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<title>Creating a Linux Certification Program, Part 3 LG #35</title>
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<H4>
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"Linux Gazette...<I>making Linux just a little more fun!</I>"
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</H4>
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<P> <HR> <P>
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<H1><font color="maroon">Creating A Linux Certification Program, Part 3</font></H1>
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<H4>By <a href="mailto:dyork@lodestar2.com">Dan York</a></H4>
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</center>
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<P> <HR> <P>
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<P>The Linux certification saga continues. In my <a
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href="http://www.linuxgazette.com/issue33/york.html"> October
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article</a>, I outlined
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why I thought Linux needs a certification program and what I thought the
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major characteristics of such a program should be. In my
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<a href="http://www.linuxgazette.com/issue34/york.html"> November
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article</a>,
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I described what efforts were already underway toward Linux
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certification,
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provided pointers to resources on the Web, and explained how people
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could
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become further involved. With this article, I would like to relay
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the current status of our discussions, and provide additional pointers
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to information and resources.</P>
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<P>Specific topics in this article are:</P>
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<UL>
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<LI><A HREF="#linux-cert">Status of "linux-cert" discussion
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list
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and web archive of discussions</A></LI>
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<LI><A HREF="#linux-cert-announce">NEW LIST -
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"linux-cert-announce"</A></LI>
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<LI><A HREF="#lta">Linux Training Alliance</A></LI>
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<LI><A HREF="#cp">Points of consensus that have emerged from
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discussions</A></LI>
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<LI><A HREF="#wg">Working groups close to being formed</A></LI>
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</UL>
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<P>If you have any questions about this article or the other articles,
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please feel free to contact me by email at <A
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HREF="mailto:dyork@Lodestar2.com">dyork@Lodestar2.com</A>
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or visit my list of certification pointers at <A
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HREF="http://www.linuxtraining.org/cert/resources.html">http://www.linuxtraining.org/cert/resources.html</A></P>
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<HR WIDTH="100%"><A NAME="linux-cert"></A><H2>Status of
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"linux-cert"
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discussion list</H2>
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<P>In last month's article, I mentioned a "linux-cert" mailing
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list that was established to host further discussions on creating a
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Linux
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certification program. That list is operational and has had a strong
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volume
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throughout the last month. There has truly been too much discussion to
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adequately summarize, although the points of consensus mentioned below
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should give you a flavor of the list. People have been contributing from
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all around the world and it has been great to be a part of it all!</P>
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<P>If you would like to subscribe, send a message to:<BR>
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<BR>
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<A
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HREF="mailto:majordomo@linuxcare.com">majordomo@linuxcare.com<BR>
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<BR>
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</A> with the message:<BR>
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<BR>
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subscribe linux-cert<BR>
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<BR>
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Messages to the discussion list are sent to
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"linux-cert@linuxcare.com"<BR>
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<BR>
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The list is intended for people who *want* to build a certification
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program.
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This is not another place to discuss whether or not a Linux
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certification
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program *should* exist... subscribers to the list agree that, yes, we
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want
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a Linux certification program - now let's discuss how best to build
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one.</P>
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<P>We now have two sites that are hosting web-based archives of the
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mailing
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list where you can view what has been discussed on the
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"linux-cert"
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list. Dave Sifry at Linuxcare set up our primary archive at his site.
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You
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can see every message from the beginning of the list at: </P>
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<P><A
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HREF="http://www.linuxcare.com/linux-cert/archive/">http://www.linuxcare.com/linux-cert/archive/</A></P>
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<P>Or you can view just November's postings at:</P>
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<P><A
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HREF="http://www.linuxcare.com/linux-cert/archive/9811/">http://www.linuxcare.com/linux-cert/archive/9811/</A></P>
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<P>Bruce Dawson also set up a second site to see the messages (albeit
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over
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a slower connection) at:</P>
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<P><A
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HREF="http://linux.codemeta.com/archives/linuxcert_archive/">http://linux.codemeta.com/archives/linuxcert_archive</A>
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</P>
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<P>Thanks are due to both Dave and Bruce for setting these archives up.
