Re: [NOVICE] PostgreSQL Training

On 10 Dec 2003, Robert Treat wrote:

> Date: 10 Dec 2003 14:06:45 -0500
> From: Robert Treat <xzilla(at)users(dot)sourceforge(dot)net>
> To: Stephan Szabo <sszabo(at)megazone(dot)bigpanda(dot)com>
> Cc: Bret Busby <bret(at)busby(dot)net>, pgsql-novice(at)postgresql(dot)org,
> "pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org" <pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org>
> Subject: Re: [GENERAL] [NOVICE] PostgreSQL Training
>
> On Wed, 2003-12-10 at 12:03, Stephan Szabo wrote:
> > On Wed, 10 Dec 2003, Bret Busby wrote:
> >
> > > On Tue, 9 Dec 2003, Bryan Encina wrote:
> > >
> > > Unfortunately, the result of the lack of formal, structured, PostgreSQL
> > > training and certification, and the apparent resistance to these, in
> > > the PostgreSQL community, is that, like the Perl people, the result is
> >
> > I don't think there's a resistance to them except that setting up training
> > and certification costs money. Some of us don't do this as a job at all,
> > some are in relatively small companies doing support/hosting and some are
> > in unrelated fields and just use it. The first and third group aren't
> > generally going to run training, it's outside what they do. The second
> > group generally either doesn't have the money to do it, or at least needs
> > it to be truly obviously profitable before they can really consider it. A
> > small company that puts down a few months to set up training and then
> > doesn't get enough people to break even goes away, it's a pretty big risk.
> >
>
> Please be aware there are several companies that do provide training,
> check the main website for examples. Furthermore Bruce Momjian does a
> semi-annual training class himself, and has mentioned that people are
> not exactly beating a path to his door. Just because the
> training/certification is not centralized and dictated doesn't mean it
> is not available.
>
> Furthermore if you're really interested in learning about databases and
> want some type of certification, I'd strongly recommend learning oracle
> or even m$ before going to my$ql, both are more fundamentally oriented
> toward postgresql. Actually I'd earmark your training dollars for
> something like the Open Source conference, which usually provides a good
> chunk of information.
>
> As far as books go, I think the best book on the market right now is
> probably Korry Douglas' book "PostgreSQL", but I think you'll find most
> people here recommend you read books like SQL for Smarties (Celko),
> Practical Issues in Database Management (Pascal), or An Introduction to
> Database Systems (Date). Much to the chagrin of Herr Fabian, we aren't
> just here to push a product, we want users to be educated.
>
>
> Robert Treat
>

Regarding the PostgreSQL training that is provided by companies, a
problem with that, as it exists, is that, insofar as I am aware, that
training is not standardised, standardisation of training, being a
probable requirement of formal certification and standardised skills
assessment.

Another problem, is that the companies, and, Bruce Momjian, provide
their individual training courses, but, they are where they are, and I
am where I am, and, there are interested people, scattered over the
world. Thus, Bruce Momjian, for example, may be a good trainer, but, as
I am here, and he is wherever he is, "and ne'er the twain shall meet".

Here in Perth (Armadale is a suburb of Perth), Western Australia, for
example, there are institutions that provide training and certification,
in the RHCE, LPI, MCAD, MCSD, MCSE, etc, courses, which are standardised
courses, which, as I have previously mentioned, involve standardised
skillset training and assessments. But, this is a (relatively) small
city, of only about a million or so people, in a remote corner of the
world, and, we have no dedicated companies providing PostgreSQL
training, which appears (from what I have seen so far) to be available
only in the USA.

Thus, for those training and certification courses, that I have
mentioned as being available here, they are available to me, and,
likely, to most (if not everyone) on these lists, and, they should be
at the same standards and levels of competency, and have the same
course content, regardless of location, due to the standardisation of
those courses and certifications. But, the PostgreSQL training, insofar
as I am ware, is both not standardised, and, completely localised.

Thus, if PostgreSQL training is available in any form (as in classes or
courses), where a person is, who is on one of these lists, another
person on these lists (such as me and others here), might not be able to
trundle off to Salt Lake City or New York for the day, to attend such
training courses, and, thus, the training courses are unavailable, and,
using those two locations, the training that is available in Salt Lake
City, may be different, in content (as in topics), and, in quality, and,
in level of competency.

So, for example, in Salt Lake City, a person might have only PostgreSQL
training courses available, that involve installing and configuring
PostgreSQL, in New York, a person might have courses that involve
developing web applications using PostgreSQL, and, wherever he is, Bruce
Momjian might offer courses that result in becoming a PostgreSQL Guru.

These are reasons that formalised, structured, standardised, training
and certifications, could make it much more accessible, and, simpler, to
obtain recognisable PostgreSQL skills, for which accreditation and
thence formal recognition, could be obtained.

--
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............

"So once you do know what the question actually is,
you'll know what the answer means."
- Deep Thought,
Chapter 28 of
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
A Trilogy In Four Parts",
written by Douglas Adams,
published by Pan Books, 1992
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