Another Linux Certification Program

Feynman writes "Digital Metrics has released the first level of certification for the Linux community. The dmCLA--Digital Metrics Certified Linux Administrator--is a non-distribution specific Linux certification for system administrators. " Who is Digital Metrics? Red Hat might be aligned with a distribution, but they have a name. I mean, if I start a certification program does that make it meaningful? Should Linux International do this sort of thing? That's at least an impartial group with a valid name. Anyway, its to early on a monday for this many questions *grin*.

Linux International protect us!

[Paul Crowley]

Yes, I do think there should be an official, LI sponsored certification program. Otherwise there'll be hundreds of programs, some truly awful, which is certainly worse than none at all. LI's impressive list of members gives it legitimacy and clout that it can lend to a "good" program that has genuinely sprung from the community and is run in an open way, such as http://www.linuxinstitute.org/ . I'd also like to see someone (either LI or Linux Institute) try to maintain an index of all the certs they know about - there already seem to be quite a few...

http://www.redhat.com/ and http://www.caldera.com/ both run certification programs; I think that's fair enough but there's room for some generic Linux cerificates too

http://www.linuxinstitute.org/ sprang from a discussion in Linux Gazette

http://www.linuxcertification.org/ (Tobin Maginnis isn't IIRC one of the bad guys - yes, I've just noticed that he references the Linux Gazette discussion, so it looks like the good guys may be duplicating effort)

http://www.digitalmetrics.com/ (anyone happy to see poor Tux wearing a tie? - they don't reference anyone else's efforts, I've never heard of them, smells like the bad guys to me.)

http://www.linuxfoundation.org/ (who turn out also to be Digital Metrics)

And I expect it's only a matter of time before fuckers like Mike McLagan and Ian Nandhra of the LSA announce their Official Linux Certification Program and start promoting it through linux.org.

Yes, I do think that LI is run by the good guys.
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Certification is okay, but

[mackga]

I wish someone reputable would set up a distance learning-type thing. I just don't have the time to travel. Also, the cost would go down better w/ management if I could do it at work. Just a thought.

I would like to get a piece of paper that says I passed a battery of tests on Linux. It would show not only what I know, but what I need to learn in the future. Good for the resume as well.

Certification only as valuable as reputation

[nelsonrn]

The certification you receive from anyone (yes, even a four-year college degree) is only as valuable as the reputation of the institution that granted it.
-russ

Name don't matter

[mschmitt]

Who cares about the name? What is important here, is that you have something to prove that you at least have some kind of validated expertise.

Thinking of MCSE, I don't believe that a major brand name has to stand behind a certification program.

Oh. First post or what? ;-)

I'd be broke in a couple days...

[mschmitt]

...if I accepted your offer and only got $50 per hour afterwards, thanks. :-)

Linux Certification

[mauriceh]

Re: your suggestion.
If Red Hat or Linux International decided to do this it would probably take forever to get going.
Actually Red Hat talked about this as a "hook" to get people to join the support program they were pitching last year.
After most who enquired realised that RH was putting no resources into this, charging us $1000 a membership (per year), and did not even have a framework of a certification program designed we spent our time in more productive ways..

Hey, besides, have you seen "bugzilla"?
Looks good until you try and use it. That is where the content ends..

Agreement you get /after/ giving your NAD

[korpiq]

From the Picky-dept.

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Certification Agreement



DIGITAL METRICS LINUX EXPERTS
NON-DISCLOSURE AND CERTIFICATION
AGREEMENT INFORMATION

Digital Metrics requires that all certification applicants agree to and sign two (2) separate agreements as a
prerequisite of being certified: (1) the Non-Disclosure Agreement and General Terms of Use (the
"Non-Disclosure Agreement') and (2) the Digital Metrics Linux Experts Certification Agreement (the
"Certification Agreement").

You must consent to the terms of the Non-Disclosure Agreement before you will be allowed to register for a
certification exam and receive an Candidate Login Name. Assenting to the terms of the Non-Disclosure
Agreement may be accomplished during the on-line registration process by clicking the "I Agree" button during
the Candidate Login creation proces. You will again be asked to consent to the terms of the Non-Disclosure
Agreement immediately prior to taking the exam for which you have registered. Failure to consent to the terms of
the Non-Disclosure Agreement at this juncture will prevent you from taking the exam for which you have
registered and your application fee will be returned.

