I've finally decided to switch most of my server operations to Linux. I happen to have a couple of old Pentium-II machines lying around, and although they won't run Windows (properly), I know they can run Linux without a problem. To prepare for this plunge, I have a collection of general Linux ebooks - including certification materials for the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) certification. I probably won't be taking the certification itself ($800 a pop?), but at the end of this exercise, I will have the same knowledge as those guys.
It was surprisingly hard to find a free version of RHEL 5. I know Linux itself is free, but all I kept finding on their site were subscription-based downloads. Forums everywhere suggest it should be free, but for hours I couldn't find a free download of the OS. I really just need a basic server build to do this "certification" on - my way of getting fully into the world of Linux.
The other motivation for interest in Linux at this time is the impending dumping of Windows XP support in 2009. If you didn't know, Microsoft will stop supporting and selling Windows XP next year - a setup that forces people to move to Vista. I don't want Vista (much heard about its headaches), so I am hoping that by that time I'll have proficient Linux experience to migrate all my crap to Linux when the need arises. I've heard much about Ubuntu being poised to penetrate the desktop market, so when I buy my next laptop (which will come with Vista - obviously), I want to be able to move quickly to Linux.
So much has changed in the world of Linux since I last worked on it. I probably should purge it from my resume until I am done with this exercise. I'm doing this in tandem with other projects I already had going - in fact, some might benefit from a migration to Linux servers.
