It was about two years ago that I got my first computer (it came installed with Ubuntu 8.04). It was an old, beat-up, recycled box with motherboard issues. Some friends had arranged for me to receive it as a gift for college.
The college only supported proprietary OSes. Not to worry, I was told, WINE would cover my proprietary needs.
Quickly I began spending eight to 14 hours a day on the forums. The more I tried to grasp the software and apps and find fixes, the dumber I got (am). You might note that on SuSE forums, I have NO reputation. I’m tired of being stupid regarding computers and software. I’m switching my college major as soon as I find a college (preferably online) with an emphasis on Linux.
Anybody have any recommendations? As always, any help will be much appreciated. Thank you.
On 04/24/2011 12:06 PM, Randymanme wrote:
>
> Anybody have any recommendations?
two years at 8 to 14 hours per day, and you are not yet a Linux Guru
with a huge reputation, i recommend you get your college education in
something you are good at naturally (doesn’t seem that understanding
software is as easy for you as for some) and which might serve you well
for a lifetime…and, most important: you enjoy!
i mean, imagine if you were 1901, and you were studying at the
University of Western Union Telegraph Engineering, or the (by mail)
College of Steam Locomotive Design…
Look, here I am not to earn reputation or bonus etc. I am here to give help in members and also I am here to get help. For example I am Shaman penguin, but it is nothing for me. Important for me is to give help. In my forum I am active member(Greek forum), writing guides(guides for openSUSE functions and programming languages), developing etc. I study in university computer science, but this is not reason to say that I am guru in computers. You must know that I still learn.
Linux guru is no one of us. I do not care about reputation, this is not my purpose here. My purpose here is to give and get knowledge of linux nothing more.
Looking at the web interface on the forum I see you are from Columbus, Ohio,
USA. I would contact the linux user group there and get first hand
information from people you can meet directly http://www.colug.net/
–
PC: oS 11.3 64 bit | Intel Core2 Quad Q8300@2.50GHz | KDE 4.6.2 | GeForce
9600 GT | 4GB Ram
Eee PC 1201n: oS 11.4 64 bit | Intel Atom 330@1.60GHz | KDE 4.6.0 | nVidia
ION | 3GB Ram
Unfortunately registration for this course closed yesterday T155 - Linux: an introduction - Open University Course
but the British Open University as a very good reputation for distance learning courses and AFAIK there will be another course later this year.
Thank you, Stamostolias, for reminding me of why I got here in the first place. And I do get to help someone from time to time, just generally not on the forums. Your humility bouys me.
Maybe about four nights ago I was browsing another Linux forum and saw an opportunity to offer someone some directions that I got here. For a fleeting moment I considered paraphrasing it and making it seem like I was speaking from my own expertise. But instead, I copied and pasted from OpenSUSE Forums and included the complete URL for reference. Had I passed that off as my own expertise, I would have felt pretty low after reading your post. But as it is, I feel much better about myself, now, than I was feeling when I first started this thread.
To tell you the truth, I’m not all that hot on the more recent OpenSUSE releases. But I feel that having one on one of my computers justifies my participation on OpenSUSE Forums. What I love the most about OpenSUSE is the keen sense of community I feel here. Like now reading your encouragement.
Thanks for your recommendation. At Urbana (of Ohio) University, I need one semester for my B.S. in general management or two semesters for a double-major with human resources management. At Ashford University, I need two semesters for my B.A. in cultural anthropology. But none of that inspires me – plus I’m already retired. But distro-hopping, tinkering around with Linux operating systems, hungering for understanding of all the aspects of F/LOSS, hoping to some day be a developer – I do that for free. That’s the kind of job I’d like to have – doing something that I’d do for free.
Thank you for reading my post, offering me your insight, and for caring.
I went on an appointment today for an assessment and application to TechSkills Vocational School. After the financial aid person goes over my FAFSA (paperwork relating to my grants and loans eligibilities), I’m looking forward to starting its Microsoft Certified IT Professional program around the middle of next month. It’s a 26-week curriculum that can be viewed as being comprised of six separate certification modules (my version of what was told to me) that include two CompTIA A+ certifications, Network+, two Microsoft Certified Professional certifications, and I forget what else.
The director of admissions who interviewed and orientated me seems to be familiar with F/LOSS, Freegeek, the One Laptop Per Child Foundation, etc… Like you’ve stated, she also points out that an effective and versatile Linux professional will be familar with other major competitors software and programs as well. And that at present Microsoft certifications are where the money is at. While my primary reasons for getting the training are not employment-oriented, I’ll gladly re-enter the job market for good money. Me already knowing something about educational psychology, I rather like the TechSkills’ blended model of teaching. Everybody is assumed to know nothing and start at the bare basics. I was concerned about being too dumb, it turns out I’ve already got a good foundation.
I’ve seen on some online computer and electronics retailers’ websites some pretty good deals on some motherboard/processor bundles. Affordable enough for me to seriously think about upgrading my Gateway E-4000. I didn’t really know, but I was hoping it wouldn’t be too difficult. I’d begin asking around for someone to help me; maybe Freegeek Columbus could turn it into a tutorial for several people (I think that would fall under the category of the recycling of technology). But as it turns out, TechSkills gets into that during the second week. As a student, the instructors would be available to me for that kind of assisstance. I’m very excited.
On 04/27/2011 07:06 AM, Randymanme wrote:
> That’s the kind of job I’d like to
> have – doing something that I’d do for free.
that is what i do…i do this for free…
but frankly, you are a long way from being ready to give a lot of help
here–that is NOT to say that you can’t get ready…you can for sure,
but you gonna hav’ta do more independent study…i say because imho
your questions here over the last month or so don’t indicate a high
level of understanding of linux in general or openSUSE in particular…
looking at what you have accomplished in higher education, i’d recommend finishing something, anything…and, then begin again in a structured
course…i think Novell has several…
–
CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD
[openSUSE 11.3 + KDE4.5.5 + Thunderbird3.1.8 via NNTP]
Q: What do you get if you divide the circumference of a jack-o-lantern
by its diameter?
A: Pumpkin Pi!
Good idea; Thanks. I can re-write that as “start regularly attending meetings.” Around nine or ten months ago, I stumbled upon a tutorial, something sort of like, “20 Things to do After Installing Ubuntu 9.10.” I was surprised to see that one of them was “Join your local Ubuntu Users Group.” So I googled the topic, found a group, and joined. But I’ve only been to a couple meetings. Because I don’t have a laptop and usually don’t have the money to buy dinner like they all do at the trendy restaurant the group meets at. Me being the only person there not eatting and not participating in the group activities via laptops on a wireless network makes me feel self-conscious.
I’ve just recently begun going to meetings of the Ohio State University Open Source Club. I’d already been forewarned that most of the members were young graduate students with science or engineering degrees and that I might want to sit in the back and not put my foot in my mouth. My first meeting, the topic seemed relatively benign: six of the members put on presentations of different “windows managers” (desktops to us). Although I did sit in the back, I felt compelled to ask some reasonably intelligent questions re Dolphin vs. Konqueror after I overheard a couple of the folks there wonder if perhaps I’d wandered away from an old folks home and was lost. But I’ll go back a few more times before deciding whether or not to regularly attend.
I’m sure, though, that the Greater Central Ohio Area has plently of linux user groups and I just need make the rounds until I find one that has other people more like me.
Excellent idea, though, and yes, I appreciate the reminder that there are plenty of direct contact resouces/persons whom I haven’t been interacting with. Thank you.