After receiving your Candidate Login Name, you must download and sign the Certification Agreement from the
Digital Metrics Linux Certification website. An original, signed copy of the entire, unadulterated Certification
Agreement must be mailed to Digital Metrics at 30928 Valley Center Rd., Valley Center, CA. 92082 USA prior to
your being certified as a Digital Metrics Certified at any level of certification. Failure to sign and send a copy of the
Certification Agreement to Digital Metrics will prevent you from being certified despite a passing score on a
certification exam.

Please note that if you are a minor under the laws of the state or country where you sign either agreement, your
parent, court-appointed curator, or legal guardian must countersign such agreement. Such agreement will
automatically terminate when you reach the age of majority unless you affirm the agreement by completing and
signing the relevant agreement then being used by Digital Metrics and returning it to Digital Metrics. If you allow
either agreement to lapse, you will be decertified.



DIGITAL METRICS LINUX CERTIFICATION
PRE-EXAM REGISTRATION
NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT AND
GENERAL TERMS OF USE (THE "AGREEMENT")

Prior to being allowed to register for any exam offered by Digital Metrics, you, the potential examinee, must agree
and consent to the following:

1. The exam for which you are registering is Digital Metrics' confidential information and is protected by copyright
law. It will be made available to you, the examinee, solely for the purpose of becoming certified at a particular
Digital Metrics Linux Certification level. You are expressly prohibited from disclosing, publishing, reproducing,
distributing, or transmitting this exam, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, for any purpose, without the
prior express written consent of Digital Metrics.

2. Registered examinees may write, publish and distribute exam study materials for the exam for which they are
registered, so long as such study material covers all of the exam objectives stated for that particular exam on the
Digital Metrics Linux Experts Internet website and provided that said examinee(s) shall have obtained prior written
permission from Digital Metrics. Any such permission granted by Digital Metrics shall not constitute an
endorsement of the study material by Digital Metrics.

3. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prohibit a Digital Metrics Certified Linux Instructors (DM CLI)
from discussing examination questions in specific forums on the Digital Metrics Linux Experts Internet website
restricted to use by Digital Metrics Certified Linux Experts only.

To continue with the Digital Metrics Linux Certification online exam registration process, you must assent to all of
the terms of this Agreement. To consent to this Agreement, please click the "I Agree" button below. Be advised
that you will again be asked to consent to the terms of this Agreement immediately prior to taking the examination
for which you are presently registering.




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No mention about the usage of name and address information either, not here, on main page nor on the FAQ.

The REAL Linux Certification Exam

[Macka]

I don't know who this lot are, or where they've com from, but I thought that the Real(tm) Linux Certification exam was hosted by the University of Mississippi [linuxcertification.org].

If LI are going to get into the certification game they would serve us better supporting a non-commercial effort!

Macka

certification

[Lumpy]

certification in any realm is a CROCK!
I'm a certified hewlett packard laserjet III operator/tech as I have built 4 of the things from the ground up from several broken carkassess, I can run rings wround any A++ certified computer tech and MSCE's are morons to begin with. Now we have a linux cert shoved down our thoats. If you can do the Job then you do it, I personally think having to get a piece of paper to prove this is an insult to me,and to every person that has learned computing and electronics in their home. Prime example... at work we only have MSCE's in the computer department, they cant keep the company email working for more than 2 weeks at a time, the proxy server crashes every other thursday and is down for at least 5 days at a time and servers are always dying/puking (I blame NT as much as the MSCE's) EVERY MSCE I have met was a worthless turd that only has the Job because mommie or daddy was rich enough to get them the certification, while the guru's in the old Data processing department that have 10-20 years of expierience in the computing and network field are ignored.. Let's pile certified people with the lawyers when they are dumped in the ocean... WE dont need certification, we need real GEEKS and intilligent people in the companies/ offices ones that can figure out a problem that isnt highlighted in a MSCE study manual!

certification

[mattc]

Soon you are going to be required to have various certificates to get a linux job. Now you can still fake it "They aren't any certification programs for Linux" but sooner or later the suits will find out that there are, and you'll be unemployeed unless you are a "RedHat Certified Engineer." Just like today for example, even if you know how to work on a cisco router, you still have to have a pricey cisco certification before anyone will believe you. It's all a scam.

Slashdot Certification?

[Ron Harwood]

Quote:Who is Digital Metrics? Red Hat might be aligned with a distribution, but they have a name. I mean, if I start a certification program does that make it meaningful?

I kinda like the idea of "Slashdot Certification"... kinda caries a geek badge of honour...