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</P>
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<P>Please visit the archives, see what we're up to, and join in our
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efforts.</P>
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<P>
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<HR WIDTH="100%">
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<H2><A NAME="linux-cert-announce"></A>New List -
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"linux-cert-announce"</H2>
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<P>After we set up the "linux-cert" list, I had several people
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contact me and say that they were interested in staying up on what was
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going on with Linux certification, but didn't want to subscribe to a
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high-volume
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mailing list. To address this concern, we have now established a second
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list, "linux-cert-announce", which will be a <I>very</I> low
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volume list (probably only a few postings per month). We will only send
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occasional status reports and announcements to this "announce"
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list. It is a moderated list with a limited number of possible senders,
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so there will be no extra traffic or spam.</P>
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<P>If you would like to subscribe to this list, send a message to:<BR>
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<BR>
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<A
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HREF="mailto:majordomo@linuxcare.com">majordomo@linuxcare.com<BR>
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<BR>
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</A>with the message:<BR>
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<BR>
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subscribe linux-cert-announce</P>
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<P>in the message body. Thanks again to Dave Sifry at Linuxcare for
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setting
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up this second list.</P>
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<P>Note that if you subscribe to "linux-cert", you do
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<B>not</B>
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need to also subscribe to "linux-cert-announce". Any message
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sent to "linux-cert-announce" will automagically be sent to
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the
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"linux-cert" mailing list. </P>
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<P>So... subscribe to "linux-cert" if you want to be involved
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with the ongoing discussions and receive a strong volume of email,
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subscribe
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to "linux-cert-announce" if you only want to get occasional
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updates
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on the current status of certification discussions and plans.<BR>
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</P>
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<P>
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<HR WIDTH="100%">
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<H2><A NAME="lta"></A>Linux Training Alliance</H2>
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<P>In order to promote the teaching of classes in Linux, I am organizing
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an alliance of training centers who either are currently or are planning
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to teach Linux classes. We now have a web site located at:</P>
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<P> <A
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HREF="http://www.linuxtraining.org/">http://www.linuxtraining.org/</A></P>
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<P>The goals of the organization and Web site include:</P>
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<UL>
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<LI>to provide a central place on the Internet where potential students
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can learn about available Linux training resources</LI>
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<LI>to publicize the classes of those training centers currently
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offering
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Linux training</LI>
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<LI>to be a resource for other training centers that want to start
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teaching
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Linux classes</LI>
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<LI>to promote the ongoing efforts to create a Linux certification
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program</LI>
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<LI>to prove to courseware publishers that if they create Linux
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courseware
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there would be centers who would potentially purchase their
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materials</LI>
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<LI>to provide another way to combat the argument made against Linux
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that
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"there is no support"</LI>
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</UL>
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<P>If you are interested in Linux training, please visit the site and
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let
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me know what you think (it's pretty basic so far).</P>
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<P>If you are affiliated with a training center (loosely defined as a
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corporate
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training center, college, university or basically anyone else currently
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teaching Linux) and would like to be listed on the site (and join the
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LTA),
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please contact me at <A
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HREF="mailto:dyork@Lodestar2.com">dyork@Lodestar2.com</A>.</P>
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<P>If you are an freelance/contract instructor who would be available to
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teach classes in Linux, of if you have developed courseware in Linux
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that
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would be available to other training centers, please contact me as I
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would
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like to publicize your contact information as well.</P>
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<HR WIDTH="100%"><BR>
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<A NAME="cp"></A><H2>Points of Consensus from the "linux-cert"
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discussion list</H2>
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<P>Our discussion on the "linux-cert" mailing list has been
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quite
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involved and detailed with numerous points being debated quite intensely
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at times (check out the archive mentioned above). In recent days, I have
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asked the list to approve a number of "Consensus Points" that
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I have summarized from the ongoing discussions. Realizing that we will
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not always be able to reach consensus on every issue, we are working out
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a method of voting. In the meantime, I have been trying to collect
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the points on which we do all agree. The process is continuing as this
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article is being written, but so far the following points have been
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agreed
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upon:</P>
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<UL>
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<LI>The cost of attaining Linux certification shall be as low as
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possible.
