BSD Certification ? Why not?

[pablo.delgado at lsi.mine.nu]

Hello everyone,

I usually never post anything, mainly just listen and learn. But just recently I
was discussing with a friend on ways to help the FreeBSD project grow. And after
looking at different aspects of things I came across a simple idea. I hope that
everyone can comment and share there opinions and remember this is just an idea
which I am hoping would help out the BSD community. And if the idea is already
implemented then please simply disregard this message.

Now, lets gets started. I spend a lot of time advocating FreeBSD to the
corporate community, because they are a large source for funding and popularity.
After careful analysis of every meeting with companies I have held, regarding
the possibility of using FBSD in there networks, I noticed a pattern. Many
companies fear the adoption of or implementation of an open source solution
because (1) the fear that there is little to no support for the product, (2) the
project may end leaving them with outdated piece of software and (3) there is no
way to determine if the personnel they hired has the required knowledge to
manage or support the application.

The solution to the first problem exists (in my opinion) through the extensive
amount of documentation that is available thanks to the people of the
DOCUMENTATION PROJECT, and the mailing lists. I simply make businesses aware of
the effort and resources. The second problem really has no solution; I just
remind them that even a commercially supported application can die, if the
company dies. Now the third problem is were I thought the community can develop
further.

Why not create a FreeBSD Certification Program. The community can form an non
profit or profit organization (which ever suites best) and team (elected by the
FreeBSD Foundation or the FreeBSD community, which ever works best) to design,
develop and manage a certification program that will teach and test essential
skills and knowledge needed to manage, support or develop the FreeBSD environment. 

Further more, we could invite the other BSDs to participate in the institute
having a representative from each participating project to form the board,
creating a larger organization (UnitedBSD Professional Institute, for example)
in an effort to strengthen our relationships within the BSD world and push
forward the awareness and availability of the excellent technology developed.
Each project can develop a certification track that is specific to there
operating system, and all projects involved will work to develop the intro
courses that have general UNIX information or information that applies to all
systems.

NOTE: The FreeBSD community together should decide weather they will collaborate
with other BSD projects with regards to the certification institute. Again I am
just throwing ideas.

The Institute will also have liaisons, that will work with businesses that wish
to hire FreeBSD or *BSD certified professionals or train there employees to
support the new or existing FreeBSD or *BSD environment. It can also have a
support line for companies, admins or users that wish to email or call for
emergency support (which is one of the things they fear not having the most).
And finally, there can be a PR team dedicated to pushing FreeBSD awareness to
the world.

I believe that this will allow the FreeBSD or *BSD community to grow because (1)
the money earned from the support, courses and certifications taken will serve
as additional funding for the project, (2) give companies a way to determine if
an individual has the skill require to maintain there BSD environment, and (3)
make the world even more aware of us!

Well that concludes my idea. Hope to hear everyone’s comments, make them nice
please, and inputs or modifications.

Regards,
Pablo Delgado


-------------------------------------------------
This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/