[ILUG] Working with Linux

[w***@gmail.com]

Hey lads,


Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the ILUG, but I'm a recent
enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently running a community spin of Manjaro
on two machines and Tahrpup on a netbook. I also have a Pi3 running
Raspbian.
I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my installs or messing about
on the terminal and so far I've really enjoyed the experience. Though
there's way more to learn, I know more about my Linux system and my
hardware now than I ever did as a Windows user. Not to go full Stallman;
but it has felt liberating.

I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some time, possibly by
returning to college to do a conversion course, BA or a Springboard course.


I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of the every day at this
stage, so I can also understand if you find yourself scoffing at my
new-found infatuation with all things Linux: but I'm wondering if perhaps
the 'grey-beards' of the group (not discriminating against the beardless)
can offer me some advice or insight into working with Linux as a
professional - as a systems admin or otherwise.

One question I have is probably the most frequently asked one: how
important is certification? Would being Linux certified give me a head
start over somebody with a general CS/IT qualification? Or is a combination
of both the best bet?

How common are entry-level positions or internships in the Linux world? I
haven't seen too many on the various job sites.

What other IT related fields would you get to involve yourself in Linux,
besides working as a sys admin? I'm thinking web design or applications
development might have some overlap.


How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech background?

Some context context on my work/education history: I have a MA in Writing
and have worked for several years as a freelance writer, specifically
writing about the arts and doing PR for various cultural institutions. I
also have some teaching experience and more or less bilingual. Not sure how
much of my experience would count as 'transferable' or if there's a niche
in the IT world that somebody like myself would fit in better than others.
Another obstacle is that besides having taken courses in Python and Java
Script through websites like Code Academy, I am not well versed in any
programming language - hence me wanting to return to education.


And if I can ask a personal question, for those of you that started off
dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later transitioned to working with Linux
as professionals, how has your experience affected how you feel about
Linux? Do you feel 'burnt out' at all, or have you been able to maintain
some level of enthusiasm?




I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't want the ILUG to feel
like I'm using you instead of Google. It's just that it all still feels
fairly vague to me and I think personal insights would help resolve that.

Many online resources are also quite US centric. I will be Cork based for
the next few years, so if anybody has an specific advice about working in
IT in Cork, that would be brilliant.



Thanks for your time and patience,

-Wolfgang

[Pádraig Brady]

Post by w***@gmail.com
Hey lads,
Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the ILUG, but I'm a recent enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently running a community spin of Manjaro on two machines and Tahrpup on a netbook. I also have a Pi3 running Raspbian.
I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my installs or messing about on the terminal and so far I've really enjoyed the experience. Though there's way more to learn, I know more about my Linux system and my hardware now than I ever did as a Windows user. Not to go full Stallman; but it has felt liberating.
I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some time, possibly by returning to college to do a conversion course, BA or a Springboard course.
I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of the every day at this stage, so I can also understand if you find yourself scoffing at my new-found infatuation with all things Linux: but I'm wondering if perhaps the 'grey-beards' of the group (not discriminating against the beardless) can offer me some advice or insight into working with Linux as a professional - as a systems admin or otherwise.
One question I have is probably the most frequently asked one: how important is certification? Would being Linux certified give me a head start over somebody with a general CS/IT qualification? Or is a combination of both the best bet?
How common are entry-level positions or internships in the Linux world? I haven't seen too many on the various job sites.
What other IT related fields would you get to involve yourself in Linux, besides working as a sys admin? I'm thinking web design or applications development might have some overlap.
How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech background?
Some context context on my work/education history: I have a MA in Writing and have worked for several years as a freelance writer, specifically writing about the arts and doing PR for various cultural institutions. I also have some teaching experience and more or less bilingual. Not sure how much of my experience would count as 'transferable' or if there's a niche in the IT world that somebody like myself would fit in better than others. Another obstacle is that besides having taken courses in Python and Java Script through websites like Code Academy, I am not well versed in any programming language - hence me wanting to return to education.
And if I can ask a personal question, for those of you that started off dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later transitioned to working with Linux as professionals, how has your experience affected how you feel about Linux? Do you feel 'burnt out' at all, or have you been able to maintain some level of enthusiasm?
I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't want the ILUG to feel like I'm using you instead of Google. It's just that it all still feels fairly vague to me and I think personal insights would help resolve that.
Many online resources are also quite US centric. I will be Cork based for the next few years, so if anybody has an specific advice about working in IT in Cork, that would be brilliant.
Thanks for your time and patience,
-Wolfgang

Hey Wolfgang,

Thanks for documenting your enthusiasm.
It's great to see, and the secret sauce to success IMHO.
If you're enthusiastic about this field you'll do well.
It's just a matter of which route is the fastest.

It's quite subjective how one best learns.
Some prefer study, while others are more practical.
Personally I don't have, nor was ever inclined to get,
any certifications, as I feel they go out of relevance
quite quickly, and can be too specific and commercial.
Some prefer formal education, while others getting
their hands dirty, like on some open source project for e.g.
I was lucky in that I had a technical degree before
I got interested in open source, but a conversion course
to an IT degree would both ease your progress in the field,
and also provide some broader info before you specialize.

Specialization is necessary really for navigating this
now vast field. Having a particular area of expertise,
be it a language, or service, or whatever, will both
give better satisfaction that you're working at a level
that is really beneficial, and is a good focus point
in a CV or interview.

An often overlooked aspect in a technical career is effective
communication, both personal and especially written.
Having an MA in writing is a huge advantage over the
common or garden software engineer, and combined with
enthusiasm in a particular technical area (which most
do not have), you can't go wrong.

Good luck.
Pádraig.

[Mark Kenny]

Hi Wolfgang,

First thing to do is get your LinkedIn updated. Within the summary section
you should project your passion and interest for working with linux.
Recruiters searching linkedin are doing so with keywords so try and ram as
much in there as possible. Just be careful that when you do get approached
about a job that you're not getting sold a dud as recruiters are simply
looking to fill a position, whilst you're looking to follow a passion.

The biggest challenge you face is persuading a company to take a chance on
you as opposed to somebody with relevant
certifications/degree/masters/experience. Springboard courses are good and
I know people who have come through them to get employment, though they
were not looking to work with linux. A quick search on the springboard site
for linux returns no matching courses. A blank search of the IT conversion
does show up some courses for "cloud computing" (Cork IT has two Fetac
level 8 courses) and these could be a good gateway to working with linux.

There's a Humble Bundle on sale at the moment which should provide a lot of
valuable knowledge if you manage to work your way through them:
https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle Some stuff is possibly
dated but there will be a good grounding on a lot of *nix areas.

What Padraig says about certification is true, they can become irrelevant
after a while. As you're coming from zero IT background though, they could
be an option if a 2 year conversion course is too much of a time
investment. They'll show an employer that you have an interest and aptitude
in a certain area. I've done various certifications (Cisco, Juniper, Linux,
AWS - I've let some expire as they're not relevant to my current
interests/job) and while they won't make your career, they will certainly
help you along the way. I'd recommend www.linuxacademy.com if you're
interested in *nix certification or other areas of cloud computing like
AWS/Azure, they've a free trial which is worth exploring.

Best of luck and if you've any questions, just shout.

Post by w***@gmail.com

Post by w***@gmail.com
Hey lads,
Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the ILUG, but I'm a recent

enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently running a community spin of Manjaro
on two machines and Tahrpup on a netbook. I also have a Pi3 running
Raspbian.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my installs or messing

about on the terminal and so far I've really enjoyed the experience. Though
there's way more to learn, I know more about my Linux system and my
hardware now than I ever did as a Windows user. Not to go full Stallman;
but it has felt liberating.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some time, possibly by

returning to college to do a conversion course, BA or a Springboard course.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of the every day at

this stage, so I can also understand if you find yourself scoffing at my
new-found infatuation with all things Linux: but I'm wondering if perhaps
the 'grey-beards' of the group (not discriminating against the beardless)
can offer me some advice or insight into working with Linux as a
professional - as a systems admin or otherwise.

Post by w***@gmail.com
One question I have is probably the most frequently asked one: how

important is certification? Would being Linux certified give me a head
start over somebody with a general CS/IT qualification? Or is a combination
of both the best bet?

Post by w***@gmail.com
How common are entry-level positions or internships in the Linux world?

I haven't seen too many on the various job sites.

Post by w***@gmail.com
What other IT related fields would you get to involve yourself in Linux,

besides working as a sys admin? I'm thinking web design or applications
development might have some overlap.

Post by w***@gmail.com
How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech background?
Some context context on my work/education history: I have a MA in

Writing and have worked for several years as a freelance writer,
specifically writing about the arts and doing PR for various cultural
institutions. I also have some teaching experience and more or less
bilingual. Not sure how much of my experience would count as 'transferable'
or if there's a niche in the IT world that somebody like myself would fit
in better than others. Another obstacle is that besides having taken
courses in Python and Java Script through websites like Code Academy, I am
not well versed in any programming language - hence me wanting to return to
education.

Post by w***@gmail.com
And if I can ask a personal question, for those of you that started off

dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later transitioned to working with Linux
as professionals, how has your experience affected how you feel about
Linux? Do you feel 'burnt out' at all, or have you been able to maintain
some level of enthusiasm?

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't want the ILUG to feel

like I'm using you instead of Google. It's just that it all still feels
fairly vague to me and I think personal insights would help resolve that.

Post by w***@gmail.com
Many online resources are also quite US centric. I will be Cork based

for the next few years, so if anybody has an specific advice about working
in IT in Cork, that would be brilliant.

Post by w***@gmail.com
Thanks for your time and patience,
-Wolfgang

Hey Wolfgang,
Thanks for documenting your enthusiasm.
It's great to see, and the secret sauce to success IMHO.
If you're enthusiastic about this field you'll do well.
It's just a matter of which route is the fastest.
It's quite subjective how one best learns.
Some prefer study, while others are more practical.
Personally I don't have, nor was ever inclined to get,
any certifications, as I feel they go out of relevance
quite quickly, and can be too specific and commercial.
Some prefer formal education, while others getting
their hands dirty, like on some open source project for e.g.
I was lucky in that I had a technical degree before
I got interested in open source, but a conversion course
to an IT degree would both ease your progress in the field,
and also provide some broader info before you specialize.
Specialization is necessary really for navigating this
now vast field. Having a particular area of expertise,
be it a language, or service, or whatever, will both
give better satisfaction that you're working at a level
that is really beneficial, and is a good focus point
in a CV or interview.
An often overlooked aspect in a technical career is effective
communication, both personal and especially written.
Having an MA in writing is a huge advantage over the
common or garden software engineer, and combined with
enthusiasm in a particular technical area (which most
do not have), you can't go wrong.
Good luck.
Pádraig.
--
Irish Linux Users Group
---
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linux.ie/d/msgid/ilug/1205b03e-9e84-96fe-9d8a-
943b57b79191%40draigBrady.com.

[Wolfgang]

Hi Mark!

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Really appreciate it!

Great advice regarding my profile. I have been considering this for some
time, hence my LinkedIn page has been a bit static of late. My predicament
has mainly been that I don't want to be seen as overselling myself, as I
don't have much to offer yet in the way of technical expertise. I am a
writer however, so that's not a very good excuse: I suppose I need to find
a way to frame it in the context of my ambition to undertake further
training and make a transition into a new field. I will work on that in the
coming week.

Your advice about making sure you don't jump on an offer just to fill a
position is also very insightful, it's something that I may have otherwise
overlooked. Keeping an end goal in mind could make the difference between
finding satisfying career and just finding a job in the short term.

