[sandworm]

Chapter 01: The linux Foundation

Chapter 02: Linux Philosophy and Concepts

Yup, another linux course that starts with a lesson in IP law. "Windows for dummies" doesn't start with an hour on Microsoft's corporate structure. It's software. The students want to learn how to use it properly. So teach that first. Leave the politics of f/oss for after they are already addicted.

I've seen more than a couple of these courses use the first lessons as a "it's free, so expect rough edges" speech. Again, Windows courses never start by explaining why it might have bugs. Linux works. Linux works well. You don't need to open with excuses.

[weland]

I, for one, cannot remember any training, workshop or course that didn't have at least half an hour of obvious, blatant corporate agenda crap and here's-why-you-don't-need-any-technology-other-than-this-one. Some of them subtly painted, but generally that. In time, I simply stopped attending any. Whenever my employer needs me to learn something new, I end up suggesting buying me two books on the subject and letting me take three days off to study them. Cheaper and far more efficient.

I don't know what they're covering in the chapter about the Linux foundation, but the second chapter sounds extremely useful to me. A lot of people who come from a Windows or often an OS X background don't really grok:

* That you can -- and should -- chain program together, not rely on the feature set of a single one

* That, when in doubt, you can look at the source of the program if you can read it

* That there are other release models at work other than "One major version ever X years and $osnameUpdate in between", and you need to know what you can expect from each

* That the kernel and various bits of userspace are separately developed and packaged, which has repercussions over what practical systems look like.

[fit2rule]

Alas, one of the barriers to understanding Linux properly is the vast set of ideological preconceived notions that a lot of students bring to the table - it has definitely been a matter of propaganda that Linux as a community/social movement has had "issues" with intellectual property, and if the student doesn't actually understand these issues - from the perspective of those who have built Linux as a social phenomenon - it can be very difficult to get over the stigma and dogma of the scene.

As a Linux user from day one of Linus' post to the minix-list, I have observed thousands of new Linux users come to the scene, personally. And it is without any question in my mind that the issues over what exactly "free software" means have been one of the biggest barriers to involvement - people think they're breaking the law, or should break the law, or don't have a right to unpack tarballs, or are afraid of looking at the source, or don't think its 'safe' to link to something in /usr/lib, and so on and so forth. Getting this sorted out at the beginning of the course means that the student is prepared for the real knowledge transfer to be gained by having access to the sources for everything.

Its important, if you want to become a power Linux user, to understand your rights and just how much freedom you actually have, and to discard any preconceived/propagandized stigma you have about the subject.