Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

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

Posted by timothy on 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)."

54 of 84 comments (clear)

  1. and if you call right now.... by turkeydance · · Score: 2

    you'll receive a bonus absolutely free! it's Saturday, here. waiting for DST. bored. sucks.

    1. Re:and if you call right now.... by Penguinisto · · Score: 4, Informative

      Shit, there's been an intro to Linux course out for free for, like, 14 years now: it was written to be self-guided. I know this because, well, I wrote it.

      (original announcement )

      (...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.)

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    2. Re:and if you call right now.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      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.

    3. Re:and if you call right now.... by Salgak1 · · Score: 1

      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". . .

  2. Hmm, might be worth checking out by WilliamGeorge · · Score: 1

    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.

    --
    William George
    1. Re:Hmm, might be worth checking out by Chrisq · · Score: 4, Insightful

      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.

    2. Re:Hmm, might be worth checking out by Penguinisto · · Score: 2

      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 greatly.)

      Thing is, over time, you'll find more and more that shops are not drinking the koolaid anymore, and are balancing out their stable with a wide mix of stuff. No sense in limiting yourself, is there?

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    3. Re:Hmm, might be worth checking out by khellendros1984 · · Score: 1

      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.

      --
      It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
  3. Re:Repeat after me by Chrisq · · Score: 2

    As long as I never see or need to use the command line, it doesn't matter what operating system I use.

    To a great extent with things like cygwin it doesn't matter if you do use the command line either

  4. linux by JohnVanVliet · · Score: 3, Insightful

    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 !!!!!

    --
    "I don't pitch OpenSUSE Linux to my friends, i let Microsoft do it for me
    1. Re:linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

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

    2. Re:linux by armanox · · Score: 2

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

      --
      I'm starting to think GNU is the problem with "GNU/Linux" these days.
    3. Re:linux by jd2112 · · Score: 2

      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.

      --
      Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
    4. Re:linux by jones_supa · · Score: 1

      Also known as "Linuxbot" -- the stereotypical slashdotter who has been brainwashed to use only open source software, no matter how broken it is.

    5. Re:linux by Penguinisto · · Score: 1

      Wow - butthurt much?

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    6. Re:linux by jones_supa · · Score: 1

      A bit, I admit.

  5. Curious by oldhack · · Score: 1

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

    --
    Fuck systemd. Fuck Redhat. Fuck Soylent, too. Wait, scratch the last one.
    1. Re:Curious by AnonymousCoward1998 · · Score: 2

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

    2. Re:Curious by Xtifr · · Score: 3, Insightful

      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?

    3. Re:Curious by mysidia · · Score: 1

      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 think they have something to immediately gain by taking the training, so they can justify paying out of pocket, or more likely-- secure financing from their employer.

      But it's doubtful that an introductory class alone could be so valuable --- there are plenty of free resources for a hard-working individual to learn the basics.

      Accurate advanced material is what's tougher to get ahold of.

    4. Re:Curious by blackiner · · Score: 1

      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/Linux_Fu...

    5. Re:Curious by mysidia · · Score: 4, 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.

    6. Re:Curious by epyT-R · · Score: 1

      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, and if not, I pull the source and use grep and friends to find what I'm looking for. It's really not that hard, and it's not something I have to do very often. It's also a lot more pleasant than wading through a closed vendor's bureaucracy to get at someone who knows something. Sitting in a classroom watching some fool write unix command lines up on a whiteboard, and getting points off on lab assignments because they weren't submitted as word documents, isn't a productive use of time either. You're making a big deal out of nothing.

    7. Re:Curious by oldhack · · Score: 1

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

      --
      Fuck systemd. Fuck Redhat. Fuck Soylent, too. Wait, scratch the last one.
    8. Re:Curious by Penguinisto · · Score: 1

      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".

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    9. Re:Curious by armanox · · Score: 1

      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.

      --
      I'm starting to think GNU is the problem with "GNU/Linux" these days.
    10. Re:Curious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      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, $4129 for in-state residents. UWYO, $108 per credit hour, undergrad. ULL, undergrad tuition $3147 per semester for 20 or more credit hours. Graduate tuition $3574 maximum.

      Elizabeth City State University, NC $4,428 in-state tuition.

      Sul Ross State University (Texas) $4800

      Northwestern (Oklahoma) $5K

    11. Re:Curious by armanox · · Score: 1

      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. 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).

      --
      I'm starting to think GNU is the problem with "GNU/Linux" these days.
    12. Re:Curious by invictusvoyd · · Score: 1

      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

    13. Re:Curious by jones_supa · · Score: 1

      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.

    14. Re:Curious by Noxal · · Score: 1

      $2400 is 75% of a full semester college tuition

      hahahahahaha.

    15. Re:Curious by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      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.

    16. Re:Curious by Xtifr · · Score: 1

      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 ;)

  6. Okay girls by tomhath · · Score: 1

    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.