I have been looking into my choices for the coming year and it seems there
quite a number of options in Cork. UCC offers several conversion courses,
both as MAs and HDips: there's an Applied Computing Technologies HDip
<http://www.ucc.ie/en/cko08/> that seems to cover quite a lot of bases,
including programming (Python, I believe), web development, databases and
applications development. There's also the Interactive Media MSc
<http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/> that's open to graduates from other
disciplines, though I feel that degree may have less overlap with Linux
than the HDip. I also know several people involved in the nebulous field of
Digital Humanities, which is also represented by an MA at UCC
<http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>, though I'm not really sure how useful it may
be on the job-market.

I just saw that CIT also offers a CompTIA Linux+ qualification. Looking
over the course outline, it does seem like I could probably keep up with
most of the content considering I run Linux at home on my personal
machines. Not entirely sure how CompTIA would hold up against *nix
certifications from www.linuxacademy.com. I will certainly be checking
their offerings out though, it would be brilliant to get started ASAP.

The Cork Education and Training Board also offers some introductory ICT
related courses, from Java Foundation training to web design and
virtualisation. I got my Microsoft Office Specialist Master cert there
(always though that bombastic title was pretty funny, considering you
basically learn how to use an office suite), so that's always an option too.

I've already bought a paper copy of 'The Linux Command Line: A Complete
Introduction' by William E. Shotts Jr. and have been working my way through
it. I also have been following tutorials on Youtube covering basic commands
and writing bash scripts, though embarrassingly enough the only two I have
written are: a basic script that compliments my girlfriend if prompted
(makes sure she doesn't get cross at me working away with Linux) and a
script that outputs pacman warnings to a text file for file integrity
reasons (so I can monitor if anything like file sizes or contents have
changed without me knowing about it). Sometimes the problem with tinkering
alone like that is to figure out what to try and build. Which explains my
first script.


I'll be sure to pick up the Bundle, had been looking over it yesterday.
Perhaps I'll get myself a Kindle or similar to make it easier on my eyes
too, not sure how well I can read them on my mobile.


Once again, thanks for your help! It's given me a lot to think about.



Best regards,

-Wolfgang

Post by Mark Kenny
Hi Wolfgang,
First thing to do is get your LinkedIn updated. Within the summary section
you should project your passion and interest for working with linux.
Recruiters searching linkedin are doing so with keywords so try and ram as
much in there as possible. Just be careful that when you do get approached
about a job that you're not getting sold a dud as recruiters are simply
looking to fill a position, whilst you're looking to follow a passion.
The biggest challenge you face is persuading a company to take a chance on
you as opposed to somebody with relevant
certifications/degree/masters/experience. Springboard courses are good and
I know people who have come through them to get employment, though they
were not looking to work with linux. A quick search on the springboard site
for linux returns no matching courses. A blank search of the IT conversion
does show up some courses for "cloud computing" (Cork IT has two Fetac
level 8 courses) and these could be a good gateway to working with linux.
There's a Humble Bundle on sale at the moment which should provide a lot
https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle Some stuff is
possibly dated but there will be a good grounding on a lot of *nix areas.
What Padraig says about certification is true, they can become irrelevant
after a while. As you're coming from zero IT background though, they could
be an option if a 2 year conversion course is too much of a time
investment. They'll show an employer that you have an interest and aptitude
in a certain area. I've done various certifications (Cisco, Juniper, Linux,
AWS - I've let some expire as they're not relevant to my current
interests/job) and while they won't make your career, they will certainly
help you along the way. I'd recommend www.linuxacademy.com if you're
interested in *nix certification or other areas of cloud computing like
AWS/Azure, they've a free trial which is worth exploring.
Best of luck and if you've any questions, just shout.

Post by w***@gmail.com

Post by w***@gmail.com
Hey lads,
Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the ILUG, but I'm a recent

enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently running a community spin of Manjaro
on two machines and Tahrpup on a netbook. I also have a Pi3 running
Raspbian.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my installs or messing

about on the terminal and so far I've really enjoyed the experience. Though
there's way more to learn, I know more about my Linux system and my
hardware now than I ever did as a Windows user. Not to go full Stallman;
but it has felt liberating.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some time, possibly by

returning to college to do a conversion course, BA or a Springboard course.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of the every day at

this stage, so I can also understand if you find yourself scoffing at my
new-found infatuation with all things Linux: but I'm wondering if perhaps
the 'grey-beards' of the group (not discriminating against the beardless)
can offer me some advice or insight into working with Linux as a
professional - as a systems admin or otherwise.

Post by w***@gmail.com
One question I have is probably the most frequently asked one: how

important is certification? Would being Linux certified give me a head
start over somebody with a general CS/IT qualification? Or is a combination
of both the best bet?

Post by w***@gmail.com
How common are entry-level positions or internships in the Linux world?

I haven't seen too many on the various job sites.

Post by w***@gmail.com
What other IT related fields would you get to involve yourself in

Linux, besides working as a sys admin? I'm thinking web design or
applications development might have some overlap.

Post by w***@gmail.com
How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech background?
Some context context on my work/education history: I have a MA in

Writing and have worked for several years as a freelance writer,
specifically writing about the arts and doing PR for various cultural
institutions. I also have some teaching experience and more or less
bilingual. Not sure how much of my experience would count as 'transferable'
or if there's a niche in the IT world that somebody like myself would fit
in better than others. Another obstacle is that besides having taken
courses in Python and Java Script through websites like Code Academy, I am
not well versed in any programming language - hence me wanting to return to
education.

Post by w***@gmail.com
And if I can ask a personal question, for those of you that started off

dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later transitioned to working with Linux
as professionals, how has your experience affected how you feel about
Linux? Do you feel 'burnt out' at all, or have you been able to maintain
some level of enthusiasm?

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't want the ILUG to

feel like I'm using you instead of Google. It's just that it all still
feels fairly vague to me and I think personal insights would help resolve
that.

Post by w***@gmail.com
Many online resources are also quite US centric. I will be Cork based

for the next few years, so if anybody has an specific advice about working
in IT in Cork, that would be brilliant.

Post by w***@gmail.com
Thanks for your time and patience,
-Wolfgang

Hey Wolfgang,
Thanks for documenting your enthusiasm.
It's great to see, and the secret sauce to success IMHO.
If you're enthusiastic about this field you'll do well.
It's just a matter of which route is the fastest.
It's quite subjective how one best learns.
Some prefer study, while others are more practical.
Personally I don't have, nor was ever inclined to get,
any certifications, as I feel they go out of relevance
quite quickly, and can be too specific and commercial.
Some prefer formal education, while others getting
their hands dirty, like on some open source project for e.g.
I was lucky in that I had a technical degree before
I got interested in open source, but a conversion course
to an IT degree would both ease your progress in the field,
and also provide some broader info before you specialize.
Specialization is necessary really for navigating this
now vast field. Having a particular area of expertise,
be it a language, or service, or whatever, will both
give better satisfaction that you're working at a level
that is really beneficial, and is a good focus point
in a CV or interview.
An often overlooked aspect in a technical career is effective
communication, both personal and especially written.
Having an MA in writing is a huge advantage over the
common or garden software engineer, and combined with
enthusiasm in a particular technical area (which most
do not have), you can't go wrong.
Good luck.
Pádraig.
--
Irish Linux Users Group
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ILUG" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/a/linux.ie/group/ilug/.
To view this discussion on the web, visit
https://groups.google.com/a/linux.ie/d/msgid/ilug/1205b03e-9e84-96fe-9d8a-943b57b79191%40draigBrady.com
.

[bigbro]

Hi,

Looks like you've already got some good answers - and thanks for asking
your question here. Many of us have been using Linux for a long time, but
we're all still learning!

In case it helps, you might want to consider certification just as a method
of ensuring you get a broad coverage of topics. While certification does go
out of date, many of the certifications require a broad coverage of Linux
and Systems Administration knowledge, and so the manuals and course
syllabus materials may be a great starting point.

LPIC ( https://www.lpi.org/our-certifications/lpic-1-overview ) and RedHat
( https://www.redhat.com/en/services/certification ) are both well
established, and their training materials are mature and accessible.

There are also many courses on EdX, Coursera and undoubtedly other
continuous learning communities.

Best of luck, and enjoy learning about Linux.

Best regards,
-->Gar

Post by Wolfgang
Hi Mark!
Thanks for taking the time to reply. Really appreciate it!
Great advice regarding my profile. I have been considering this for some
time, hence my LinkedIn page has been a bit static of late. My predicament
has mainly been that I don't want to be seen as overselling myself, as I
don't have much to offer yet in the way of technical expertise. I am a
writer however, so that's not a very good excuse: I suppose I need to find
a way to frame it in the context of my ambition to undertake further
training and make a transition into a new field. I will work on that in the
coming week.
Your advice about making sure you don't jump on an offer just to fill a
position is also very insightful, it's something that I may have otherwise
overlooked. Keeping an end goal in mind could make the difference between
finding satisfying career and just finding a job in the short term.
I have been looking into my choices for the coming year and it seems there
quite a number of options in Cork. UCC offers several conversion courses,
both as MAs and HDips: there's an Applied Computing Technologies HDip
<http://www.ucc.ie/en/cko08/> that seems to cover quite a lot of bases,
including programming (Python, I believe), web development, databases and
applications development. There's also the Interactive Media MSc
<http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/> that's open to graduates from other
disciplines, though I feel that degree may have less overlap with Linux
than the HDip. I also know several people involved in the nebulous field of
Digital Humanities, which is also represented by an MA at UCC
<http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>, though I'm not really sure how useful it
may be on the job-market.
I just saw that CIT also offers a CompTIA Linux+ qualification. Looking
over the course outline, it does seem like I could probably keep up with
most of the content considering I run Linux at home on my personal
machines. Not entirely sure how CompTIA would hold up against *nix
certifications from www.linuxacademy.com. I will certainly be checking
their offerings out though, it would be brilliant to get started ASAP.
The Cork Education and Training Board also offers some introductory ICT
related courses, from Java Foundation training to web design and
virtualisation. I got my Microsoft Office Specialist Master cert there
(always though that bombastic title was pretty funny, considering you
basically learn how to use an office suite), so that's always an option too.
I've already bought a paper copy of 'The Linux Command Line: A Complete
Introduction' by William E. Shotts Jr. and have been working my way through
it. I also have been following tutorials on Youtube covering basic commands
and writing bash scripts, though embarrassingly enough the only two I have
written are: a basic script that compliments my girlfriend if prompted
(makes sure she doesn't get cross at me working away with Linux) and a
script that outputs pacman warnings to a text file for file integrity
reasons (so I can monitor if anything like file sizes or contents have
changed without me knowing about it). Sometimes the problem with tinkering
alone like that is to figure out what to try and build. Which explains my
first script.
I'll be sure to pick up the Bundle, had been looking over it yesterday.
Perhaps I'll get myself a Kindle or similar to make it easier on my eyes
too, not sure how well I can read them on my mobile.
Once again, thanks for your help! It's given me a lot to think about.
Best regards,
-Wolfgang

Post by Mark Kenny
Hi Wolfgang,
First thing to do is get your LinkedIn updated. Within the summary
section you should project your passion and interest for working with
linux. Recruiters searching linkedin are doing so with keywords so try and
ram as much in there as possible. Just be careful that when you do get
approached about a job that you're not getting sold a dud as recruiters are
simply looking to fill a position, whilst you're looking to follow a
passion.
The biggest challenge you face is persuading a company to take a chance
on you as opposed to somebody with relevant certifications/degree/masters/experience.
Springboard courses are good and I know people who have come through them
to get employment, though they were not looking to work with linux. A quick
search on the springboard site for linux returns no matching courses. A
blank search of the IT conversion does show up some courses for "cloud
computing" (Cork IT has two Fetac level 8 courses) and these could be a
good gateway to working with linux.
There's a Humble Bundle on sale at the moment which should provide a lot
https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle Some stuff is
possibly dated but there will be a good grounding on a lot of *nix areas.
What Padraig says about certification is true, they can become irrelevant
after a while. As you're coming from zero IT background though, they could
be an option if a 2 year conversion course is too much of a time
investment. They'll show an employer that you have an interest and aptitude
in a certain area. I've done various certifications (Cisco, Juniper, Linux,
AWS - I've let some expire as they're not relevant to my current
interests/job) and while they won't make your career, they will certainly
help you along the way. I'd recommend www.linuxacademy.com if you're
interested in *nix certification or other areas of cloud computing like
AWS/Azure, they've a free trial which is worth exploring.
Best of luck and if you've any questions, just shout.

