[lpi-discuss] What do you see as the focus of LPI certification?

[Alan McKinnon]

On Wednesday, 17 August 2005 22:45, Mark Miller wrote:
> On Wed, 2005-08-17 at 13:32 -0700, Bryan J. Smith wrote:
> > <possibly flammatory>
> > Is LPIC-1/2 a "here's what a Linux geek needs to know?"
> > Or is LPIC-1/2 a "here's what corporate sysadmins should
> > know?"
> >
> > Maybe it's me, but sometimes I view some of the "no one is
> > doing X" viewpoint as more of a "LUG-level" type of
> > statement, then one based on actual, enterprise corporate
> > adoption (or lackthereof).
> > </possibly flammatory>
>
> I have my opinion, how about all of you out there? I'd REALLY like
> to hear from all you lurkers about this. How do YOU see it?
>
> Please be polite, this isn't a flame war but an honest appraisal of
> attitudes. There is no right answer in this discussion!

I believe that LPIC 1/2 is squarely in the middle of testing what a 
competent admin should know. Companies are looking for people who can 
get a certain job done, by and large they are not looking for 
ultra-geniuses. So the cert should reflect that.

How would we test to geek level anyway? I don't think the LPIC format 
is suitable for that, you'd need a practical exam or perhaps a 
practical project instead.

Elsewhere someone mentioned that LPI is "trailing edge", which is a 
very good analogy IMO. I'm not sure what to think about IPv6 - I know 
little about it and have never used it directly, neither has anyone 
else I know personally. So my answer would be "don't be testing it - 
yet. Maybe in 2007"

I'd like to see the results of a large survey which lists technologies 
actually in use by industry type. If I were in Mark's position I 
would be using that data as one of my main guides. Do we have that 
data currently? It's been hinted at in recent threads (by Evan and 
Mark IIRC) but I don't recall anyone deciding "yeah, let's do it!" 
Maybe it's time.

alan

-- 
Alan McKinnon
alan at linuxholdings.co.za
+27 82 337 1935