My last question about Linux?

Question

I finally decided to start learning web development and get a job . I am 49 and trying to get into the IT field. Now is linux a good field to get into? I read their job descriptions and they require a LOT of experience & academic degrees. Should I forget about linux and keep learning ASP.NET?

Answer 1

I had a look at your previous questions, and the answers you were given. I think a number of them were dangerous and incorrect, and may have mislead you.

So, if you do have questions, and you are going to decide how to earn your bread and butter on them, I really urge you to go to a serious developer forum. on YA!, a large number of answerers do *not* know the correct answer in the technical forum. Furthermore, there is no emphasis here on being technically correct, as YA is not an IT forum.

I urge you to discard all the answers you were told here, and re-ask your questions on a proper IT forum. A google search reveals some. I'll mention two I know about.

http://forums.devshed.com/
http://www.daniweb.com/

Ask your question on one or the other of them. The answerers there are professionals who will give you realistic and accurate advice.

A few notes:
(1) Stop wavering back and forth. Focus your energies on one thing, and stop worrying about whether it is the right choice.
(2) Certain choices tend to go together. For example, when you the ASP.NET, SQL Server DBA, etc. route, you tend to work with Microsoft products. That's not to say it's impossible to see SQL Server + Linux and so on, but since you're breaking into the IT field, might as well pick the path of least resistance. Figure out what direction you want to go in.

Examples.
The DBA route. Yes, you'll need to know SQL. More specifically, you learn how to work with a specific DBMS. In choosing which product to work with, you also begin to work on a certain set of technologies.

Oracle: *The* big DBMS. Used by large companies, and typically runs on UNIX/BSD/Linux machines. You'll have to know how to work with an Oracle database, but you'll most likely have to learn to work on those OS and be able to do basic scripting and programming. Your focus is on Oracle, but you'll most likely pick up NIX knowledge along the way. Simply because that's what your work environment will be like.

MySQL: Runs on both Windows and Linux machines, on large and small organizations. So you have a bit more flexibility on this, although it isn't a big name DBMS.

SQL Server 2005: Pure Microsoft. As a SQL Server DBA, you learn the various tools that Microsoft provides. It's easy to diverge from SQL Server to ASP.NET, or C#, or Windows adminstration, so on. All Microsoft technologies, so it's easier to pick up those skillsets.

Do you see what I'm saying? Pick a set of technologies that work together, and then decide which one you will focus on. Will you go the Oracle DBA on large *NIX servers route? The pure SQL Server DBA who might eventually move into windows adminstration, C#, ASP.NET, so on? Or perhaps you'll start with ASP.NET, picking up limited SQL Server knowledge?

Choose a platform you like. Pick a technology that is hirable on that platform. And focus.

Answer 2

now it don't matter web design is web design,,

but to do a little research just check out what Linux is. and you will be very surprised to learn that Linux is the grand master of the internet, and big business used by NASA US Army, Navy, and Air Force and defense systems, Microsoft is just a small cog in a big wheel when it come to operating systems

joe public as been kept away from Linux for years now it is being brought to the publics attention and over the last 18 month it as come on in leaps and bounds

so do a web search
nasa+linux
ibm+linux
dell+linux
intel+linux
novell+linux
microsoft+linux

it will open your eyes
so the answer is stick with linux it is up and coming. I wish I was 20 years younger with this opportunity in insight

you can download Linux for free you will get all the software you will ever need for, Web development, Software development, Network development and the support is second to none,

Answer 3

If you want to get into the web field you really need to know Linux, as most of the isps use Linux servers for at least a large part of their service. It also has a lot more scope for remote management without the expense of additional software. Also you can use a free version loaded on an older pc to train on, including running it as a web server on a home network.

Answer 4

Linux is a great operating system - i use it my self. But in connection with web dev. i don't think it makes that big of a differens.
The guys i know who works with web dev know a bunch of different program laungueges.

But my best advise would be go after what you think is fun, get good at it, and things will work out.

Sure degrees are nice. But as for web development i would think that it is more important to have some sort of portfolie.

Answer 5

I myself would go to Linux. You can do alot more that .ASP NET, and almost everyone is using the Apache web server in linux as well.