Post by w***@gmail.com

Post by w***@gmail.com
Hey lads,
Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the ILUG, but I'm a

recent enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently running a community spin of
Manjaro on two machines and Tahrpup on a netbook. I also have a Pi3 running
Raspbian.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my installs or messing

about on the terminal and so far I've really enjoyed the experience. Though
there's way more to learn, I know more about my Linux system and my
hardware now than I ever did as a Windows user. Not to go full Stallman;
but it has felt liberating.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some time, possibly by

returning to college to do a conversion course, BA or a Springboard course.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of the every day at

this stage, so I can also understand if you find yourself scoffing at my
new-found infatuation with all things Linux: but I'm wondering if perhaps
the 'grey-beards' of the group (not discriminating against the beardless)
can offer me some advice or insight into working with Linux as a
professional - as a systems admin or otherwise.

Post by w***@gmail.com
One question I have is probably the most frequently asked one: how

important is certification? Would being Linux certified give me a head
start over somebody with a general CS/IT qualification? Or is a combination
of both the best bet?

Post by w***@gmail.com
How common are entry-level positions or internships in the Linux

world? I haven't seen too many on the various job sites.

Post by w***@gmail.com
What other IT related fields would you get to involve yourself in

Linux, besides working as a sys admin? I'm thinking web design or
applications development might have some overlap.

Post by w***@gmail.com
How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech background?
Some context context on my work/education history: I have a MA in

Writing and have worked for several years as a freelance writer,
specifically writing about the arts and doing PR for various cultural
institutions. I also have some teaching experience and more or less
bilingual. Not sure how much of my experience would count as 'transferable'
or if there's a niche in the IT world that somebody like myself would fit
in better than others. Another obstacle is that besides having taken
courses in Python and Java Script through websites like Code Academy, I am
not well versed in any programming language - hence me wanting to return to
education.

Post by w***@gmail.com
And if I can ask a personal question, for those of you that started

off dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later transitioned to working with
Linux as professionals, how has your experience affected how you feel about
Linux? Do you feel 'burnt out' at all, or have you been able to maintain
some level of enthusiasm?

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't want the ILUG to

feel like I'm using you instead of Google. It's just that it all still
feels fairly vague to me and I think personal insights would help resolve
that.

Post by w***@gmail.com
Many online resources are also quite US centric. I will be Cork based

for the next few years, so if anybody has an specific advice about working
in IT in Cork, that would be brilliant.

Post by w***@gmail.com
Thanks for your time and patience,
-Wolfgang

Hey Wolfgang,
Thanks for documenting your enthusiasm.
It's great to see, and the secret sauce to success IMHO.
If you're enthusiastic about this field you'll do well.
It's just a matter of which route is the fastest.
It's quite subjective how one best learns.
Some prefer study, while others are more practical.
Personally I don't have, nor was ever inclined to get,
any certifications, as I feel they go out of relevance
quite quickly, and can be too specific and commercial.
Some prefer formal education, while others getting
their hands dirty, like on some open source project for e.g.
I was lucky in that I had a technical degree before
I got interested in open source, but a conversion course
to an IT degree would both ease your progress in the field,
and also provide some broader info before you specialize.
Specialization is necessary really for navigating this
now vast field. Having a particular area of expertise,
be it a language, or service, or whatever, will both
give better satisfaction that you're working at a level
that is really beneficial, and is a good focus point
in a CV or interview.
An often overlooked aspect in a technical career is effective
communication, both personal and especially written.
Having an MA in writing is a huge advantage over the
common or garden software engineer, and combined with
enthusiasm in a particular technical area (which most
do not have), you can't go wrong.
Good luck.
Pádraig.
--
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40draigBrady.com.

--

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<https://groups.google.com/a/linux.ie/d/msgid/ilug/d75b4360-de1b-4942-acf3-7060515775e9%40linux.ie?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>
.

--
Gareth 'bigbro' Eason

[Anders Holm]

And for your evening reading pleasures, here's an opportunity to expand
your library:

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle?imm_mid=0eb37f&cmp=em-prog-books-videos-na-promo_humble_bundle_unix_20161201

//anders

Post by bigbro
Hi,
Looks like you've already got some good answers - and thanks for asking
your question here. Many of us have been using Linux for a long time,
but we're all still learning!
In case it helps, you might want to consider certification just as a
method of ensuring you get a broad coverage of topics. While
certification does go out of date, many of the certifications require a
broad coverage of Linux and Systems Administration knowledge, and so the
manuals and course syllabus materials may be a great starting point.
LPIC ( https://www.lpi.org/our-certifications/lpic-1-overview ) and
RedHat ( https://www.redhat.com/en/services/certification ) are both
well established, and their training materials are mature and accessible.
There are also many courses on EdX, Coursera and undoubtedly other
continuous learning communities.
Best of luck, and enjoy learning about Linux.
Best regards,
-->Gar
Hi Mark!
Thanks for taking the time to reply. Really appreciate it!
Great advice regarding my profile. I have been considering this for
some time, hence my LinkedIn page has been a bit static of late. My
predicament has mainly been that I don't want to be seen as
overselling myself, as I don't have much to offer yet in the way of
technical expertise. I am a writer however, so that's not a very
good excuse: I suppose I need to find a way to frame it in the
context of my ambition to undertake further training and make a
transition into a new field. I will work on that in the coming week.
Your advice about making sure you don't jump on an offer just to
fill a position is also very insightful, it's something that I may
have otherwise overlooked. Keeping an end goal in mind could make
the difference between finding satisfying career and just finding a
job in the short term.
I have been looking into my choices for the coming year and it seems
there quite a number of options in Cork. UCC offers several
conversion courses, both as MAs and HDips: there's an Applied
Computing Technologies HDip <http://www.ucc.ie/en/cko08/> that seems
to cover quite a lot of bases, including programming (Python, I
believe), web development, databases and applications development.
There's also the Interactive Media MSc <http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>
that's open to graduates from other disciplines, though I feel that
degree may have less overlap with Linux than the HDip. I also know
several people involved in the nebulous field of Digital Humanities,
which is also represented by an MA at UCC
<http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>, though I'm not really sure how useful
it may be on the job-market.
I just saw that CIT also offers a CompTIA Linux+ qualification.
Looking over the course outline, it does seem like I could probably
keep up with most of the content considering I run Linux at home on
my personal machines. Not entirely sure how CompTIA would hold up
against *nix certifications from www.linuxacademy.com
<http://www.linuxacademy.com>. I will certainly be checking their
offerings out though, it would be brilliant to get started ASAP.
The Cork Education and Training Board also offers some introductory
ICT related courses, from Java Foundation training to web design and
virtualisation. I got my Microsoft Office Specialist Master cert
there (always though that bombastic title was pretty funny,
considering you basically learn how to use an office suite), so
that's always an option too.
I've already bought a paper copy of 'The Linux Command Line: A
Complete Introduction' by William E. Shotts Jr. and have been
working my way through it. I also have been following tutorials on
Youtube covering basic commands and writing bash scripts, though
embarrassingly enough the only two I have written are: a basic
script that compliments my girlfriend if prompted (makes sure she
doesn't get cross at me working away with Linux) and a script that
outputs pacman warnings to a text file for file integrity reasons
(so I can monitor if anything like file sizes or contents have
changed without me knowing about it). Sometimes the problem with
tinkering alone like that is to figure out what to try and build.
Which explains my first script.
I'll be sure to pick up the Bundle, had been looking over it
yesterday. Perhaps I'll get myself a Kindle or similar to make it
easier on my eyes too, not sure how well I can read them on my mobile.
Once again, thanks for your help! It's given me a lot to think about.
Best regards,
-Wolfgang
Hi Wolfgang,
First thing to do is get your LinkedIn updated. Within the
summary section you should project your passion and interest for
working with linux. Recruiters searching linkedin are doing so
with keywords so try and ram as much in there as possible. Just
be careful that when you do get approached about a job that
you're not getting sold a dud as recruiters are simply looking
to fill a position, whilst you're looking to follow a passion.
The biggest challenge you face is persuading a company to take a
chance on you as opposed to somebody with relevant
certifications/degree/masters/experience. Springboard courses
are good and I know people who have come through them to get
employment, though they were not looking to work with linux. A
quick search on the springboard site for linux returns no
matching courses. A blank search of the IT conversion does show
up some courses for "cloud computing" (Cork IT has two Fetac
level 8 courses) and these could be a good gateway to working with linux.
There's a Humble Bundle on sale at the moment which should
provide a lot of valuable knowledge if you manage to work your
way through
them: https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle
<https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle> Some stuff
is possibly dated but there will be a good grounding on a lot of
*nix areas.
What Padraig says about certification is true, they can become
irrelevant after a while. As you're coming from zero IT
background though, they could be an option if a 2 year
conversion course is too much of a time investment. They'll show
an employer that you have an interest and aptitude in a certain
area. I've done various certifications (Cisco, Juniper, Linux,
AWS - I've let some expire as they're not relevant to my current
interests/job) and while they won't make your career, they will
certainly help you along the way. I'd recommend
www.linuxacademy.com <http://www.linuxacademy.com> if you're
interested in *nix certification or other areas of cloud
computing like AWS/Azure, they've a free trial which is worth
exploring.
Best of luck and if you've any questions, just shout.
On Sat, Nov 26, 2016 at 2:03 AM, Pádraig Brady

Post by w***@gmail.com
Hey lads,
Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the ILUG, but I'm a recent enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently running a community spin of Manjaro on two machines and Tahrpup on a netbook. I also have a Pi3 running Raspbian.
I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my installs or messing about on the terminal and so far I've really enjoyed the experience. Though there's way more to learn, I know more about my Linux system and my hardware now than I ever did as a Windows user. Not to go full Stallman; but it has felt liberating.
I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some time, possibly by returning to college to do a conversion course, BA or a Springboard course.
I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of the every day at this stage, so I can also understand if you find yourself scoffing at my new-found infatuation with all things Linux: but I'm wondering if perhaps the 'grey-beards' of the group (not discriminating against the beardless) can offer me some advice or insight into working with Linux as a professional - as a systems admin or otherwise.
One question I have is probably the most frequently asked one: how important is certification? Would being Linux certified give me a head start over somebody with a general CS/IT qualification? Or is a combination of both the best bet?
How common are entry-level positions or internships in the Linux world? I haven't seen too many on the various job sites.
What other IT related fields would you get to involve yourself in Linux, besides working as a sys admin? I'm thinking web design or applications development might have some overlap.
How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech background?
Some context context on my work/education history: I have a MA in Writing and have worked for several years as a freelance writer, specifically writing about the arts and doing PR for various cultural institutions. I also have some teaching experience and more or less bilingual. Not sure how much of my experience would count as 'transferable' or if there's a niche in the IT world that somebody like myself would fit in better than others. Another obstacle is that besides having taken courses in Python and Java Script through websites like Code Academy, I am not well versed in any programming language - hence me wanting to return to education.
And if I can ask a personal question, for those of you that started off dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later transitioned to working with Linux as professionals, how has your experience affected how you feel about Linux? Do you feel 'burnt out' at all, or have you been able to maintain some level of enthusiasm?
I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't want the ILUG to feel like I'm using you instead of Google. It's just that it all still feels fairly vague to me and I think personal insights would help resolve that.
Many online resources are also quite US centric. I will be Cork based for the next few years, so if anybody has an specific advice about working in IT in Cork, that would be brilliant.
Thanks for your time and patience,
-Wolfgang

