[TriLUG] Red Hat System Admin class

[Marty Ferguson]

<UNSNIP>


---- Jeremy Portzer <jeremyp at pobox.com> wrote: 
> Marty Ferguson wrote:
> > I beg to differ, Nick Goldwater.
> > 
> > Having taught the Red Hat courses and worked as an RHCX
> > (Red Hat Certified Examiner) I can assure you that Red Hat Software
> > has a mutual interest with all successful examinees (i.e., RHCE's that
> > that earned their cert) to maintain confidentiality about the content of
> > the examination.  No instructor is permitted to "teach the test" and each
> > successful RHCE candidate can be assured that the certificate they
> > hold is proof of their knowledge and aptitude.  
> > 
> > If the contents of the exam were openly discussed and posted on blogs,
> > the value of the certification would become significantly debased  through
> > the result of awarding the RHCE to (some percentage of) examinees who 
> > invested no more effort in training and test preparation than to rehearse 
> > the solutions to the hands-on portion of the exam.
> > 
> > There is no doubt in my mind that the requirement of confidentiality is of 
> > utmost importance in maintaining the credibility of the certification and the
> > social contract between RHCE's, employers, and Red Hat Software.
> > 
> 
> Marty,
> 
> I think you're being overly defensive.  He didn't say that the ability 
> to shield from criticism is the *sole* reason for the NDA.  He just said 
> that was an aspect of the NDA.  He is certainly correct on that point, 
> but that doesn't mean the NDA doesn't have plenty of other reasons for 
> existing.  I agree with you that the NDA exists for legitimate reasons, 
> but it doesn't make Nick's comment incorrect.
> 
> I am also wondering why you seem to be speaking on Red Hat's behalf. 
> Unless you've received appropriate training from their PR department, 
> I'm not sure they'd appreciate that.  For example, I don't believe the 
> name of the company is Red Hat Software.  The official corporate name in 
> the US is "Red Hat, Inc." according to a few sources I checked.  The 
> word "Software" is not part of it.
> 
> --Jeremy
> -- 
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An opinion and seemingly debatable observation, presupposing that a corporate PR department would influence my free speech.  I'm neither a paid shill nor an uncompensated evangelist.  I'll just maintain my first amendment rights in this instance, without regard to whomever as a corporate person is trading on whatever  exchange under whichever ticker symbol.

M