"Due to the great success in providing Linux training in the past, it became possible to reduce the prices by 25%," says K Le Roux, MD, Afribiz.
"We also realise that even with a 25% decrease in training fees, it can still be difficult for some students to get hold of R2 800. We are introducing a debit order payment structure that allows students to pay course fees at R235 over an 11-month period with a R390 deposit paid upfront.
"Collaborating with other open source companies is one of the reasons why it is possible to have a reduction in course fees. Pulling resources together results in huge savings and these savings are going to our students. This reduction in fees is by no means a downgrade on our course quality or content. The course content, manual and trainers are exactly the same as previously.
"As we predicted in the past, we are running out of Linux technical people in SA. Companies like Cubit accounting are increasingly using Linux technical people all over SA as independent integrators to install, integrate and support their software. It is becoming vital, now more then ever, to have more Linux trained people. Cubit accounting predicts 500 integrators throughout SA within the next 12 month alone. As more and more companies start to use Linux and open source software as part of their overall IT solutions, we envision that Linux trained staff will become more and more needed, and more and more companies will get their IT staff Linux trained."
Le Roux continues: "The doors are open wide for anyone seeking career opportunities in SA in the information technology industry using Linux training. The reduction in course fees and the introduction of a debit order payment structure make it now even easier to become trained in Linux and we hope this will help fill the shortage in this arena.
"Finally, Linux and open source software is here to stay. FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) and other propaganda attacks make Linux and open source software stronger, and the Linux and open source community more determined. Those FUD-spreading companies are proof of the fear they have concerning Linux and open source software. Linux and open source software is now a force to deal with, and that is exactly what they do - `deal with it`. There is no doubt a few ways of `dealing with` competition.
"The right way would have been to pull up the sleeves and make your product better then the competition. Another would be to use propaganda and FUD. Propaganda is not new to Linux and we would have been totally out of reality not contemplating that competition would react in these kinds of attacks. The fact is that Linux and open source software is not backed up by a single company but by a whole community of people that forms a close group that are determined to make this work."
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