Survey Says: Linux and You
Posted by TestOut Staff on
Linux is somewhat unique in the IT realm on account of its remarkable variation. There's a different kind of Linux for ... almost anything. Microsoft struck a memorable chord in the mid-1990s with its "Where do you want to go today?" ad campaign, but Microsoft's signature Windows OS is really just one thing to all people. It's actually Linux, with its explosive array of "distros," that has the all things to all people cachet Microsoft was hinting at.
Given that rainbow-like variability, it would surely be a fool's errand to attempt to draw a box around Linux and take a look at what's inside. Like everything else in IT, Linux evolves at the ever-accelerating speed of human learning. Even if everyone got together and said, "Hey, there are enough distros in the world, let's not make any more of them," Linux would continue to change and grow. Red Hat's free and open-source Fedora distro hit its 25th release in November of last year — and version 26 is expected to arrive in June.
So about that fool's errand: Over at Certification Magazine, the ever-curious team has just launched its latest salary survey. The capital-S Salary Survey came and went only a few months back in October (plus a little piece of November) 2016. The perpetual survey machine only takes breaks, however — it never stops — and now Linux certification is the topic of the hour. Which certs are the ones that really deliver in the salary department? And what is the state of Linux certification in general?
The CertMag guys operate on a sort crowd-funding survey model — everyone who participates is a volunteer — so either we all find out the answers to those questions together, or none of us finds them out at all. Of course, with a topic as broad as Linux, the more people who weigh in, the better. Here at TestOut Continuing Education, we have a strong interest in Linux training and certification through our Linux Pro courseware and credential, which also prepares candidates to earn CompTIA's Linux+ certification exam. So we endorse participation in any and all Linux surveys.
If you're reading these words, then you probably have a fairly positive opinion of TestOut CE. And if you like us, and you're into Linux, then please consider participating in CertMag's new survey. Reliable data from passionate Linux professionals is something we can all get behind.