An online course ... with or without a certificate of completion ... is, simply, education. Some pretty smart folks create a path for you to follow, and they put into it what they think will be helpful to a n00b1e. (Meanwhile, Tim O’Reilly puts into it what he thinks will sell it! Natcherly.)
Does it “certify” anything? I doubt. The only way to build a house is to build a lot of houses. But, it is perfectly legitimate to take a course in home construction at your local community college if that works for you as a means of beginning to learn the trade. Take the course, but don’t immediately thereafter hang out your shingle, “Camel Construction Company, Ltd.”
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I don't think O'Reilly provides certificates, so I guess its just for learning | [reply] |
Actually, I was surprised to learn a while ago that they do offer certification courses: New Perl Certification Course. See also merlyn's blog, which includes a reply from respected Perl trainer Peter Scott, author of the O'Reilly Perl certification courses.
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