Ubuntu Wiki

Ubuntu Open Week - Training - Billy Cina and Belinda Lopez - Wed, Nov 5th, 2008

(05:01:30 PM) billycina: hi folks
(05:01:49 PM) billycina: dinda is just finishing up in another community meeting so I'll kick off
(05:02:15 PM) billycina: so, for those of you who don't know me yet, I am Billy Cina and I look after the training programme for Canonical
(05:02:36 PM) billycina: in this session we plan on basically discussing:
(05:02:47 PM) billycina: 1. What Canonical does on the training front
(05:03:08 PM) billycina: 2. What work we do with the community and how
(05:03:22 PM) billycina: happy to take questions throughout, so stop me whenever
(05:03:37 PM) billycina: so, Canonical wise
(05:04:28 PM) billycina: if you can sum up the goal of training, it is to make migrating to Ubuntu as easy and seemless as possible for every user on every level
(05:04:31 PM) billycina: so that means:
(05:04:48 PM) billycina: a. Creating courses for different users and purposes
(05:05:03 PM) billycina: we currently have a system administrator course - Ubutnu Cetified professional
(05:05:36 PM) billycina: The Ubuntu desktop course (which we will go into more detail on during the 2nd half of the meeting)
(05:06:00 PM) billycina: which is really a comfort blanket course for MS users migrating to ubuntu for the first time
(05:06:16 PM) billycina: we also have partner enablement courses
(05:06:41 PM) billycina: so when we get partners on board who need to work with and customise Ubuntu, teaching them how to do that
(05:07:12 PM) billycina: supporting Ubuntu - teaching service providers what to do on the common trouble shooting elements etc
(05:07:31 PM) billycina: where to find more information - wiki, forums, escalation, reporting bugs on LP
(05:08:01 PM) billycina: for many of our partners, working with an OS Linux distribution is completely new playing field so we really need to get down to the basics
(05:08:23 PM) billycina: we are also currently evaluating the need for a server based course
(05:08:47 PM) billycina: So we have the courses
(05:09:19 PM) billycina: now in parallel, we also seek training partners who can actually teach those courses
(05:09:30 PM) billycina: they have to meet certain criteria
(05:10:08 PM) billycina: in order to ensure that there is a good match between their instruction skills, canonical expectations and student requirements
(05:10:33 PM) billycina: so whilst we speak to scores of partners, only  a handful actually get selected to come on board the programme
(05:11:12 PM) billycina: so, big picture - that's what the training team at canonical does
(05:11:33 PM) billycina: does anyone have questions before we get onto the community element of training?
(05:11:56 PM) billycina: going
(05:11:56 PM) dinda: http://webapps.ubuntu.com/partners/training/  our current list of partners
(05:12:05 PM) billycina: thanks dinda
(05:12:20 PM) dinda: Question: Are you planning to translate de guides available on the wiki?
(05:12:47 PM) billycina: so, there are no plans at the moment
(05:12:47 PM) billycina: but
(05:13:08 PM) billycina: the guides and the source material are there for anyone to get the ball rolling, in any language
(05:13:24 PM) dinda: Question from xanders21c: which criteria do you use to select training partners?
(05:13:43 PM) billycina: well, a few of the basic ones:
(05:14:00 PM) billycina: 1. the company must be already an established linux training house
(05:14:28 PM) billycina: we look for partners who already have a presence and understanding of linux training requirements
(05:15:03 PM) billycina: 2. Must have own classrooms and preferably facilities in a number of cities
(05:15:16 PM) billycina: 3. we discourage too many partners in any given geographic area
(05:15:33 PM) billycina: 4. Goes with point 1 - quality of instructors
(05:16:15 PM) billycina: all must be certified Linux instructors and must become LPIC1 cetified and attend the ubuntu Train the Trainer event
(05:17:01 PM) billycina: 5. Types of customers - corporations, governments etc
(05:17:09 PM) billycina: so quite a few elements need to match
(05:17:40 PM) billycina: any other Qs?