Hey Wolfgang,
Thanks for documenting your enthusiasm.
It's great to see, and the secret sauce to success IMHO.
If you're enthusiastic about this field you'll do well.
It's just a matter of which route is the fastest.
It's quite subjective how one best learns.
Some prefer study, while others are more practical.
Personally I don't have, nor was ever inclined to get,
any certifications, as I feel they go out of relevance
quite quickly, and can be too specific and commercial.
Some prefer formal education, while others getting
their hands dirty, like on some open source project for e.g.
I was lucky in that I had a technical degree before
I got interested in open source, but a conversion course
to an IT degree would both ease your progress in the field,
and also provide some broader info before you specialize.
Specialization is necessary really for navigating this
now vast field. Having a particular area of expertise,
be it a language, or service, or whatever, will both
give better satisfaction that you're working at a level
that is really beneficial, and is a good focus point
in a CV or interview.
An often overlooked aspect in a technical career is effective
communication, both personal and especially written.
Having an MA in writing is a huge advantage over the
common or garden software engineer, and combined with
enthusiasm in a particular technical area (which most
do not have), you can't go wrong.
Good luck.
Pádraig.
--
Irish Linux Users Group
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Google Groups "ILUG" group.
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<https://groups.google.com/a/linux.ie/d/msgid/ilug/1205b03e-9e84-96fe-9d8a-943b57b79191%40draigBrady.com>.
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Irish Linux Users Group
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<https://groups.google.com/a/linux.ie/d/msgid/ilug/CAD4VSdhYQ-1bByrEdfcTdnY5gU3mA2dFgwQ-OBidU%2Bq%2BVVm1JQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

[Wolfgang]

Great advice! Picked it up.

I will work my way in with the bash-related materials at first and then
branch out into the other texts.

I should invest in a proper e-reader though!


-Wolfgang

Post by Anders Holm
And for your evening reading pleasures, here's an opportunity to expand
https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle?imm_mid=0eb37f&cmp=em-prog-books-videos-na-promo_humble_bundle_unix_20161201
//anders

Post by bigbro
Hi,
Looks like you've already got some good answers - and thanks for asking
your question here. Many of us have been using Linux for a long time,
but we're all still learning!
In case it helps, you might want to consider certification just as a
method of ensuring you get a broad coverage of topics. While
certification does go out of date, many of the certifications require a
broad coverage of Linux and Systems Administration knowledge, and so the
manuals and course syllabus materials may be a great starting point.
LPIC ( https://www.lpi.org/our-certifications/lpic-1-overview ) and
RedHat ( https://www.redhat.com/en/services/certification ) are both
well established, and their training materials are mature and

accessible.

Post by bigbro
There are also many courses on EdX, Coursera and undoubtedly other
continuous learning communities.
Best of luck, and enjoy learning about Linux.
Best regards,
-->Gar
Hi Mark!
Thanks for taking the time to reply. Really appreciate it!
Great advice regarding my profile. I have been considering this for
some time, hence my LinkedIn page has been a bit static of late. My
predicament has mainly been that I don't want to be seen as
overselling myself, as I don't have much to offer yet in the way of
technical expertise. I am a writer however, so that's not a very
good excuse: I suppose I need to find a way to frame it in the
context of my ambition to undertake further training and make a
transition into a new field. I will work on that in the coming week.
Your advice about making sure you don't jump on an offer just to
fill a position is also very insightful, it's something that I may
have otherwise overlooked. Keeping an end goal in mind could make
the difference between finding satisfying career and just finding a
job in the short term.
I have been looking into my choices for the coming year and it seems
there quite a number of options in Cork. UCC offers several
conversion courses, both as MAs and HDips: there's an Applied
Computing Technologies HDip <http://www.ucc.ie/en/cko08/> that

seems

Post by bigbro
to cover quite a lot of bases, including programming (Python, I
believe), web development, databases and applications development.
There's also the Interactive Media MSc <http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>
that's open to graduates from other disciplines, though I feel that
degree may have less overlap with Linux than the HDip. I also know
several people involved in the nebulous field of Digital Humanities,
which is also represented by an MA at UCC
<http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>, though I'm not really sure how

useful

Post by bigbro
it may be on the job-market.
I just saw that CIT also offers a CompTIA Linux+ qualification.
Looking over the course outline, it does seem like I could probably
keep up with most of the content considering I run Linux at home on
my personal machines. Not entirely sure how CompTIA would hold up
against *nix certifications from www.linuxacademy.com
<http://www.linuxacademy.com>. I will certainly be checking their
offerings out though, it would be brilliant to get started ASAP.
The Cork Education and Training Board also offers some introductory
ICT related courses, from Java Foundation training to web design and
virtualisation. I got my Microsoft Office Specialist Master cert
there (always though that bombastic title was pretty funny,
considering you basically learn how to use an office suite), so
that's always an option too.
I've already bought a paper copy of 'The Linux Command Line: A
Complete Introduction' by William E. Shotts Jr. and have been
working my way through it. I also have been following tutorials on
Youtube covering basic commands and writing bash scripts, though
embarrassingly enough the only two I have written are: a basic
script that compliments my girlfriend if prompted (makes sure she
doesn't get cross at me working away with Linux) and a script that
outputs pacman warnings to a text file for file integrity reasons
(so I can monitor if anything like file sizes or contents have
changed without me knowing about it). Sometimes the problem with
tinkering alone like that is to figure out what to try and build.
Which explains my first script.
I'll be sure to pick up the Bundle, had been looking over it
yesterday. Perhaps I'll get myself a Kindle or similar to make it
easier on my eyes too, not sure how well I can read them on my

mobile.

Post by bigbro
Once again, thanks for your help! It's given me a lot to think

about.

Post by bigbro
Best regards,
-Wolfgang
Hi Wolfgang,
First thing to do is get your LinkedIn updated. Within the
summary section you should project your passion and interest for
working with linux. Recruiters searching linkedin are doing so
with keywords so try and ram as much in there as possible. Just
be careful that when you do get approached about a job that
you're not getting sold a dud as recruiters are simply looking
to fill a position, whilst you're looking to follow a passion.
The biggest challenge you face is persuading a company to take a
chance on you as opposed to somebody with relevant
certifications/degree/masters/experience. Springboard courses
are good and I know people who have come through them to get
employment, though they were not looking to work with linux. A
quick search on the springboard site for linux returns no
matching courses. A blank search of the IT conversion does show
up some courses for "cloud computing" (Cork IT has two Fetac
level 8 courses) and these could be a good gateway to working
with linux.
There's a Humble Bundle on sale at the moment which should
provide a lot of valuable knowledge if you manage to work your
way through
them: https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle
<https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle> Some

stuff

Post by bigbro
is possibly dated but there will be a good grounding on a lot of
*nix areas.
What Padraig says about certification is true, they can become
irrelevant after a while. As you're coming from zero IT
background though, they could be an option if a 2 year
conversion course is too much of a time investment. They'll show
an employer that you have an interest and aptitude in a certain
area. I've done various certifications (Cisco, Juniper, Linux,
AWS - I've let some expire as they're not relevant to my current
interests/job) and while they won't make your career, they will
certainly help you along the way. I'd recommend
www.linuxacademy.com <http://www.linuxacademy.com> if you're
interested in *nix certification or other areas of cloud
computing like AWS/Azure, they've a free trial which is worth
exploring.
Best of luck and if you've any questions, just shout.
On Sat, Nov 26, 2016 at 2:03 AM, Pádraig Brady

Post by w***@gmail.com
Hey lads,
Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the ILUG, but

I'm a recent enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently running a community
spin of Manjaro on two machines and Tahrpup on a netbook. I also have a Pi3
running Raspbian.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my installs

or messing about on the terminal and so far I've really enjoyed the
experience. Though there's way more to learn, I know more about my Linux
system and my hardware now than I ever did as a Windows user. Not to go
full Stallman; but it has felt liberating.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some time,

possibly by returning to college to do a conversion course, BA or a
Springboard course.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of the

every day at this stage, so I can also understand if you find yourself
scoffing at my new-found infatuation with all things Linux: but I'm
wondering if perhaps the 'grey-beards' of the group (not discriminating
against the beardless) can offer me some advice or insight into working
with Linux as a professional - as a systems admin or otherwise.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
One question I have is probably the most frequently asked

one: how important is certification? Would being Linux certified give me a
head start over somebody with a general CS/IT qualification? Or is a
combination of both the best bet?

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
How common are entry-level positions or internships in the

Linux world? I haven't seen too many on the various job sites.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
What other IT related fields would you get to involve

yourself in Linux, besides working as a sys admin? I'm thinking web design
or applications development might have some overlap.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech

background?

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
Some context context on my work/education history: I have

a MA in Writing and have worked for several years as a freelance writer,
specifically writing about the arts and doing PR for various cultural
institutions. I also have some teaching experience and more or less
bilingual. Not sure how much of my experience would count as 'transferable'
or if there's a niche in the IT world that somebody like myself would fit
in better than others. Another obstacle is that besides having taken
courses in Python and Java Script through websites like Code Academy, I am
not well versed in any programming language - hence me wanting to return to
education.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
And if I can ask a personal question, for those of you

that started off dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later transitioned to
working with Linux as professionals, how has your experience affected how
you feel about Linux? Do you feel 'burnt out' at all, or have you been able
to maintain some level of enthusiasm?

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't want

the ILUG to feel like I'm using you instead of Google. It's just that it
all still feels fairly vague to me and I think personal insights would help
resolve that.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
Many online resources are also quite US centric. I will be

Cork based for the next few years, so if anybody has an specific advice
about working in IT in Cork, that would be brilliant.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
Thanks for your time and patience,
-Wolfgang

Hey Wolfgang,
Thanks for documenting your enthusiasm.
It's great to see, and the secret sauce to success IMHO.
If you're enthusiastic about this field you'll do well.
It's just a matter of which route is the fastest.
It's quite subjective how one best learns.
Some prefer study, while others are more practical.
Personally I don't have, nor was ever inclined to get,
any certifications, as I feel they go out of relevance
quite quickly, and can be too specific and commercial.
Some prefer formal education, while others getting
their hands dirty, like on some open source project for e.g.
I was lucky in that I had a technical degree before
I got interested in open source, but a conversion course
to an IT degree would both ease your progress in the field,
and also provide some broader info before you specialize.
Specialization is necessary really for navigating this
now vast field. Having a particular area of expertise,
be it a language, or service, or whatever, will both
give better satisfaction that you're working at a level
that is really beneficial, and is a good focus point
in a CV or interview.
An often overlooked aspect in a technical career is

effective

Post by bigbro
communication, both personal and especially written.
Having an MA in writing is a huge advantage over the
common or garden software engineer, and combined with
enthusiasm in a particular technical area (which most
do not have), you can't go wrong.
Good luck.
Pádraig.
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Post by bigbro
<

https://groups.google.com/a/linux.ie/d/msgid/ilug/1205b03e-9e84-96fe-9d8a-943b57b79191%40draigBrady.com>.

