RE: [cobalt-users] Reseller / Affiliate programs (scripts)

["Rodolfo J. Paiz \(E-mail\)" <rpaiz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Believe me, I want to take some courses and possibly even get
> certified. [...] You know all of those Sybex books for CCNA,
> MCSE, and the like?  Is there a book for Unix/Linux that speaks
> in plain-talk (which the Linux docs don't)

There's actually quite a few. Note that I tend to go slightly overboard on
the reading when I'm trying to learn something well, but even so most of
these are quite good for reference. I already knew how to use Linux (I mean
*use*, not manage) on a simple level, and I wanted to get into
administration.

The first books I got were all good, and even though somewhat redundant
they're far cheaper than courses. They definitely got me past a lot of
simple hurdles and into the more specific texts. My first lot was:

Essential System Administration (O'Reilly)
     ISBN 1-565592-127-5
     Quite general, including several OS's, but that's
     good for general culture

Setting Up A Linux Internet Server Visual Black Book (Coriolis)
     ISBN 1-57610-569-5
     Comes with a CD of RedHat Linux 6.0 and example files;
     gives you quick and simple explanations and gets you up
     and running quickly. Not, however, an in-depth anything.

After those two, I've moved into more specific texts for reference to
particular services or packages. At the moment, I seem to be an
O'Reilly-only shop, but I'm still looking for other books that are useful.
(This is also the order in which I'm reading them...)

DNS and BIND (O'Reilly)
     ISBN 1-56592-512-2

Apache: The Definitive Guide (O'Reilly)
     ISBN 1-56592-528-9

Using Samba (O'Reilly)
     ISBN 1-56592-449-5

Learning GNU Emacs (O'Reilly)
     ISBN 1-56592-152-6
     I'm using vi for now in very simple ways (can't cut/copy
     and paste, etc.) until I get the hang of all-powerful
     emacs. I used to know emacs... 8 years ago... now must
     relearn properly.

MySQL & mSQL (O'Reilly)
     ISBN 1-56592-434-7

Finally, I've gotten an exam-preparation book and an extra computer for
home. This will allow me to have a system to install, wreck, install, tweak,
wreck, ad infinitum, ad nauseam, so I can stuff working at the NOC and then
go on to another topic. I expect the whole set of books, plus the computer,
to give me better learning, more in-depth and useful knowledge than any
course, for less money. This way just takes more work, that's all. I may
later take some course just to polish, but I doubt it.

> I was thinking of maybe getting a part-time job as a SysAdmin
> assistant at an ISP here locally that runs all Unix servers.
> If they'd even have me, that is... so I could LEARN!  I doubt,
> though, that what little I do know is even good enough to be an
> assistant. :(

Carrie, don't sell yourself short. You have your own server and you're in
business. No weenie admin-for-hire, regardless of how much he/she knows, has
a moral leg to stand on trying to look down on you. They may know more than
you, but then again they may end up working for you...

I'm like you; I want to know everything. But I make six figures by doing
business... knowing the technology is a hobby, and also lets me be much more
valuable since I can actually cover for the admin on some tasks (more as
time goes on) and since I speak the language of both the technical and
business worlds.

Do whatever you want to do, and you'll outlearn the stuffing out of whoever
gets in your way. As Bob Rotella said, "A positive attitude will not ensure
that you get good results; but predicting your own failure will most
definitely ensure that you do get bad results."

--
Rodolfo J. Paiz
rpaiz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:rpaiz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>