Linux Friendly Formal Education

[robb]

Hi, I could really use some advice from anyone who has attended a school for a formal education in "Information Technology" aka programming.  There are a lot of schools out there!

I am 30 years old and mostly skilled in PHP.  I know a thing or two about Javascript, MySQL, MSSQL, Coldfusion (I can't stand this language and will avoid using it at all cost).  I am a big fan of the Linux OS and would appreciate course material that focuses on this platform, but also gives me some understanding of Windows Servers.  I would love to also come outta there with a good overall knowledge of networking, server maintenance, database design and maintenance... and business skills!  I am a bit of a pushover and I have a hard time putting a realistic price on my work.

I took a few courses at LBCC here in Long Beach, CA and found the books to be extremely dull and a slow read.  I much prefer a book that you'd get off the shelf at Barnes & Noble, such as Wrox "Professional PHP5", (isbn: 0764572822) which is blowing my mind.  I quit after one semester and started doing freelance work.  I am a little concerned with how long my jobs are taking me because I'm learning as I go and my curiousity is really getting in the way of my productivity!  So back to school.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading.
Robb

[DaveLembke]

I dont know of any 1 book that will cover all. There are many good books out there many free ones on the web or free to read, but not downloadable due to copyright.

Finding a book that is Linux/MS Server is going to be a needle in a hay stack to find if there even is one. True linux people dislike Micro$oft and likely wont add how to tie then together and Micro$oft will not promote Linux...lol

What are you trying to accomplish with Linux that a MS product doesnt already have. Is is mainly because its free or some other purpose?

Freelance work is hard until you have a customer base and portfolio to show off. Most new freelancers will take on work in which they are not even making minimum wage if they broke down how much effort ( labor by hour ) is put into the projects. As a noob freelancer you have to assume that your self education through the process has a value like money, and so even if your not making much you are in hopes that you are self educating in areas and strengthening skills or learning new ones to apply.


   Its best to look over an entire project and try to be realistic, and it is not a push over to take less than the competition since the competition may be able to get done in 3 days that which could take you a week or longer to complete the same project.

   When i freelanced back during the dot com boom money was everywhere and there was plenty of work. Today there is little due to economy and people are looking for price breaks. Good luck!