

Why there is a lot of programming courses on MOOCs not a one course about Linux? - midi12

A lot of MOOCs offer free courses on programming but I never come across a free course to learn about systems (Linux in Particular).
======
phantom_oracle
That is because you don't need a MOOC to learn it. There are literally tons of
resources available for learning how to be a sysadmin (online and for free,
see IBMs website, they have it too).

As per Linux desktop, it is practically just as easy to use as Windouche.

For Linux dev work, you'd best go with a CS course teaching C++/Java.

However, I like the idea of getting at least linux desktop to the masses
through a MOOC. Generally, you can now do everything on Linux that a basic Win
user does.

Generally though, the Win vs. Unix fight doesn't matter to the common user. It
is like cotton and nylon factories fighting to win over the person wearing the
t-shirt (who, although now may care, because being 'green' is a big ad
promotion and kind of makes sense) who in times gone buy, didn't care what
material the product was made from (as other aesthetics like brand-name, etc.
trumped it).

------
shock
I've been using linux professionally since 1996 and might be convinced to
create one if there's sufficient demand. How much would you pay for such a
course?

------
tatalegma
Linux is not a course typically taught in universities. For the same reason
they don't teach courses on Excel, Word, Photoshop, Firefox, etc.

~~~
arisAlexis
Linux is much more complicated than Firefox and Word and there is a reason not
to teach how to use private company products. Linux is free and open source
and I too, cannot see any reason that these courses are not offered. Unix is
typically bound with academia.

~~~
tatalegma
I agree with you that its very complex, and very widespread, and i could see
why you'd want it to be taught. But I still think it's not something that
belongs in a university. It's still just a specific instance of a piece of
software.

BTW, isn't Firefox is open source? You can replace my exaples with their open
source equivalents (LibreOffice, Gimp, etc) and the argument still stands.

A uni should teach algorithms and data structures, networking, threading, etc,
not how to use firefox.

Likewise, a uni should teach operating systems, threads, hardware, compilers,
memory management, etc, but not Linux.

Even programming languages are generally not taught as ends in an of
themselves. Good schools expect you to pick them up as part of the class. For
example, the course is about data structures, but you will code in Java, C,
and LISP during the semester, and you are expected to pick them up. They may
help you a bit in learning them, and give you background on them when you move
to a part of the course that switches to a new lang.

------
matznerd
Make a course...

