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Some updates November 29, 2010

Posted by jmcomputer in Linux, Presentation, Teaching.
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Well, I know this blog has been inactive for quite some time. I really didn’t have much to write about until recently. Keep in mind that I try to limit the amount of “useless information” on the web as well. So I finally have some updated stuff.

Recently (relatively speaking), I obtained my Linux+ certification and have been hired on to be an Adjunct Professor at a local community college. While this doesn’t sound like much, it’s big for me as I had always enjoyed teaching and relaying knowledge (maybe not so much with application training, but that’s a different story). I have just wrapped up my first quarter teaching, and while the grades weren’t what I was expecting, they are about average from a realistic approach. But here’s the cool part: while the class is an Introduction to Operating Systems, I get to teach a quick intro to Linux.

“So what?”

So, I can provide awareness of the Linux based systems, and even have the students install Linux into virtual machines and let them play on it. After the first class, which ended with nine students left in it, three or four of them are showing a lot of interest into using Linux on a regular basis, including two that are going to replace their Windows OS on their systems with either Fedora or Ubuntu.

Okay, I do know what some people are thinking at this point. “Aren’t teachers supposed to be unbiased?” To answer, yes they are, and yes I was unbiased; as much as I could be anyways. I only provided the basic information that is agreeable in the majority of textbooks, and the students did the rest. So without being a “fanboy” or advocate, I have actually converted more people to Linux (while they may still use Windows in a dualboot or virtual machine environment).

Also, another “WooHoo” moment came for me during the class when there were labs to complete. I asked the students to install VirtualBox on their computers and/or laptop in order to complete the labs and be able to play around on Linux outside the classroom, and while I cannot verify each installation, I can venture to say that at least 80% of the class had installed it. So not only have I exposed them to Linux, I have also exposed them to virtualization, which most will find very helpful for their careers.

Now that the quarter is done, I can finally look at upgrading Ubuntu to the 10.10 release on my laptop.

VirtualBox Presentation November 14, 2009

Posted by jmcomputer in Linux, Presentation.
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While I am not extremely fond of public speaking in general, there are topics that I do love to talk about. I was recently asked to do a presentation on Virtualization and Linux at a local Community College where I live. Seems they have a Linux class that the instructor teaches, and the instructor enjoyed my presentation when they first saw it last year. So this morning I packed up my trusty System76 laptop andheaded down there. Presentation was very smooth for being my style of a free-form presentation (no slides, no outline, etc.), students had great questions, and some good ideas already on virtualization.

Ran through the typical “How-To” for VirtualBox, described a little on the differences I’ve noticed between VirtualBox and VMWare’s Server2. Even got to throw in some interesting commentary for prepping for real world (“Don’t completely believe advertising from any direction”, “There is always the right tool for a job, sometimes it’s Linux, sometimes it’s not”, “Coolest thing in virtualization, in VMWare’s ESX moving a RUNNING VM from one host to another seamlessly”, “OpenGL and DirectX Support in Windows Guests, as long as Guest Additions installed in Safe Mode”, etc).

Also a good mix of students in the class as well (and only one playing games during half of my talk that I noticed, oh well). Had some who immediately recognized what a TI-99, and a Tandy 1000 was, others familiar with BBS’s, to those where computers are still somewhat foreign to them.

Can’t really say if I made any new converts to the Linux side, but was definitely an eye-opener when they saw my Ubuntu/Kubuntu laptop instead of Fedora’s desktop that they are using in class. Also, this does show that I should really consider becoming a teacher; while I have fancied the idea of teaching part-time at a community college as  a supplement to a “real” job, it would also give “warm fuzzies” and “feel good”s for hopefully making a difference. No, I would not consider high school or lower, and there’s a reason, I wouldn’t be able to put up with three things: the mentality of the students, the politics, nor the parents.