4 (now 30) - so I know Windows backward and forward, and knew DOS pretty well for a time. I'd like to branch out, and a top-notch training course in Linux for free seems appealing. I'm sure I could self-educate if needed, but having a more organized study laid out - for free! - sounds great.

    • Re:Hmm, might be worth checking out (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Chrisq ( 894406 ) on Saturday March 08, 2014 @06:12PM (#46436709)

      I've been a Microsoft user myself, since about age 4 (now 30) - so I know Windows backward and forward, and knew DOS pretty well for a time. I'd like to branch out, and a top-notch training course in Linux for free seems appealing. I'm sure I could self-educate if needed, but having a more organized study laid out - for free! - sounds great.

      This is the brilliant thing about free courses. Give it a go and if you decided its not for you all you have wasted is a few hours of your time.

    • I've been a Microsoft user myself, since about age 4 (now 30) - so I know Windows backward and forward, and knew DOS pretty well for a time. I'd like to branch out, and a top-notch training course in Linux for free seems appealing.

      I strongly suggest doing this. I've lost track of the sysadmin job candidates that I've had to turn down because the vast majority of our environment is not Windows, and a string of Microsoft-centric accomplishments with occasional dabbling in Linux is a non-starter.

      Only one of the past seven positions I've held over the years was a strictly Windows-centric shop, and only one other tried to be (until I showed them a better way, eventually leading to a 50/50 mix of Windows+Linux, which cut down our EA costs

    • As someone who self-taught himself Linux, a competent introductory course would've been great about 13 years ago. Unless you have a lot of time to dedicate to experimentation and a lot of forum-surfing, an organized course of study is the way to go.

  • linux (Score:4, Insightful)

    by JohnVanVliet ( 945577 ) on Saturday March 08, 2014 @06:12PM (#46436705) Homepage

    well for those of us that have been using one version or another for the last ten years
    it might be a good review
    -- quote --
    " As long as I never see or need to use the command line, it doesn't matter what operating system I use."
    --- end quote--
    Most of the programs i use DO NOT !!!! use a GUI
    or do not need the one that it might have

    the terminal is GREAT !!!!
    learn to use it !!!!!

    • Are you kidding? The very first thing I do when I see a Linux GUI is CTRL+ALT+F1 (or F2, F3... anything to get a normal tty). In any other *nix, I immediately pop open a terminal and do all my work there.

      For those who know why, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not (*cough*MCSA types*cough*), no explanation will suffice.

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by Anonymous Coward

        I hatez da Mixro$oft sooo i'll just repeats what da other guys says and try to look smartxor!!1! HERP!!!

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by armanox ( 826486 )

        Actually, to do a lot of things in the Microsoft world (*Exchange*) you have to use Powershell.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by jd2112 ( 1535857 )

        Are you kidding? The very first thing I do when I see a Linux GUI is CTRL+ALT+F1 (or F2, F3... anything to get a normal tty). In any other *nix, I immediately pop open a terminal and do all my work there.

        For those who know why, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not (*cough*MCSA types*cough*), no explanation will suffice.

        Actually you now need to know some PowerShell in order to pass the MCSA tests, at least for Windows 2012.

  • What sorta person pays $2400 for an online course on linux intro material?
    • Usually a bored IT tech looking for a company paid vacation.

      • Usually a bored IT tech looking for a company paid vacation.

        Funny, but almost true: If you truly want a vacation paid for by the company, you make certain that the course is in another city, and that you have to be there to take it.

        Otherwise, an online course simply means that you take the course while being constantly interrupted by users, managers, and other people who think you don't mind being interrupted for "just a second".

    • Re:Curious (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Xtifr ( 1323 ) on Saturday March 08, 2014 @06:49PM (#46436893) Homepage

      The kind of person who thinks an education has value?

      The kind of person who prefers to learn things in an orderly fashion, rather than digging through random piles of source code and "free" advice from the internet of questionable utility and accuracy? And who is willing to pay for that privilege, or who works for a company that has a budget for ongoing education?

      • Re:Curious (Score:5, Informative)

        by mysidia ( 191772 ) on Saturday March 08, 2014 @07:06PM (#46436959)

        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.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by armanox ( 826486 )

          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.

          You obviously don't live in the United States. I went to a cheaper (private) college, and tuition when I was there (2006) was ~$9000 for a full time semester.

          • Re: (Score:1)

            by Anonymous Coward

            I don't know what this $9K stuff is. There are plenty of places not nearly that expensive where you don't pay for a brand name -- or pay a private institution (with premium so it can also be profitable for the owners), including:

            Georgia Tech [gatech.edu], $4129 for in-state residents. UWYO [uwyo.edu], $108 per credit hour, undergrad. ULL [louisiana.edu], undergrad tuition $3147 per semester for 20 or more credit hours. Graduate tuition $3574 maximum.

            Elizabeth City State University, NC [rankingsandreviews.com] $4,428 in-state tuition.