Post by bigbro
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Post by bigbro
<

https://groups.google.com/a/linux.ie/d/msgid/ilug/d75b4360-de1b-4942-acf3-7060515775e9%40linux.ie?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

Post by bigbro
--
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--
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Post by bigbro
<

https://groups.google.com/a/linux.ie/d/msgid/ilug/CAD4VSdhYQ-1bByrEdfcTdnY5gU3mA2dFgwQ-OBidU%2Bq%2BVVm1JQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

[Paul O'Malley]

perhaps checking your distro for an ereader might be useful

Post by Wolfgang
Great advice! Picked it up.
I will work my way in with the bash-related materials at first and then
branch out into the other texts.
I should invest in a proper e-reader though!
-Wolfgang

Post by Anders Holm
And for your evening reading pleasures, here's an opportunity to expand
https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle?imm_mid=0eb37f&cmp=em-prog-books-videos-na-promo_humble_bundle_unix_20161201
//anders

Post by bigbro
Hi,
Looks like you've already got some good answers - and thanks for asking
your question here. Many of us have been using Linux for a long time,
but we're all still learning!
In case it helps, you might want to consider certification just as a
method of ensuring you get a broad coverage of topics. While
certification does go out of date, many of the certifications require a
broad coverage of Linux and Systems Administration knowledge, and so the
manuals and course syllabus materials may be a great starting point.
LPIC ( https://www.lpi.org/our-certifications/lpic-1-overview ) and
RedHat ( https://www.redhat.com/en/services/certification ) are both
well established, and their training materials are mature and accessible.
There are also many courses on EdX, Coursera and undoubtedly other
continuous learning communities.
Best of luck, and enjoy learning about Linux.
Best regards,
-->Gar
Hi Mark!
Thanks for taking the time to reply. Really appreciate it!
Great advice regarding my profile. I have been considering this for
some time, hence my LinkedIn page has been a bit static of late. My
predicament has mainly been that I don't want to be seen as
overselling myself, as I don't have much to offer yet in the way of
technical expertise. I am a writer however, so that's not a very
good excuse: I suppose I need to find a way to frame it in the
context of my ambition to undertake further training and make a
transition into a new field. I will work on that in the coming week.
Your advice about making sure you don't jump on an offer just to
fill a position is also very insightful, it's something that I may
have otherwise overlooked. Keeping an end goal in mind could make
the difference between finding satisfying career and just finding a
job in the short term.
I have been looking into my choices for the coming year and it seems
there quite a number of options in Cork. UCC offers several
conversion courses, both as MAs and HDips: there's an Applied
Computing Technologies HDip <http://www.ucc.ie/en/cko08/> that seems
to cover quite a lot of bases, including programming (Python, I
believe), web development, databases and applications development.
There's also the Interactive Media MSc <http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>
that's open to graduates from other disciplines, though I feel that
degree may have less overlap with Linux than the HDip. I also know
several people involved in the nebulous field of Digital Humanities,
which is also represented by an MA at UCC
<http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>, though I'm not really sure how useful
it may be on the job-market.
I just saw that CIT also offers a CompTIA Linux+ qualification.
Looking over the course outline, it does seem like I could probably
keep up with most of the content considering I run Linux at home on
my personal machines. Not entirely sure how CompTIA would hold up
against *nix certifications from www.linuxacademy.com
<http://www.linuxacademy.com>. I will certainly be checking their
offerings out though, it would be brilliant to get started ASAP.
The Cork Education and Training Board also offers some introductory
ICT related courses, from Java Foundation training to web design and
virtualisation. I got my Microsoft Office Specialist Master cert
there (always though that bombastic title was pretty funny,
considering you basically learn how to use an office suite), so
that's always an option too.
I've already bought a paper copy of 'The Linux Command Line: A
Complete Introduction' by William E. Shotts Jr. and have been
working my way through it. I also have been following tutorials on
Youtube covering basic commands and writing bash scripts, though
embarrassingly enough the only two I have written are: a basic
script that compliments my girlfriend if prompted (makes sure she
doesn't get cross at me working away with Linux) and a script that
outputs pacman warnings to a text file for file integrity reasons
(so I can monitor if anything like file sizes or contents have
changed without me knowing about it). Sometimes the problem with
tinkering alone like that is to figure out what to try and build.
Which explains my first script.
I'll be sure to pick up the Bundle, had been looking over it
yesterday. Perhaps I'll get myself a Kindle or similar to make it
easier on my eyes too, not sure how well I can read them on my mobile.
Once again, thanks for your help! It's given me a lot to think about.
Best regards,
-Wolfgang
Hi Wolfgang,
First thing to do is get your LinkedIn updated. Within the
summary section you should project your passion and interest for
working with linux. Recruiters searching linkedin are doing so
with keywords so try and ram as much in there as possible. Just
be careful that when you do get approached about a job that
you're not getting sold a dud as recruiters are simply looking
to fill a position, whilst you're looking to follow a passion.
The biggest challenge you face is persuading a company to take a
chance on you as opposed to somebody with relevant
certifications/degree/masters/experience. Springboard courses
are good and I know people who have come through them to get
employment, though they were not looking to work with linux. A
quick search on the springboard site for linux returns no
matching courses. A blank search of the IT conversion does show
up some courses for "cloud computing" (Cork IT has two Fetac
level 8 courses) and these could be a good gateway to working
with linux.
There's a Humble Bundle on sale at the moment which should
provide a lot of valuable knowledge if you manage to work your
way through
them: https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle
<https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle> Some stuff
is possibly dated but there will be a good grounding on a lot of
*nix areas.
What Padraig says about certification is true, they can become
irrelevant after a while. As you're coming from zero IT
background though, they could be an option if a 2 year
conversion course is too much of a time investment. They'll show
an employer that you have an interest and aptitude in a certain
area. I've done various certifications (Cisco, Juniper, Linux,
AWS - I've let some expire as they're not relevant to my current
interests/job) and while they won't make your career, they will
certainly help you along the way. I'd recommend
www.linuxacademy.com <http://www.linuxacademy.com> if you're
interested in *nix certification or other areas of cloud
computing like AWS/Azure, they've a free trial which is worth
exploring.
Best of luck and if you've any questions, just shout.
On Sat, Nov 26, 2016 at 2:03 AM, Pádraig Brady

Post by w***@gmail.com
Hey lads,
Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the ILUG, but

I'm a recent enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently running a community
spin of Manjaro on two machines and Tahrpup on a netbook. I also have a Pi3
running Raspbian.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my installs

or messing about on the terminal and so far I've really enjoyed the
experience. Though there's way more to learn, I know more about my Linux
system and my hardware now than I ever did as a Windows user. Not to go full
Stallman; but it has felt liberating.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some time,

possibly by returning to college to do a conversion course, BA or a
Springboard course.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of the

every day at this stage, so I can also understand if you find yourself
scoffing at my new-found infatuation with all things Linux: but I'm
wondering if perhaps the 'grey-beards' of the group (not discriminating
against the beardless) can offer me some advice or insight into working with
Linux as a professional - as a systems admin or otherwise.

Post by w***@gmail.com
One question I have is probably the most frequently asked

one: how important is certification? Would being Linux certified give me a
head start over somebody with a general CS/IT qualification? Or is a
combination of both the best bet?

Post by w***@gmail.com
How common are entry-level positions or internships in the

Linux world? I haven't seen too many on the various job sites.

Post by w***@gmail.com
What other IT related fields would you get to involve

yourself in Linux, besides working as a sys admin? I'm thinking web design
or applications development might have some overlap.

Post by w***@gmail.com
How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech

background?

Post by w***@gmail.com
Some context context on my work/education history: I have

a MA in Writing and have worked for several years as a freelance writer,
specifically writing about the arts and doing PR for various cultural
institutions. I also have some teaching experience and more or less
bilingual. Not sure how much of my experience would count as 'transferable'
or if there's a niche in the IT world that somebody like myself would fit in
better than others. Another obstacle is that besides having taken courses in
Python and Java Script through websites like Code Academy, I am not well
versed in any programming language - hence me wanting to return to
education.

Post by w***@gmail.com
And if I can ask a personal question, for those of you

that started off dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later transitioned to
working with Linux as professionals, how has your experience affected how
you feel about Linux? Do you feel 'burnt out' at all, or have you been able
to maintain some level of enthusiasm?

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't want

the ILUG to feel like I'm using you instead of Google. It's just that it all
still feels fairly vague to me and I think personal insights would help
resolve that.

Post by w***@gmail.com
Many online resources are also quite US centric. I will be

Cork based for the next few years, so if anybody has an specific advice
about working in IT in Cork, that would be brilliant.

Post by w***@gmail.com
Thanks for your time and patience,
-Wolfgang

Hey Wolfgang,
Thanks for documenting your enthusiasm.
It's great to see, and the secret sauce to success IMHO.
If you're enthusiastic about this field you'll do well.
It's just a matter of which route is the fastest.
It's quite subjective how one best learns.
Some prefer study, while others are more practical.
Personally I don't have, nor was ever inclined to get,
any certifications, as I feel they go out of relevance
quite quickly, and can be too specific and commercial.
Some prefer formal education, while others getting
their hands dirty, like on some open source project for e.g.
I was lucky in that I had a technical degree before
I got interested in open source, but a conversion course
to an IT degree would both ease your progress in the field,
and also provide some broader info before you specialize.
Specialization is necessary really for navigating this
now vast field. Having a particular area of expertise,
be it a language, or service, or whatever, will both
give better satisfaction that you're working at a level
that is really beneficial, and is a good focus point
in a CV or interview.
An often overlooked aspect in a technical career is effective
communication, both personal and especially written.
Having an MA in writing is a huge advantage over the
common or garden software engineer, and combined with
enthusiasm in a particular technical area (which most
do not have), you can't go wrong.
Good luck.
Pádraig.
--
Irish Linux Users Group
---
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<https://groups.google.com/a/linux.ie/d/msgid/ilug/1205b03e-9e84-96fe-9d8a-943b57b79191%40draigBrady.com>.
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[paul]

I suggest doing simple projects to learn bash.
It'll stick way more than just reading.

I learned a lot making cronjobs to renew my https certs, and email
pornography to a friend of mine.



-paul

Post by Wolfgang
Great advice! Picked it up.
I will work my way in with the bash-related materials at first and then
branch out into the other texts.
I should invest in a proper e-reader though!
-Wolfgang
And for your evening reading pleasures, here's an opportunity to expand
https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle?imm_mid=0eb37f&cmp=em-prog-books-videos-na-promo_humble_bundle_unix_20161201
<https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle?imm_mid=0eb37f&cmp=em-prog-books-videos-na-promo_humble_bundle_unix_20161201>
//anders

Post by bigbro
Hi,
Looks like you've already got some good answers - and thanks for

asking

Post by bigbro
your question here. Many of us have been using Linux for a long time,
but we're all still learning!
In case it helps, you might want to consider certification just as a
method of ensuring you get a broad coverage of topics. While
certification does go out of date, many of the certifications

require a

Post by bigbro
broad coverage of Linux and Systems Administration knowledge, and

so the

Post by bigbro
manuals and course syllabus materials may be a great starting point.
LPIC ( https://www.lpi.org/our-certifications/lpic-1-overview

<https://www.lpi.org/our-certifications/lpic-1-overview> ) and

Post by bigbro
RedHat ( https://www.redhat.com/en/services/certification

<https://www.redhat.com/en/services/certification> ) are both

Post by bigbro
well established, and their training materials are mature and

accessible.

