[BSDcert] Initial thoughts

[Tillman Hodgson]

On Sun, Dec 19, 2004 at 01:05:49PM -0500, G. Rosamond wrote:
> It would also be worth listing pitfalls. . . ie, why certs fail.
> 
> More for the wiki. . .
> 
> cert x		lack of vendor respect
> cert y		internal bloodbath

LOL!

It's valuable, and the humour inherent in it is a wonderful bonus ;-)

It does bring up that perhaps portions of the Wiki should be non-public,
though ... I'm always loath to say negative things publically (I'm a fan
of intact bridges), and some of the folks involved in those efforts
might be the sort to get defensive about a project they loved going
south.

> What ever happened to the SAIR linux cert?  Anyone remember other 
> failed certs?

SAIR was one, yup. I'd consider Brainbench "failed", though it still
exists. Wasn't there going to be a United Linux cert before SCO pee'd in
the water?

> It seems that the Linux certs draw the most important lessons, 
> particularly outside of those vendor-backed.  Like us, some of them 
> started from a nebulous will to do it, without vendor backing as the 
> initiating spark.

I'd agree with that. Not having a vendor backing us might actually be a
blessing, if we can avoid the pitfalls inherent in following the path
less trodden.

-T


-- 
``Over the years, we've learned that whenever someone tries to sell us
  on a new tool, product, or idea, the question that cuts through the
  hyperbole faster than any other is this: "What's it /not/ good for?"''
    -- Jeffreys Copeland & Haemer, _SunExpert_ July 1997