            Sul Ross State University (Te

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by armanox ( 826486 )

              All the schools you mentioned are state funded (public, not private). The college I went to I certainly wasn't paying for the name, you've probably never head of Capitol College [capitol-college.edu]. There are a lot of reasons I picked them over a lot of larger, state schools (including University of Maryland, which I was also accepted into).

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by Noxal ( 816780 )

          $2400 is 75% of a full semester college tuition

          hahahahahaha.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Xtifr ( 1323 )

          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.

          Ah, well, I can't comment on this particular course, since I know nothing about it, but in general, courses designed for working professionals whose companies want them to learn new skills and continue to be useful for the company are not cheap. It's not like taking classes at your local community college.

          Of course, the fact that you're talking about spending your own money suggests that you don't work at a company that values ongoing education for its employees, in which case, sucks to be you! :p ;)

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by epyT-R ( 613989 )

        One could argue that the source code is the final say in how software operates. Documentation can be out of date, and the professors at your overpriced ivy league campus are probably more so.

        When I can't solve something, I usually go right to the site of the software in question and check the forum and mailing list archives, or, rarely, join the irc channel. If the community isn't already complaining about the problem, I look over the docs to see if they're more helpful than the ones on the local system,

      • Hey, you don't happen to work for that foundation outfit, do you?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mysidia ( 191772 )

      I don't know.... but there are plenty of people who won't take it for free, because of the number of hours commitment required. I am not sure what the Linux Foundation was thinking charging such exorbitant rates for an introductory level course; that is close to 1 semester of college tuition.... if they're supposed to be a non-profit whose goal is to support and/or promote Linux and universal access.

      The only folks who can muster $2400 for a single course.... are very rich folks, and professionals, who

      • They really do charge a lot for their courses... I haven't taken any of them, but I can't imagine them being particularly better than the free stuff available online, a google search away. I feel kinda bad because they support a good cause (I believe they help fund Torvalds to maintain the kernel, among other things), but their income sources are just kinda ridiculous.

        And in case anyone wants some good intro to Linux material right away, check out this series by Daniel Robbins: http://www.funtoo.org/Lin [funtoo.org]

    • What sorta person pays $2400 for an online course on linux intro material?

      A person who does not know that TLDP ( www.tldp.org ) exists . And or , has a habit to be spoon fed ala windoze In which case , he is going to find himself lost in the linux world once he goes through the expensive intro's
      __________________
      Micro$fot gives u windows . Do you want the whole house I sayy

      • A person who does not know that TLDP ( www.tldp.org ) exists . And or , has a habit to be spoon fed ala windoze In which case , he is going to find himself lost in the linux world once he goes through the expensive intro's

        The material of TLDP is terribly outdated. It is almost completely unusable.

      • The TLDP is a collection of some of the most outdated info out there. I'd never point a new Linux user there. Some of those HOWTO's are seriously out of date...check the listing of HOWTO's by modification date.

  • Here's a perfect opportunity to get girls interested in computing. Knowing how to get around on a Linux box seems like a better first step than trying to teach programming, it's pretty much rote learning and a level playing field for beginners.

  • This is a good move as it will make possible windows users to find out what life is not only without walls but without windows that only let you see where you want to go (but you can't get there from behind a windows). Linux the great glass cutter. I might even take the course and I've been using linux for quite some time now.

    • I'm grabbing my barf bag now. Linux isn't magical, it is an operating system.

      Ubuntu is a different user interface than Windows or OS X or whatever. The command line in Linux is no more alien than Windows "cmd".

      Linux doesn't need a training class, no doubt there is a free YouTube video that would suffice.

      Treating Linux like an alien virus is an insult. Linux is just a different operating system, nothing mystical and certainly nothing magical.

      I find it offensive that people with 6 digit ids here would

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by _merlin ( 160982 )

        I'm grabbing my barf bag now. Linux isn't magical, it is an operating system.

        I'm sure glad I'm not the only one who reacted that way. In the end, operating systems are tools. I use OSX on this notebook that I use for e-mail, Lightroom and Logic. My work desktop runs Windows. My development system at work is Linux. You choose the tool with the right trade-offs for the task at hand.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Hanzie ( 16075 ) *

        I find it offensive that people with 6 digit ids here would act like Linux is made of anti-matter or is from Mars or has girl-cooties ....

        I agree. I'm offended by people with 6 digit ID's too overly liking or hating linux too.

  • Download Linux. Use "man" or "the internet" to do something.

    Using any computer effectively has more to do with what one wants to accomplish and how well one understands what they want to accomplish. Without a purpose, an OS is useless. Practically speaking, using an OS simply for the sake of an OS makes little sense.

    If you want to pay $2400.00 to learn Linux and have no idea what you what you want to do with Linux once you learn it, just send me a check right now.

  • For a course that is nothing more than an 'Introduction' to Linux?

    I remember a fellow years ago that offered an expensive 'study at home' course on Solaris, but his price was well under $2,400 and he actually included a complete Sun workstation with the course...

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