(05:17:58 PM) dinda: not yet, continue on
(05:18:11 PM) billycina: ok, Belinda Lopez do you want to lead on the community work?
(05:18:40 PM) dinda: would you believe my doc with all that info jst went "poof"?
(05:18:49 PM) dinda: but I can wing it
(05:18:56 PM) billycina: yeah :)
(05:19:25 PM) dinda: so the second part:  2. What work we do with the community and how
(05:19:39 PM) dinda: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Training
(05:19:52 PM) dinda: is the main wiki page where you can find all our information
(05:20:25 PM) dinda: we're a team of really enthusiastic contributors and we'd love for more folks to come join us
(05:20:48 PM) dinda: we just started the process of assigning tasks to assist in updating the Ubuntu Desktop course
(05:21:15 PM) dinda: and we hang out in #ubuntu-training. . .
(05:21:51 PM) dinda: the goal of the Training Team is to help develop quality training materials. . .
(05:22:25 PM) dinda: that are then released under to the community to use to help spread the Ubuntu love
(05:22:45 PM) dinda: many of the Loco teams have been using the Desktop course materials at their meetings
(05:22:58 PM) dinda: and several groups have begun to translate it as well
(05:23:36 PM) dinda: you don't need any technical expertise to help either
(05:24:25 PM) dinda: right now we're working on updating the course from the 7.10 version to the 8.04 LTS version
(05:24:28 PM) dinda: and hope to release it by December 15
(05:25:25 PM) dinda: anything else I should mention, billycina?
(05:25:51 PM) billycina: how can people get involved?
(05:26:04 PM) billycina: what can they do right now?
(05:26:21 PM) billycina: what tools are we using to create the course?
(05:26:25 PM) dinda: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Training/GettingInvolved
(05:26:39 PM) dinda: right now we are looking for new contirbutors to help us update the course
(05:27:00 PM) dinda: this entails, adopting a chapter, 5, 6 & part of 4 remain. . .
(05:27:25 PM) dinda: then comparing that info to the existing course and suggesting changes on the wiki
(05:27:51 PM) dinda: so for that step, nothing more than downloading a pdf file and having 8.04 running
(05:28:09 PM) dinda: but the deadline for that part is one week from today
(05:28:31 PM) dinda: the next step is a bit more complex but we've have some great folks willing to mentor
(05:29:03 PM) dinda: once the changes have been identified, then they need to be edited and be Docbook friendly
(05:29:25 PM) dinda: which can now be done in Open Office v. 3
(05:29:45 PM) dinda: next week in #ubuntu-training, dougierichardson will lead a session on just how to do that
(05:30:48 PM) dinda: once a "patch" or change is made, then the patch is uploaded into Launchpad/Bzr
(05:31:25 PM) dinda: where we (me, other team members with commit rights) then review and merge the changes into the final courseware
(05:31:38 PM) dinda: so we're trying to make it as easy as possible for new users to contribute
(05:31:50 PM) dinda: make sense?
(05:32:04 PM) billycina: does to me ;)
(05:32:21 PM) billycina: we have a question
(05:32:25 PM) ***dinda gives a big sigh of relief o that
(05:32:28 PM) dinda: shoot
(05:32:28 PM) billycina: probably for me to answer
(05:32:33 PM) billycina: FreeBuzzbee: QUESTION: References to both Training and Exams for certification.  Are there fees associated with either or both?  If amount too small then concerned that this might become too infrequent for the demand.
