[plug] Linux training course ... some elaboration

[Christian]

Mark Bolton wrote:

> The point i was making was that i was appalled that a course was being run where
> students on Austudy were posting enquiries as to the wisdom of  digging very deep into
> very limited funds to attend a course on Linux basics.

My point, and why I think you're wrong, is that there are numerous ways
for people to obtain Linux help and training.  The way most people learn
is through freely available documents and through working out the
solutions themselves, asking occasional questions when they get stuck. 
However, for some people this is not what they want to do.  They'd
rather someone sit them down and teach them those skills.  There's
nothing wrong with this but if people want specific, personal attention
then it's not unreasonable to expect them to pay for it.  As I mentioned
before, I've been helping people with Linux problems for years and never
asked for a cent.  Although, if someone wanted personal, face-to-face
attention then, unless they were a friend, I would likely charge
something.

> I meant collegial in the fraternal sence and I have no problem with people whose skills
> that command high prices getting some recompence for the time and effort they spent
> gaining those skills as they pass them over to others.

So what's the problem?  That's all this course is about.  And as Mike
pointed out, it's quite reasonably priced.

> In fact people donating thier time for no recompence at all , all of the time, will
> enevitably degrade the quality of the project as it become subsumed with amatuerism .

I don't necessarily agree but in some cases this may be true.

> There is an equal danger however in a Free Software project suddenly having to show pay
> dirt ( the Golden Aeroplane reference) to share holders and carpet baggers.

I think you're being a little over-imaginative if you think that's
what's happening here.  People with expertise are offering a good
service at a clearly stated price.  If people don't want to pay that
price (either financial reasons or otherwise) then they have plenty of
other options.  For instance, they can post their questions here and
they'll be answered for free.

> What if find quaintly amusing is the zealotry of the linux fraternity and it's
> sniggering at microsoft as being an " in group"  shiboleth , wher i do arc up is when
> this "in groupery" becoming a vehicle for questionable merchandizing at the newbie level

I don't snigger at Microsoft for being an "in group".  It's not their
mainstream nature that I resent - it's their viscious, monopolistic
business practices and crappy software that I resent.  I can't speak for
others on this list but I would be surprised if more than a handful, if
any, disliked Microsoft because they thought they were too "in".

> If there were forinstance a "slab of beer " fee for unwaged and students I would have no
> problem with the whole concept.  I would suggest however that unwaged and students
> newbies are already quite happy with thier own resources.

If unwaged students and newbies are happy with their own resources,
what's the problem?  If this course is not something which will be
sufficiently popular and thus successful because all the newbies are
self-sufficient then why complain about the cost?  If you're right then
surely the course will collapse under its own weight and the unwaged
will have lost nothing.  On the other hand, I don't think it will.  I
think there are likely a number of people out there who are keen to
learn more about Linux and who want the process made easier for them and
are willing to pay for the privilege.  These people will probably pay
the fee and hopefully benefit from the course.  The unwaged won't and
will "make do" with the same types of resources that Linux users have
relied upon since its very founding.

The Free software nature of Linux means that if people are to make money
out of it then they are likely going to need to do so in different
ways.  Such as providing support.  This is merely another example of
this.  As for your "slab of beer" fee, for better or worse beer is not
the currency of this country (no, really, it's true!) and so hard, cold
cash is what appears to be being asked. ;-)

Regards,

Christian.

-- 
Perhaps I am flogging a straw herring in mid-stream, but in the light
of what is known about the ubiquity of security vulnerabilities, it
seems vastly too dangerous for university folks to run with their heads
in the sand.
						    - Peter G. Neumann