Post by bigbro
There are also many courses on EdX, Coursera and undoubtedly other
continuous learning communities.
Best of luck, and enjoy learning about Linux.
Best regards,
-->Gar
Hi Mark!
Thanks for taking the time to reply. Really appreciate it!
Great advice regarding my profile. I have been considering

this for

Post by bigbro
some time, hence my LinkedIn page has been a bit static of

late. My

Post by bigbro
predicament has mainly been that I don't want to be seen as
overselling myself, as I don't have much to offer yet in the

way of

Post by bigbro
technical expertise. I am a writer however, so that's not a very
good excuse: I suppose I need to find a way to frame it in the
context of my ambition to undertake further training and make a
transition into a new field. I will work on that in the coming

week.

Post by bigbro
Your advice about making sure you don't jump on an offer just to
fill a position is also very insightful, it's something that I

may

Post by bigbro
have otherwise overlooked. Keeping an end goal in mind could make
the difference between finding satisfying career and just

finding a

Post by bigbro
job in the short term.
I have been looking into my choices for the coming year and it

seems

Post by bigbro
there quite a number of options in Cork. UCC offers several
conversion courses, both as MAs and HDips: there's an Applied
Computing Technologies HDip <http://www.ucc.ie/en/cko08/> that

seems

Post by bigbro
to cover quite a lot of bases, including programming (Python, I
believe), web development, databases and applications

development.

Post by bigbro
There's also the Interactive Media MSc

<http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>

Post by bigbro
that's open to graduates from other disciplines, though I feel

that

Post by bigbro
degree may have less overlap with Linux than the HDip. I also

know

Post by bigbro
several people involved in the nebulous field of Digital

Humanities,

Post by bigbro
which is also represented by an MA at UCC
<http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>, though I'm not really sure how

useful

Post by bigbro
it may be on the job-market.
I just saw that CIT also offers a CompTIA Linux+ qualification.
Looking over the course outline, it does seem like I could

probably

Post by bigbro
keep up with most of the content considering I run Linux at

home on

Post by bigbro
my personal machines. Not entirely sure how CompTIA would hold up
against *nix certifications from www.linuxacademy.com

<http://www.linuxacademy.com>

Post by bigbro
<http://www.linuxacademy.com>. I will certainly be checking their
offerings out though, it would be brilliant to get started ASAP.
The Cork Education and Training Board also offers some

introductory

Post by bigbro
ICT related courses, from Java Foundation training to web

design and

Post by bigbro
virtualisation. I got my Microsoft Office Specialist Master cert
there (always though that bombastic title was pretty funny,
considering you basically learn how to use an office suite), so
that's always an option too.
I've already bought a paper copy of 'The Linux Command Line: A
Complete Introduction' by William E. Shotts Jr. and have been
working my way through it. I also have been following

tutorials on

Post by bigbro
Youtube covering basic commands and writing bash scripts, though
embarrassingly enough the only two I have written are: a basic
script that compliments my girlfriend if prompted (makes sure she
doesn't get cross at me working away with Linux) and a script

that

Post by bigbro
outputs pacman warnings to a text file for file integrity reasons
(so I can monitor if anything like file sizes or contents have
changed without me knowing about it). Sometimes the problem with
tinkering alone like that is to figure out what to try and build.
Which explains my first script.
I'll be sure to pick up the Bundle, had been looking over it
yesterday. Perhaps I'll get myself a Kindle or similar to make it
easier on my eyes too, not sure how well I can read them on my

mobile.

Post by bigbro
Once again, thanks for your help! It's given me a lot to think

about.

Post by bigbro
Best regards,
-Wolfgang
Hi Wolfgang,
First thing to do is get your LinkedIn updated. Within the
summary section you should project your passion and

interest for

Post by bigbro
working with linux. Recruiters searching linkedin are

doing so

Post by bigbro
with keywords so try and ram as much in there as possible.

Just

Post by bigbro
be careful that when you do get approached about a job that
you're not getting sold a dud as recruiters are simply

looking

Post by bigbro
to fill a position, whilst you're looking to follow a

passion.

Post by bigbro
The biggest challenge you face is persuading a company to

take a

Post by bigbro
chance on you as opposed to somebody with relevant
certifications/degree/masters/experience. Springboard courses
are good and I know people who have come through them to get
employment, though they were not looking to work with

linux. A

Post by bigbro
quick search on the springboard site for linux returns no
matching courses. A blank search of the IT conversion does

show

Post by bigbro
up some courses for "cloud computing" (Cork IT has two Fetac
level 8 courses) and these could be a good gateway to working
with linux.
There's a Humble Bundle on sale at the moment which should
provide a lot of valuable knowledge if you manage to work

your

Post by bigbro
way through
them: https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle

<https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle>

Post by bigbro
<https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle

<https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle>> Some stuff

Post by bigbro
is possibly dated but there will be a good grounding on a

lot of

Post by bigbro
*nix areas.
What Padraig says about certification is true, they can

become

Post by bigbro
irrelevant after a while. As you're coming from zero IT
background though, they could be an option if a 2 year
conversion course is too much of a time investment.

They'll show

Post by bigbro
an employer that you have an interest and aptitude in a

certain

Post by bigbro
area. I've done various certifications (Cisco, Juniper,

Linux,

Post by bigbro
AWS - I've let some expire as they're not relevant to my

current

Post by bigbro
interests/job) and while they won't make your career, they

will

Post by bigbro
certainly help you along the way. I'd recommend
www.linuxacademy.com <http://www.linuxacademy.com>

<http://www.linuxacademy.com> if you're

Post by bigbro
interested in *nix certification or other areas of cloud
computing like AWS/Azure, they've a free trial which is worth
exploring.
Best of luck and if you've any questions, just shout.
On Sat, Nov 26, 2016 at 2:03 AM, Pádraig Brady

Post by w***@gmail.com
Hey lads,
Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the

ILUG, but I'm a recent enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently
running a community spin of Manjaro on two machines and Tahrpup on a
netbook. I also have a Pi3 running Raspbian.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my

installs or messing about on the terminal and so far I've really
enjoyed the experience. Though there's way more to learn, I know
more about my Linux system and my hardware now than I ever did as a
Windows user. Not to go full Stallman; but it has felt liberating.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some

time, possibly by returning to college to do a conversion course, BA
or a Springboard course.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of

the every day at this stage, so I can also understand if you find
but I'm wondering if perhaps the 'grey-beards' of the group (not
discriminating against the beardless) can offer me some advice or
insight into working with Linux as a professional - as a systems
admin or otherwise.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
One question I have is probably the most frequently

asked one: how important is certification? Would being Linux
certified give me a head start over somebody with a general CS/IT
qualification? Or is a combination of both the best bet?

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
How common are entry-level positions or internships

in the Linux world? I haven't seen too many on the various job sites.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
What other IT related fields would you get to

involve yourself in Linux, besides working as a sys admin? I'm
thinking web design or applications development might have some
overlap.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech

background?

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
Some context context on my work/education history: I

have a MA in Writing and have worked for several years as a
freelance writer, specifically writing about the arts and doing PR
for various cultural institutions. I also have some teaching
experience and more or less bilingual. Not sure how much of my
experience would count as 'transferable' or if there's a niche in
the IT world that somebody like myself would fit in better than
others. Another obstacle is that besides having taken courses in
Python and Java Script through websites like Code Academy, I am not
well versed in any programming language - hence me wanting to return
to education.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
And if I can ask a personal question, for those of

you that started off dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later
transitioned to working with Linux as professionals, how has your
experience affected how you feel about Linux? Do you feel 'burnt
out' at all, or have you been able to maintain some level of
enthusiasm?

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't

want the ILUG to feel like I'm using you instead of Google. It's
just that it all still feels fairly vague to me and I think personal
insights would help resolve that.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
Many online resources are also quite US centric. I

will be Cork based for the next few years, so if anybody has an
specific advice about working in IT in Cork, that would be brilliant.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
Thanks for your time and patience,
-Wolfgang

Hey Wolfgang,
Thanks for documenting your enthusiasm.
It's great to see, and the secret sauce to success IMHO.
If you're enthusiastic about this field you'll do well.
It's just a matter of which route is the fastest.
It's quite subjective how one best learns.
Some prefer study, while others are more practical.
Personally I don't have, nor was ever inclined to get,
any certifications, as I feel they go out of relevance
quite quickly, and can be too specific and commercial.
Some prefer formal education, while others getting
their hands dirty, like on some open source project

for e.g.

Post by bigbro
I was lucky in that I had a technical degree before
I got interested in open source, but a conversion course
to an IT degree would both ease your progress in the

field,

Post by bigbro
and also provide some broader info before you specialize.
Specialization is necessary really for navigating this
now vast field. Having a particular area of expertise,
be it a language, or service, or whatever, will both
give better satisfaction that you're working at a level
that is really beneficial, and is a good focus point
in a CV or interview.
An often overlooked aspect in a technical career is

effective

Post by bigbro
communication, both personal and especially written.
Having an MA in writing is a huge advantage over the
common or garden software engineer, and combined with
enthusiasm in a particular technical area (which most
do not have), you can't go wrong.
Good luck.
Pádraig.
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[Anders Holm]

Agreed.

These are great for reference, for learning, you want more hands on.. :)

//anders

Post by paul
I suggest doing simple projects to learn bash.
It'll stick way more than just reading.
I learned a lot making cronjobs to renew my https certs, and email
pornography to a friend of mine.
-paul

Post by Wolfgang
Great advice! Picked it up.
I will work my way in with the bash-related materials at first and then
branch out into the other texts.
I should invest in a proper e-reader though!
-Wolfgang
And for your evening reading pleasures, here's an opportunity to expand
https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle?imm_mid=0eb37f&cmp=em-prog-books-videos-na-promo_humble_bundle_unix_20161201
<https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle?imm_mid=0eb37f&cmp=em-prog-books-videos-na-promo_humble_bundle_unix_20161201>
//anders

Post by bigbro
Hi,
Looks like you've already got some good answers - and thanks for

asking

Post by bigbro
your question here. Many of us have been using Linux for a long time,
but we're all still learning!
In case it helps, you might want to consider certification just as a
method of ensuring you get a broad coverage of topics. While
certification does go out of date, many of the certifications

require a

Post by bigbro
broad coverage of Linux and Systems Administration knowledge, and

so the

Post by bigbro
manuals and course syllabus materials may be a great starting point.
LPIC ( https://www.lpi.org/our-certifications/lpic-1-overview

<https://www.lpi.org/our-certifications/lpic-1-overview> ) and

Post by bigbro
RedHat ( https://www.redhat.com/en/services/certification

<https://www.redhat.com/en/services/certification> ) are both

Post by bigbro
well established, and their training materials are mature and

accessible.

Post by bigbro
There are also many courses on EdX, Coursera and undoubtedly other
continuous learning communities.
Best of luck, and enjoy learning about Linux.
Best regards,
-->Gar
Hi Mark!
Thanks for taking the time to reply. Really appreciate it!
Great advice regarding my profile. I have been considering

this for

Post by bigbro
some time, hence my LinkedIn page has been a bit static of

late. My

Post by bigbro
predicament has mainly been that I don't want to be seen as
overselling myself, as I don't have much to offer yet in the

way of

Post by bigbro
technical expertise. I am a writer however, so that's not a very
good excuse: I suppose I need to find a way to frame it in the
context of my ambition to undertake further training and make a
transition into a new field. I will work on that in the coming

week.