(05:33:05 PM) billycina: FreeBuzzbee: not sure about the 2nd half of the question but
(05:33:32 PM) billycina: yes, the Ubuntu Certified Professional and Desktop course are paid for
(05:33:50 PM) billycina: the UCP also has 3 exams - LPI 101, 102 and Ubuntu 199
(05:33:52 PM) ubot5`: Ubuntu bug 199 in baz ""baz export" doesn't add to the revision library" [Medium,New] https://launchpad.net/bugs/199
(05:34:17 PM) billycina: How much the courses cost depends on the country where they are studied
(05:34:25 PM) dinda: ignore the bot
(05:34:27 PM) billycina: the exam prices are the same globally
(05:34:49 PM) billycina: $155 for the LPI exams, $100 for ubuntu 199
(05:35:07 PM) billycina: FreeBuzzbee: does that answer your question?
(05:35:55 PM) dinda: it must :)
(05:35:58 PM) billycina: ok, anyone have any other questions before we sign off for the day?
(05:36:20 PM) billycina: ok, great
(05:36:24 PM) billycina: so thanks everyone
(05:36:25 PM) dinda: it's an easy crowd this time around
(05:36:27 PM) dinda: :)
(05:36:32 PM) billycina: :)
(05:37:25 PM) billycina: we have another question
(05:37:35 PM) billycina: Belinda Lopez: hoping you know the answer to this
(05:37:38 PM) billycina: DoruHush: QUESTION: font encoding support for other languages translations of the Ubuntu Desktop course. How can be made. What fonts should be used and how.
(05:37:40 PM) dinda:  DoruHush: QUESTION: font encoding support for other languages translations of the Ubuntu Desktop course. How can be made. What fonts should be used and how.
(05:37:44 PM) billycina: lol
(05:37:50 PM) dinda: yes, we're still working this one
(05:38:25 PM) dinda: we're looking for suggestion on what steps we might take in the development process to help
(05:38:44 PM) dinda: if I recall, the issue came down to non UTF-8 character sets
(05:39:04 PM) billycina:  FreeBuzzbee: Is the course a physically attended at hotel or such?  Or can most or all be subscribed online?  Of the links to courses, other than seeing a time and place for it there was not clue to costs involved.  Thanks for the testing costs.
(05:39:38 PM) billycina: FreeBuzzbee: the courses are held at training partner facilities in countries / cities where we have partners
(05:40:08 PM) billycina: FreeBuzzbee: please contact your nearest partner and they will quote you
(05:40:15 PM) billycina: there are also online courses
(05:40:24 PM) ***billycina goes to find the link
(05:40:51 PM) billycina: http://www.ubuntu.com/training/e-learning
(05:41:09 PM) dinda: which also offers two free lessons - which is way cool
(05:41:21 PM) billycina:  gscholz: QUESTION: Where are the translations hosted?
(05:41:49 PM) dinda: I saw a few on the ubuntu wiki
(05:42:06 PM) billycina:  DoruHush: https://code.launchpad.net/ubuntu-desktop-course
(05:42:12 PM) billycina: thanks DoruHush
(05:42:43 PM) dinda: Teams have been doing translations and posting them there on the wiki
(05:43:02 PM) dinda: there are also the .po files available in a PPA
(05:43:25 PM) dinda: ack,I'd have to look for them, Nicolas Varcel's PPA has them
(05:44:06 PM) billycina: ok, anyone else?
(05:44:21 PM) dinda: I will post more info on that process on the wiki
(05:44:32 PM) billycina: oh
(05:44:38 PM) dinda: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Training/KnowledgeBase
(05:44:41 PM) billycina: there is also a community training mailing list
(05:44:47 PM) dinda: has the info on How to Translate the course
(05:45:00 PM) billycina: which folks can join to receive updates on meetings and activities
(05:45:40 PM) dinda: and from henceforth I'll be in #ubuntu-training Wednesdays @ 20:00 UTC to answer questions
(05:46:12 PM) billycina: thank you Belinda Lopez
(05:46:18 PM) billycina: thanks all
(05:46:47 PM) dinda: thanks everyone!
(05:47:23 PM) DoruHush: dinda: billycina: thank you for the session
(05:47:40 PM) billycina: you are welcome - any time ;)