When I went to take my A+ certification, you should've seen how much hard selling I got to take their "prep program" or at the very least buy their "prep manual". I couldn't just take the test. No, I had to talk to half a dozen people to get through the CompTIA and affiliate yellow tape.
I eventually just threw my hands in the air and gave up. I have an associates (with post-grad) and five years work experience in IT. If that's not enough to land a decent job, go f*c* yourself. I'd rather change careers than keep jumping through these hoops.
Ya, same thing happened with me wanting to get a MCPD certification earlier this year. I just wanted me, a computer station, the test and a few hours. That's it, either I score well or I don't. Oh wait, there are prereq exams! Yay, well again, give me comptuer stations, those exams, and a few hours! If only!
They kept pointing at books and programs and everything. "I'm a geek and I do this stuff for fun, in my spare time. Now can I take the exam?" just isn't good enough.
I ended up just getting drunk instead, and foregoing trying to go for that right now.
I believe that technology (especially technology essential to a population's infrastructure) needs to be standardized and not privately owned. With that standardization needs to come standardized training that ANY accredited institute can teach and certify... implicitly.
I admire you
Kyk, what for being 4 years my elder and still holding beliefs I feel like I've compromised with years ago. I wish I could still feel motivated for big political changes and for ideal situations and futures, however I've just gotten jaded way too young. I've convinced myself that I'd rather make the best of what I have than risk investing my emotions too much on an unlikely future. Boring, I know.
Yes, the American people made a change with electing Obama and all, and it can be seen as good that the majority is backing universal health care and such. But that's a huge difference between handing over control of technology to the center.
Why the people don't want it: To people, giving the government more control of technology would make them feel threatened. Like there was an agenda. Like big brother was going to be watching even more. I guess I just feel like the average person wouldn't know what was going on, and would feel scared. Propagandists would get the best of them. And the people who did know what was going on, such as those holding jobs in private-sector tech companies, would not what this to happen because it would mean salary deflation. And I don't know about where you are, but where I live it seems like most tech guys I know are republicans or libertarians, so I doubt they'd like this change on the macro level either.
Why the government dosen't want it: Under a capitalist system, the private sector generally outperforms any centralized effort. Even with a very good government. I see it as like the government being an Olympic marathon medalist, whereas the private sector is passing battons to new runners every 800m. Sure, at the passing times the government maybe looks good for a short period of time, but typically there's always something out there privately which has more fresh momentum.
Look at Nasa, for example. Nasa's had some great moments, but because it is so connected to our government, often it's hands get tied, it is short on funding, does not do well, employees defect to the private sector, etc. Then look at private-sector satellite technology. Or the now private-initiatives for space tourism being suggested (more clearly now than circa Lance Bass) by private companies.
The sad reality is that technological sectors are pushed forward harder via the completetion of a free market than if standardized methods were to be implemented. And until every single country in the world agrees to make such changes, countries like America and Canada are NOT going to do anything to at all slow the pace of their technological growth as seen in the eyes of the global media (public and private together). If, for example, twenty years from now we break out into a new space race, it's going to be the private sector, and not NASA, to which the US government will turn.
I AM now getting a bit curious about this theme in other countries (I'm thinking of EU countries), which are known for having more standardization in higher-education, as well in part (thinking Scandinavia) being more socialist, is working. I mean they've got really good technology too. Might try and browse the net on this topic later if I get bored.
Shifting to CE&P -> J/K