Post by bigbro
Your advice about making sure you don't jump on an offer just to
fill a position is also very insightful, it's something that I

may

Post by bigbro
have otherwise overlooked. Keeping an end goal in mind could make
the difference between finding satisfying career and just

finding a

Post by bigbro
job in the short term.
I have been looking into my choices for the coming year and it

seems

Post by bigbro
there quite a number of options in Cork. UCC offers several
conversion courses, both as MAs and HDips: there's an Applied
Computing Technologies HDip <http://www.ucc.ie/en/cko08/> that

seems

Post by bigbro
to cover quite a lot of bases, including programming (Python, I
believe), web development, databases and applications

development.

Post by bigbro
There's also the Interactive Media MSc

<http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>

Post by bigbro
that's open to graduates from other disciplines, though I feel

that

Post by bigbro
degree may have less overlap with Linux than the HDip. I also

know

Post by bigbro
several people involved in the nebulous field of Digital

Humanities,

Post by bigbro
which is also represented by an MA at UCC
<http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>, though I'm not really sure how

useful

Post by bigbro
it may be on the job-market.
I just saw that CIT also offers a CompTIA Linux+ qualification.
Looking over the course outline, it does seem like I could

probably

Post by bigbro
keep up with most of the content considering I run Linux at

home on

Post by bigbro
my personal machines. Not entirely sure how CompTIA would hold up
against *nix certifications from www.linuxacademy.com

<http://www.linuxacademy.com>

Post by bigbro
<http://www.linuxacademy.com>. I will certainly be checking their
offerings out though, it would be brilliant to get started ASAP.
The Cork Education and Training Board also offers some

introductory

Post by bigbro
ICT related courses, from Java Foundation training to web

design and

Post by bigbro
virtualisation. I got my Microsoft Office Specialist Master cert
there (always though that bombastic title was pretty funny,
considering you basically learn how to use an office suite), so
that's always an option too.
I've already bought a paper copy of 'The Linux Command Line: A
Complete Introduction' by William E. Shotts Jr. and have been
working my way through it. I also have been following

tutorials on

Post by bigbro
Youtube covering basic commands and writing bash scripts, though
embarrassingly enough the only two I have written are: a basic
script that compliments my girlfriend if prompted (makes sure she
doesn't get cross at me working away with Linux) and a script

that

Post by bigbro
outputs pacman warnings to a text file for file integrity reasons
(so I can monitor if anything like file sizes or contents have
changed without me knowing about it). Sometimes the problem with
tinkering alone like that is to figure out what to try and build.
Which explains my first script.
I'll be sure to pick up the Bundle, had been looking over it
yesterday. Perhaps I'll get myself a Kindle or similar to make it
easier on my eyes too, not sure how well I can read them on my

mobile.

Post by bigbro
Once again, thanks for your help! It's given me a lot to think

about.

Post by bigbro
Best regards,
-Wolfgang
Hi Wolfgang,
First thing to do is get your LinkedIn updated. Within the
summary section you should project your passion and

interest for

Post by bigbro
working with linux. Recruiters searching linkedin are

doing so

Post by bigbro
with keywords so try and ram as much in there as possible.

Just

Post by bigbro
be careful that when you do get approached about a job that
you're not getting sold a dud as recruiters are simply

looking

Post by bigbro
to fill a position, whilst you're looking to follow a

passion.

Post by bigbro
The biggest challenge you face is persuading a company to

take a

Post by bigbro
chance on you as opposed to somebody with relevant
certifications/degree/masters/experience. Springboard courses
are good and I know people who have come through them to get
employment, though they were not looking to work with

linux. A

Post by bigbro
quick search on the springboard site for linux returns no
matching courses. A blank search of the IT conversion does

show

Post by bigbro
up some courses for "cloud computing" (Cork IT has two Fetac
level 8 courses) and these could be a good gateway to working
with linux.
There's a Humble Bundle on sale at the moment which should
provide a lot of valuable knowledge if you manage to work

your

Post by bigbro
way through
them: https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle

<https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle>

Post by bigbro
<https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle

<https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle>> Some stuff

Post by bigbro
is possibly dated but there will be a good grounding on a

lot of

Post by bigbro
*nix areas.
What Padraig says about certification is true, they can

become

Post by bigbro
irrelevant after a while. As you're coming from zero IT
background though, they could be an option if a 2 year
conversion course is too much of a time investment.

They'll show

Post by bigbro
an employer that you have an interest and aptitude in a

certain

Post by bigbro
area. I've done various certifications (Cisco, Juniper,

Linux,

Post by bigbro
AWS - I've let some expire as they're not relevant to my

current

Post by bigbro
interests/job) and while they won't make your career, they

will

Post by bigbro
certainly help you along the way. I'd recommend
www.linuxacademy.com <http://www.linuxacademy.com>

<http://www.linuxacademy.com> if you're

Post by bigbro
interested in *nix certification or other areas of cloud
computing like AWS/Azure, they've a free trial which is worth
exploring.
Best of luck and if you've any questions, just shout.
On Sat, Nov 26, 2016 at 2:03 AM, Pádraig Brady

Post by w***@gmail.com
Hey lads,
Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the

ILUG, but I'm a recent enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently
running a community spin of Manjaro on two machines and Tahrpup on a
netbook. I also have a Pi3 running Raspbian.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my

installs or messing about on the terminal and so far I've really
enjoyed the experience. Though there's way more to learn, I know
more about my Linux system and my hardware now than I ever did as a
Windows user. Not to go full Stallman; but it has felt liberating.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some

time, possibly by returning to college to do a conversion course, BA
or a Springboard course.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of

the every day at this stage, so I can also understand if you find
but I'm wondering if perhaps the 'grey-beards' of the group (not
discriminating against the beardless) can offer me some advice or
insight into working with Linux as a professional - as a systems
admin or otherwise.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
One question I have is probably the most frequently

asked one: how important is certification? Would being Linux
certified give me a head start over somebody with a general CS/IT
qualification? Or is a combination of both the best bet?

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
How common are entry-level positions or internships

in the Linux world? I haven't seen too many on the various job sites.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
What other IT related fields would you get to

involve yourself in Linux, besides working as a sys admin? I'm
thinking web design or applications development might have some
overlap.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech

background?

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
Some context context on my work/education history: I

have a MA in Writing and have worked for several years as a
freelance writer, specifically writing about the arts and doing PR
for various cultural institutions. I also have some teaching
experience and more or less bilingual. Not sure how much of my
experience would count as 'transferable' or if there's a niche in
the IT world that somebody like myself would fit in better than
others. Another obstacle is that besides having taken courses in
Python and Java Script through websites like Code Academy, I am not
well versed in any programming language - hence me wanting to return
to education.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
And if I can ask a personal question, for those of

you that started off dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later
transitioned to working with Linux as professionals, how has your
experience affected how you feel about Linux? Do you feel 'burnt
out' at all, or have you been able to maintain some level of
enthusiasm?

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't

want the ILUG to feel like I'm using you instead of Google. It's
just that it all still feels fairly vague to me and I think personal
insights would help resolve that.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
Many online resources are also quite US centric. I

will be Cork based for the next few years, so if anybody has an
specific advice about working in IT in Cork, that would be brilliant.

Post by bigbro

Post by w***@gmail.com
Thanks for your time and patience,
-Wolfgang

Hey Wolfgang,
Thanks for documenting your enthusiasm.
It's great to see, and the secret sauce to success IMHO.
If you're enthusiastic about this field you'll do well.
It's just a matter of which route is the fastest.
It's quite subjective how one best learns.
Some prefer study, while others are more practical.
Personally I don't have, nor was ever inclined to get,
any certifications, as I feel they go out of relevance
quite quickly, and can be too specific and commercial.
Some prefer formal education, while others getting
their hands dirty, like on some open source project

for e.g.

Post by bigbro
I was lucky in that I had a technical degree before
I got interested in open source, but a conversion course
to an IT degree would both ease your progress in the

field,

Post by bigbro
and also provide some broader info before you specialize.
Specialization is necessary really for navigating this
now vast field. Having a particular area of expertise,
be it a language, or service, or whatever, will both
give better satisfaction that you're working at a level
that is really beneficial, and is a good focus point
in a CV or interview.
An often overlooked aspect in a technical career is

effective

Post by bigbro
communication, both personal and especially written.
Having an MA in writing is a huge advantage over the
common or garden software engineer, and combined with
enthusiasm in a particular technical area (which most
do not have), you can't go wrong.
Good luck.
Pádraig.
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[Wolfgang]

Hi Gareth!

Thanks for taking the time to add your 2 cents. It's been brilliant getting
all your advice and support.

I will be making a list of all the online learning possibilities and
certificates for the next time that I have funds. I will probably use
self-learning as a primer for a return to education. In the meantime I'm
experimenting with bash scripts and automating tasks on my desktop. Nothing
big, but keeps me learning.

Could I ask if you have any particular certification? Just trying to gauge
what type of training people have out there in the wild.



Best regards,

-Wolfgang

Post by bigbro
Hi,
Looks like you've already got some good answers - and thanks for asking
your question here. Many of us have been using Linux for a long time, but
we're all still learning!
In case it helps, you might want to consider certification just as a
method of ensuring you get a broad coverage of topics. While certification
does go out of date, many of the certifications require a broad coverage of
Linux and Systems Administration knowledge, and so the manuals and course
syllabus materials may be a great starting point.
LPIC ( https://www.lpi.org/our-certifications/lpic-1-overview
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lpi.org%2Four-certifications%2Flpic-1-overview&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFqjejYVbNHC6Hkt8D5Bb6AERWwog>
) and RedHat ( https://www.redhat.com/en/services/certification
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.redhat.com%2Fen%2Fservices%2Fcertification&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEshVKXmFqo7tiVy_w-LTJk_2F2LQ>
) are both well established, and their training materials are mature and
accessible.
There are also many courses on EdX, Coursera and undoubtedly other
continuous learning communities.
Best of luck, and enjoy learning about Linux.
Best regards,
-->Gar

Post by Wolfgang
Hi Mark!
Thanks for taking the time to reply. Really appreciate it!
Great advice regarding my profile. I have been considering this for some
time, hence my LinkedIn page has been a bit static of late. My predicament
has mainly been that I don't want to be seen as overselling myself, as I
don't have much to offer yet in the way of technical expertise. I am a
writer however, so that's not a very good excuse: I suppose I need to find
a way to frame it in the context of my ambition to undertake further
training and make a transition into a new field. I will work on that in the
coming week.
Your advice about making sure you don't jump on an offer just to fill a
position is also very insightful, it's something that I may have otherwise
overlooked. Keeping an end goal in mind could make the difference between
finding satisfying career and just finding a job in the short term.
I have been looking into my choices for the coming year and it seems
there quite a number of options in Cork. UCC offers several conversion
courses, both as MAs and HDips: there's an Applied Computing
Technologies HDip <http://www.ucc.ie/en/cko08/> that seems to cover
quite a lot of bases, including programming (Python, I believe), web
development, databases and applications development. There's also the Interactive
Media MSc <http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/> that's open to graduates from
other disciplines, though I feel that degree may have less overlap with
Linux than the HDip. I also know several people involved in the nebulous
field of Digital Humanities, which is also represented by an MA at UCC
<http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr05/>, though I'm not really sure how useful it
may be on the job-market.
I just saw that CIT also offers a CompTIA Linux+ qualification. Looking
over the course outline, it does seem like I could probably keep up with
most of the content considering I run Linux at home on my personal
machines. Not entirely sure how CompTIA would hold up against *nix
certifications from www.linuxacademy.com. I will certainly be checking
their offerings out though, it would be brilliant to get started ASAP.
The Cork Education and Training Board also offers some introductory ICT
related courses, from Java Foundation training to web design and
virtualisation. I got my Microsoft Office Specialist Master cert there
(always though that bombastic title was pretty funny, considering you
basically learn how to use an office suite), so that's always an option too.
I've already bought a paper copy of 'The Linux Command Line: A Complete
Introduction' by William E. Shotts Jr. and have been working my way through
it. I also have been following tutorials on Youtube covering basic commands
and writing bash scripts, though embarrassingly enough the only two I have
written are: a basic script that compliments my girlfriend if prompted
(makes sure she doesn't get cross at me working away with Linux) and a
script that outputs pacman warnings to a text file for file integrity
reasons (so I can monitor if anything like file sizes or contents have
changed without me knowing about it). Sometimes the problem with tinkering
alone like that is to figure out what to try and build. Which explains my
first script.
I'll be sure to pick up the Bundle, had been looking over it yesterday.
Perhaps I'll get myself a Kindle or similar to make it easier on my eyes
too, not sure how well I can read them on my mobile.
Once again, thanks for your help! It's given me a lot to think about.
Best regards,
-Wolfgang

