I am really conflicted at the point to cut-off for the Linux Beginner
Boost. This year we have been driven by getting users off the ground
and becoming “shell natives”, which only requires Docker Desktop (at the
end of the day). In every previous year we’ve started with with
installing Linux on hardware or connecting with ssh into a system
that already had Linux on it (which was by far the most effective way to
get learning). So far using Docker Desktop seems to have been very
successful and certainly models the skills required for any of several
certifications related to cloud-native and security careers, but we
still aren’t covering some of the basics of infrastructure and
engineering that I used to cover in person at SkilStak, specifically we
haven’t been crimping Cat-5/6 cables, or setting up RAID5 arrays, or
hacking Raspberry Pis into pirate radio channels. Hell, we haven’t even
been installing Linux onto old hardware. I had eleven year olds
upgrading their old laptop hard drives and tearing them apart. None of
that is happening in the Boost right now. This leaves me asking simple
questions like, “Do we even cover the avahi daemon and mDNS?” That’s
kind of silly considering this was something we covered the first month
before. I’m not even sure the name Linux Beginner Boost applies. In
fact, I’m sure it doesn’t. Shell Native Beginner Boost would be
better, but then it really should include at least a minimal amount of
PowerShell and old school Windows cmd.exe. Maybe, Linux Terminal Boost?
But where does everything else go? When do people learn that stuff? How do I help them learn it without a maker lab like before? Do I expand the lab and live stream to include video of the lab? Do I leave it up to other people to cover that stuff? After all, many already cover it on YouTube. I think that is the thing to do. There are less than a handful of good YouTubers who cover Linux Terminal topics. I’ll just focus on that and on programming boosts and on the SkilStak.io tech adventure interactive learning challenges. That’s plenty. I’ve been frustrated lately by the sheer volume of stuff out there that people have to learn, and being able to focus in on the most important stuff — especially amidst all the absolute shit people produced by people with more marketing focus and flash. The only way I can counter their complete and utter bullshit is to focus on the right stuff, stuff that that will get people certifications and jobs or both, and then, when absolutely necessary I can directly attack the bullshit and back it up with good content to redirect their attention. This has really worked in the past. It just means that I have to let go of my longing to take people from hardware into software and beyond. Their hardware learning will simply have to come from someplace else for now. And frankly, the Windows preview of the latest WSL2 is proving more every month that most people will never install Linux on hardware, but they will need really amazing Linux terminal skills. So no mDNS, for now, no hardware in the plan. I won’t even be making videos about how to make USB sticks to install Linux. I only have so much time and energy, so the Linux terminal and coding are my focus. I just realized by this same logic I really need to shave a lot off my programming training plans as well.