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Costs of exams shall be targeted at only that needed to cover delivery
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of the exam, with perhaps a slight portion helping to offset development
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of the exam.<BR>
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</LI>
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<LI>Whatever mechanism we develop for delivering Linux certification
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must
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be global in scale. People in any nation must be able to take exams
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toward
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certification.<BR>
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</LI>
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<LI>The Linux certification program will consist of multiple levels. For
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instance, after perhaps 1 or 2 exams, someone becomes a "Linux
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Certified
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Professional". After 2 or 3 more, one becomes a "Linux
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Certified
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Administrator", etc. (Note that we have NOT agreed upon
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names.)</LI>
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</UL>
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<P>Additionally, the following points appear headed toward consensus
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(but
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have not, as of 11/25/98, been approved by the group):</P>
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<UL>
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<LI>The Linux certification program will employ standardized
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multiple-choice
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exams for at least the entry and perhaps middle certification levels.
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The
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highest certification level will involve either a hands-on or oral exam
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of the candidate. The exact mechanism for the upper level test will be
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determined by a working group.<BR>
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</LI>
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<LI>Linux certification exams will initially be developed in the English
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language. Exams in other languages will be made available as soon as
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possible
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depending upon financial and conversion support. <BR>
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</LI>
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<LI>The core Linux certification program will be distribution-neutral.
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Distribution differences will be addressed through a required
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distribution-specific
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exam or other mechanism developed by a working group. </LI>
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</UL>
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<P>We did not reach consensus on another point, and there are a number
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of other items which we cannot yet agree upon.</P>
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<P>If you are interested in being part of this process, please join the
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"linux-cert" mailing list mentioned above and visit the
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web archives to see what has already been discussed.
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<HR WIDTH="100%">
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<H2><A NAME="wg"></A>Working groups close to formation</H2>
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<P>In the process of debating these consensus points, several
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participants
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have suggested we form smaller "working groups" to refine
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specific subjects and report back to the larger group. It looks at this
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point that at least one group will be launched to develop some proposals
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for naming conventions (i.e. "Linux Certifed Professional"?
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"Linux
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Certified Engineer?" etc.) and also to explore some possible
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options
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for the non-computer-based test for the highest level of certification.
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Other groups will also be launched as our efforts continue.</P>
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<P>If you are interested in being involved with this working group,
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please
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join the "linux-cert" mailing list mentioned above.</P>
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<P>
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<HR WIDTH="100%">
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<H2>Final Thoughts</H2>
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<P>This past few weeks on the mailing list has been quite an interesting
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one. The global scale of this project has brought in a wide variety of
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contributors and made for interesting discussions. It's been a great
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group of people to work with and I look forward to our evolving
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discussions
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and plans. </P>
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<P>Along the way, we also
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discovered another group coordinated by Evan Leibovitch from the
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<a href="http://www.linux.ca/">Canadian Linux User's Exchange (CLUE)
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</a>
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that had been discussing Linux certification
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since earlier this year. Evan and I have now been working together to
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combine
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the expertise from both groups and it has been a great experience - look
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for more exciting news and opportunities to come soon!</P>
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<P>Please join us on the list(s) and let's make this happen!</P>
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<P><I>Dan York is a technical instructor and the training manager for a
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technology training company located in central New Hampshire. He has
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been
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working with the Internet and UNIX systems for 13 years. While his
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passion
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is with Linux, he has also spent the past two-and-a-half years working
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with Windows NT. He is both a Microsoft Certified System Engineer and
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Microsoft
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Certified Trainer and has also written a book for QUE on one of the MCSE
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certification exams. He is anxiously awaiting the day when he can start
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teaching Linux certification classes. He can be contacted electronically
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at <A
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HREF="mailto:dyork@Lodestar2.com">dyork@Lodestar2.com</A>.</I></P>
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<center><H4>Previous ``Linux Certification'' Columns</H4></center>
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<p>
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<A HREF="../issue33/york.html">Linux Certification Part #1, September
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1998</A><BR>
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<A HREF="../issue34/york.html">Linux Certification Part #2, October
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1998</A>
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<!--===================================================================-->
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<center><H5>Copyright © 1998, Dan York <BR>
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Published in Issue 35 of <i>Linux Gazette</i>, December 1998</H5></center>
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