    1. Re:Okay girls by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      Here's a perfect opportunity to get girls interested in computing.

      Why? Is there some target we have to reach as a society?

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    2. Re:Okay girls by tomhath · · Score: 1

      Plenty of people seem to think so

  7. Re:Repeat after me by Penguinisto · · Score: 1

    As long as I never see or need to use the command line, it doesn't matter what operating system I use.

    ...until it breaks, that is. But then, you could always *pay* someone who knows the command line to fix it for you...

    --
    Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
  8. Re:Repeat after me by Mister+Liberty · · Score: 4, Funny

    $> Repeat after me
    Repeat: command not found

  9. Re:Repeat after me by armanox · · Score: 1

    And what operating system would that be? Windows has me at Powershell and Command Prompt all the time. ESX has me there often too, for fixing things. IRIX and Solaris I'm there frequently too. Thinking about it, Android and iOS are probably the only two that I'm not at the CLI in.

    --
    I'm starting to think GNU is the problem with "GNU/Linux" these days.
  10. Much needed by 3seas · · Score: 1

    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.

    1. Re:Much needed by TrollstonButterbeans · · Score: 1

      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 act like Linux is made of anti-matter or is from Mars or has girl-cooties ....

      --
      Priest: "Universe from nothing, no laws of physics, sped up time"+ huge discrepancies. Creationism? No. Big Bang Theory
    2. Re:Much needed by _merlin · · Score: 1

      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.

    3. Re:Much needed by Hanzie · · Score: 1

      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.

      --
      ********* sig: If you don't like the law, get filthy stinking rich, and buy a better one.
  11. Re:Will this finally cause... by Nimey · · Score: 1

    Most of the pushback I've seen so far is neckbeards saying "you don't need to take a class, n00b, download an ISO and Virtualbox and just teach yourself.", not outside haters.

    --
    Hail Eris, full of mischief...

    E pluribus sanguinem
  12. The Free Course... by linearz69 · · Score: 1

    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.

  13. Re:Repeat after me by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1

    Windows has me at Powershell and Command Prompt

    when I must use it, I prefer cygwin. Then I can run my preferred shell it in an xterm, whih I find substantially better than CMD. the scroll speed on the builtin command window is terrible.

    IRIX and Solaris I'm there frequently too.

    Rally? I thought IRIX dropped out of support finally. The last hardwre built to run IRIX ceased production something like 7 years ago. surely you don't have all that much time on IRIX.

    --
    SJW n. One who posts facts.
  14. Re:Repeat after me by armanox · · Score: 1

    IRIX, as of December 2013, is no longer receiving patches/bug fixes (so, IRIX 6.5 was supported from 1998 - almost 2014. Eat that Windows XP). I actually find myself under IRIX quite often these days (more so then any other UNIX I deal with (I deal with Solaris, OS X, AIX, and HP-UX at work), and I must say I really like how it's put together. I wish Linux was as easy to manage as IRIX is.

    --
    I'm starting to think GNU is the problem with "GNU/Linux" these days.
  15. Re:Complete Non Sequitur by tomhath · · Score: 1

    Apparently you don't read (or comprehend) much on the web. Try searching slashdot for "girls programming" and read/comprehend some of the initiatives being proposed.

  16. Who paid $2,400... by kenh · · Score: 1

    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...

    --
    Ken
    1. Re:Who paid $2,400... by jasax · · Score: 1

      If it is this course
      http://training.linuxfoundatio...
      which is going to be released for free, IMO it doesn't target Einsteins, but it is not completely devoted to morons.
      And $2400 is way too much for what it teaches.

  17. Re:Repeat after me by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1

    I'm still surprised you have much extant hardware left. What are you running it on?

    I used the media framework on the O2s back in the day. Impressive stuff.

    --
    SJW n. One who posts facts.
  18. Re:Repeat after me by armanox · · Score: 1

    In the IRIX camp I have two Octanes sitting here. I used to have an O2, but it had an unfortunate accident.

    In the Solaris camp I've got a Sun Blade 1500 and a Netra T1 sitting here.

    Can't quite share all of what I have at work - but due to the products that my company releases we have it seems like as many different things we can get our hands on (like I said, all kinds of UNIX-y systems, all supported versions of OS X and Windows, iSeries (AS/400), etc). My job lets me play with all of the equipment that I would have loved to be able to in college.

    --
    I'm starting to think GNU is the problem with "GNU/Linux" these days.
  19. Re:Repeat after me by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1

    Shame to hear about the O2. Such is the age though.

    Sounds like a rather interesting job, to say the least.

    --
    SJW n. One who posts facts.
  20. Re:Repeat after me by unixisc · · Score: 1

    As long as I never see or need to use the command line, it doesn't matter what operating system I use.

    Mark it flamebait, but until Linux has an option of administering just as easily under a GUI without having to pull up an xterm or later, a Wayland console, it will remain unpopular even w/ such promotions.