Deciding that unless I set a date the procrastination will continue, I booked the session for the Linux Professional Institute 102 exam rather tentatively for late May 2005.

I’ve been trying out some of the requirements that I wouldn’t normally do such as a domain name server and sendmail configuration but it still felt a bit optimistic to try. When I arrived it didn’t help that the test centre had a technical problem in delivering the test (its done on computer) leading to a half hour wait. But after years of exams I’ve learned to generate a Zen style calm before such things. It’s afterwards the bowels get nervous.

Surprisingly I did a lot better this time around compared to the earlier part 1 exam even on the areas I’d consider weaker such as setting up printing on a Linux machine. All in all it restored some self confidence that I might actually know something, LPI sent a nice email and the men in white coats will deliver a real certificate any day now. Something to look forward to then. Now if only I can get sendmail actually working…