Do Not Fear Linux+/LPIC-1
Linux+ is easy!
I have not worked in enterprise IT since 2009. I started studying for the Linux+ around, mid December and didn't take it fully seriously until early January. I passed both exams yesterday with a 640 and 720. I am a 29 year old custodian trying to work on my CS degree.
I could've honestly passed the second test in 10 minutes, and the first one in 15. Again, I am a non-professional, high school drop out who just bought a new laptop this fall semester. If I can do it YOU CAN PASS THIS TEST.
How to pass:
The first step is scheduling your test, so do it now. I studied for at least 4 solid hours a day, and if I can find the time so can you. No partying for the Super Bowl, no getting trashed Saturday night and sleeping all day Sunday, you gotta be a monk for a month.
If you really want it, you'll do it, otherwise you're just wasting everyone's time so be honest with yourself. This was my first cert ever and the reason is I always lacked discipline up until now. I got my eyes checked, got new glasses, stayed up late, woke up early, made sure I had a comfy place to zone out for a couple of hours and worked at it. Take today's day, add 90, and book it. Do it!
I had barely finished skimming the surface of 103 and 104 and booked my test 2 weeks ago because I saw I had the 15th off and just went for it. You have all the time in the world to write your first album and take your first cert. Seriously, do not sit there and brood in doubt, even if you can't spell Linux you can learn it in 90 days.
Got an iPad? For every topic you have issues with, type it into Google, followed by pdf, and either TLDP or GNU or some other .edu will have hundreds of pages. Drink coffee and read. Get your eyes checked, smoke some pot if you have to, but just read. My iBooks is overflowing and I love it. Linux is the best community because all they want to do is help, and will write 700 pages on scripting for free. So read it. Read about REGEX, cpio, etc., etc. Any topic that seems important is, and any important topic is thoroughly documented so suck it up and learn it.
Official Texts - Read slowly at first, and absorb every topic. I see a lot of people talking about spending a half hour on one page and that is totally true. What they don't go on to explain is once you've mastered that one page, the rest of the chapter is ice cream. Getting that base knowledge is the hardest part but after that, learning the flags and switches and little bullshit is a cakewalk.
LinuxAcademy - If you already know Linux, you should only go here after you've read a book end to end. I don't think you need to cram these videos, but they are wonderful assistants. If you were completely clueless (me), I learned the Essentials exclusively onLinuxAcademy, but I really used the books more for 103/104. I feel like these websites, such as Treehouse and others are great tools to find that spark and motivation, but at least for me are a little slow at times. You can only really follow along with these videos if you already have a base understanding. However, when you have a base understanding, the topics seem to drag on and on. They do however sprinkle a lot of little tricks and tidbits, so definitely watch all of them at least once. It's a lot easier to re-read the same paragraph five times than it is to keep rewinding. Servers are cool (I guess?)
Virtual Machines - At the bare minimum download the full versions/Disc 1 of CentOS, Ubuntu, OpenSUSE Leap, and whatever else floats your boat. I've probably installed CentOS 20 times since New Year's Eve so don't be afraid. I like the minimal CentOS install because it makes you go "oh ****" and you have to figure out how to put it together. All my machines default to run level 3 because I have had zero CLI experience and the best way to learn was to screw yourself from the get go and figure it out from there.
VMNetworking - You can network all of your installed machines together, figure out how. I use the Ubuntu GUI to SSH into my CentOS machines so I can google and goof around in the same little protective box.
VMPartitions - You can create HDDs and partition them easily, figure it out.
SQL - Is easy. It's MariaDB on a lot of repos now in case you get confused, but it's the same ****. It's fun to learn and make your own databases but you can sort of just understand the syntax and get by for your Linux
Have Fun! - I spent plenty of time dicking around reading coreutils pages, exploring files, doing and goofy customizations. If you're just going through the objectives like a bullet pointed list of **** to cross off then you're missing the point. It's supposed to be fun and exciting. If you're just doing this for a job I don't see how you'll get very far if you don't have a passion to learn. So again, use google, have fun, and schedule your test.
I'm using a base 13" MBP, and could run 5 headless boxes running full installs fine so treat yourself how you deserve to be treated and buy a half-competent machine to work on. It's an investment in you. The gesturing ease between machines is worth the $1300 in my opinion so be somebody and do it.