Post by Mark Kenny
Hi Wolfgang,
First thing to do is get your LinkedIn updated. Within the summary
section you should project your passion and interest for working with
linux. Recruiters searching linkedin are doing so with keywords so try and
ram as much in there as possible. Just be careful that when you do get
approached about a job that you're not getting sold a dud as recruiters are
simply looking to fill a position, whilst you're looking to follow a
passion.
The biggest challenge you face is persuading a company to take a chance
on you as opposed to somebody with relevant
certifications/degree/masters/experience. Springboard courses are good and
I know people who have come through them to get employment, though they
were not looking to work with linux. A quick search on the springboard site
for linux returns no matching courses. A blank search of the IT conversion
does show up some courses for "cloud computing" (Cork IT has two Fetac
level 8 courses) and these could be a good gateway to working with linux.
There's a Humble Bundle on sale at the moment which should provide a lot
https://www.humblebundle.com/books/unix-book-bundle Some stuff is
possibly dated but there will be a good grounding on a lot of *nix areas.
What Padraig says about certification is true, they can become
irrelevant after a while. As you're coming from zero IT background though,
they could be an option if a 2 year conversion course is too much of a time
investment. They'll show an employer that you have an interest and aptitude
in a certain area. I've done various certifications (Cisco, Juniper, Linux,
AWS - I've let some expire as they're not relevant to my current
interests/job) and while they won't make your career, they will certainly
help you along the way. I'd recommend www.linuxacademy.com if you're
interested in *nix certification or other areas of cloud computing like
AWS/Azure, they've a free trial which is worth exploring.
Best of luck and if you've any questions, just shout.

Post by w***@gmail.com

Post by w***@gmail.com
Hey lads,
Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the ILUG, but I'm a

recent enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently running a community spin of
Manjaro on two machines and Tahrpup on a netbook. I also have a Pi3 running
Raspbian.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my installs or messing

about on the terminal and so far I've really enjoyed the experience. Though
there's way more to learn, I know more about my Linux system and my
hardware now than I ever did as a Windows user. Not to go full Stallman;
but it has felt liberating.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some time, possibly

by returning to college to do a conversion course, BA or a Springboard
course.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of the every day at

this stage, so I can also understand if you find yourself scoffing at my
new-found infatuation with all things Linux: but I'm wondering if perhaps
the 'grey-beards' of the group (not discriminating against the beardless)
can offer me some advice or insight into working with Linux as a
professional - as a systems admin or otherwise.

Post by w***@gmail.com
One question I have is probably the most frequently asked one: how

important is certification? Would being Linux certified give me a head
start over somebody with a general CS/IT qualification? Or is a combination
of both the best bet?

Post by w***@gmail.com
How common are entry-level positions or internships in the Linux

world? I haven't seen too many on the various job sites.

Post by w***@gmail.com
What other IT related fields would you get to involve yourself in

Linux, besides working as a sys admin? I'm thinking web design or
applications development might have some overlap.

Post by w***@gmail.com
How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech background?
Some context context on my work/education history: I have a MA in

Writing and have worked for several years as a freelance writer,
specifically writing about the arts and doing PR for various cultural
institutions. I also have some teaching experience and more or less
bilingual. Not sure how much of my experience would count as 'transferable'
or if there's a niche in the IT world that somebody like myself would fit
in better than others. Another obstacle is that besides having taken
courses in Python and Java Script through websites like Code Academy, I am
not well versed in any programming language - hence me wanting to return to
education.

Post by w***@gmail.com
And if I can ask a personal question, for those of you that started

off dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later transitioned to working with
Linux as professionals, how has your experience affected how you feel about
Linux? Do you feel 'burnt out' at all, or have you been able to maintain
some level of enthusiasm?

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't want the ILUG to

feel like I'm using you instead of Google. It's just that it all still
feels fairly vague to me and I think personal insights would help resolve
that.

Post by w***@gmail.com
Many online resources are also quite US centric. I will be Cork based

for the next few years, so if anybody has an specific advice about working
in IT in Cork, that would be brilliant.

Post by w***@gmail.com
Thanks for your time and patience,
-Wolfgang

Hey Wolfgang,
Thanks for documenting your enthusiasm.
It's great to see, and the secret sauce to success IMHO.
If you're enthusiastic about this field you'll do well.
It's just a matter of which route is the fastest.
It's quite subjective how one best learns.
Some prefer study, while others are more practical.
Personally I don't have, nor was ever inclined to get,
any certifications, as I feel they go out of relevance
quite quickly, and can be too specific and commercial.
Some prefer formal education, while others getting
their hands dirty, like on some open source project for e.g.
I was lucky in that I had a technical degree before
I got interested in open source, but a conversion course
to an IT degree would both ease your progress in the field,
and also provide some broader info before you specialize.
Specialization is necessary really for navigating this
now vast field. Having a particular area of expertise,
be it a language, or service, or whatever, will both
give better satisfaction that you're working at a level
that is really beneficial, and is a good focus point
in a CV or interview.
An often overlooked aspect in a technical career is effective
communication, both personal and especially written.
Having an MA in writing is a huge advantage over the
common or garden software engineer, and combined with
enthusiasm in a particular technical area (which most
do not have), you can't go wrong.
Good luck.
Pádraig.
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[Wolfgang]

Hey Pádraig,

Thanks for your reply! I really appreciate you taking the time to offer
your advice.

I do feel a bit more constrained time wise than I was in my earlier
twenties. Still though, I want to make sure I prepare myself by getting the
training and experience I need to really be a valuable employee and
contributor in the near future. So if it becomes clear that a BA would be
the best step, it would not be out of the question for me.

You may be right however that the conversion course is the best bet. I
would love to get involved in an open source project, even just as in my
spare time, but I'm not sure I have anything to contribute yet due to a
lack of technical skills. As I am currently located in rural Tipperary, I
also don't have access to 'hacker spaces' or other social spaces with a
tech focus. Hopefully on my return to Cork I can get involved in some
projects.

I appreciate the advice about specialisation. It's interesting to me how
many roles actually exist on the job market. It can be a tiny bit
overwhelming, but also heartening to know there are niches that might fit
your skills set, passions and abilities. Finding out about them seems to be
half the battle! Technical writing is something that has been suggested to
me in the past and could always be an option once I get more of a grounding
in IT and documentation practices.

Good to know my degree might have some use after all! I had been kicking
myself recently wishing I had specialised in an ICT related discipline
earlier. I will just keep building on my previous experience and make it
work in my favour.

I saw that you work at Facebook - do you get to work with open source at
your current position? I wasn't aware that Facebook were involved in open
source development, but it makes sense now that I think of it. The
code.facebook section is quite well curated, good to see how accessible the
projects are.


Best regards,

-Wolfgang

Post by w***@gmail.com

Post by w***@gmail.com
Hey lads,
Not sure if this kind of thing is allowed in the ILUG, but I'm a recent

enough convert to GNU/Linux - currently running a community spin of Manjaro
on two machines and Tahrpup on a netbook. I also have a Pi3 running
Raspbian.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with my installs or messing

about on the terminal and so far I've really enjoyed the experience. Though
there's way more to learn, I know more about my Linux system and my
hardware now than I ever did as a Windows user. Not to go full Stallman;
but it has felt liberating.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've been thinking of transitioning into IT for some time, possibly by

returning to college to do a conversion course, BA or a Springboard course.

Post by w***@gmail.com
I understand that for many of you, Linux is part of the every day at

this stage, so I can also understand if you find yourself scoffing at my
new-found infatuation with all things Linux: but I'm wondering if perhaps
the 'grey-beards' of the group (not discriminating against the beardless)
can offer me some advice or insight into working with Linux as a
professional - as a systems admin or otherwise.

Post by w***@gmail.com
One question I have is probably the most frequently asked one: how

important is certification? Would being Linux certified give me a head
start over somebody with a general CS/IT qualification? Or is a combination
of both the best bet?

Post by w***@gmail.com
How common are entry-level positions or internships in the Linux world?

I haven't seen too many on the various job sites.

Post by w***@gmail.com
What other IT related fields would you get to involve yourself in Linux,

besides working as a sys admin? I'm thinking web design or applications
development might have some overlap.

Post by w***@gmail.com
How big of a barrier is it not coming from a tech background?
Some context context on my work/education history: I have a MA in

Writing and have worked for several years as a freelance writer,
specifically writing about the arts and doing PR for various cultural
institutions. I also have some teaching experience and more or less
bilingual. Not sure how much of my experience would count as 'transferable'
or if there's a niche in the IT world that somebody like myself would fit
in better than others. Another obstacle is that besides having taken
courses in Python and Java Script through websites like Code Academy, I am
not well versed in any programming language - hence me wanting to return to
education.

Post by w***@gmail.com
And if I can ask a personal question, for those of you that started off

dabbling in Linux as a hobby and later transitioned to working with Linux
as professionals, how has your experience affected how you feel about
Linux? Do you feel 'burnt out' at all, or have you been able to maintain
some level of enthusiasm?

Post by w***@gmail.com
I've done solo research into the topic, so I don't want the ILUG to feel

like I'm using you instead of Google. It's just that it all still feels
fairly vague to me and I think personal insights would help resolve that.

Post by w***@gmail.com
Many online resources are also quite US centric. I will be Cork based

for the next few years, so if anybody has an specific advice about working
in IT in Cork, that would be brilliant.

Post by w***@gmail.com
Thanks for your time and patience,
-Wolfgang

Hey Wolfgang,
Thanks for documenting your enthusiasm.
It's great to see, and the secret sauce to success IMHO.
If you're enthusiastic about this field you'll do well.
It's just a matter of which route is the fastest.
It's quite subjective how one best learns.
Some prefer study, while others are more practical.
Personally I don't have, nor was ever inclined to get,
any certifications, as I feel they go out of relevance
quite quickly, and can be too specific and commercial.
Some prefer formal education, while others getting
their hands dirty, like on some open source project for e.g.
I was lucky in that I had a technical degree before
I got interested in open source, but a conversion course
to an IT degree would both ease your progress in the field,
and also provide some broader info before you specialize.
Specialization is necessary really for navigating this
now vast field. Having a particular area of expertise,
be it a language, or service, or whatever, will both
give better satisfaction that you're working at a level
that is really beneficial, and is a good focus point
in a CV or interview.
An often overlooked aspect in a technical career is effective
communication, both personal and especially written.
Having an MA in writing is a huge advantage over the
common or garden software engineer, and combined with
enthusiasm in a particular technical area (which most
do not have), you can't go wrong.
Good luck.
Pádraig.