Technical folks, ever felt sick of technical books?

D

DaturaX

Weaksauce
Joined
Jul 21, 2004
Messages
80
Hey technical folks out there,

Anyone of you in a similar position as I am? I work as a Network Engineer in a Systems Integrator company. CCNA and am pursuing my CCNP. Lately, I have been getting sick of technical books and just can't seem to read more than 1 page of it at one go. books like BSCI and that is discounting technical manuals and knowledge base I gotta go through at work.

I need some motiviation to get me started on my CCNP certification.
 
I prefer hands on, learn how to do it with some equipment if possible rather than just reading the book front to back.
 
It depends on who wrote the book to me. If it's all hammered details it can easily get old quick. I have a linux administration book that was so well written that I think Iread it front to back without skipping anything.

Then again ive had books that make you want to scopp your eyes out.
 
DaturaX said:
Hey technical folks out there,

Anyone of you in a similar position as I am? I work as a Network Engineer in a Systems Integrator company. CCNA and am pursuing my CCNP. Lately, I have been getting sick of technical books and just can't seem to read more than 1 page of it at one go. books like BSCI and that is discounting technical manuals and knowledge base I gotta go through at work.

I need some motiviation to get me started on my CCNP certification.
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I dont do networking for a living, just as a hobby. But I feel about the same. Maybe im just not a hard-core geek anymore, or possibly I have a short attention span. But those damned CCNA books, I cant stand to read more than a few pages before ive got a burning urge to throw the book down (or out the window). It is the most dry, boring material ive ever come across. I read through 2 automotive encyclopedias printed in the 1970s, and I managed to read those things front to back without any loss of interest.

I can read about the most nerdy crap on the internet, and do it all day long. Just something about the CCNA material... :(

I usually prefer to read/study from books first, then go hands-on in a lab-type setup. I read the books, wonder "WTF did I just read?! That makes no sense at all...", then sit infront of the table with the cisco switches and rounters, and it finnaly clicks in.
 
I hear ya. I pushed hard through my CCNP last year, and I haven't been very motivated since then. I read TCP/IP illustrated so far this year, but I really ought to do the CCDA or learn unix/linux better. Working 45+ hours a week and being on call makes it hard to read as much as I should though.
 
I'm like you guys, I read through a page and it doesnt click it all.

I usually need to see videos or have hands on.

Reading white papers usually just throws me off more.. I dont have the attention span
 
Im glad to hear im not the only one. I really need some anmiated gif's, and flash games on every page to keep me interested.
 
I am glad that I am not the only one. It's just that my work is draining me out as I work close to 60 hrs per week.
 
DaturaX said:
I am glad that I am not the only one. It's just that my work is draining me out as I work close to 60 hrs per week.
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:eek: 32 hours a week wears me out to where I dont move from my reclining computer chair all night. I cant imagine 60 hours.
 
DaturaX said:
I am glad that I am not the only one. It's just that my work is draining me out as I work close to 60 hrs per week.
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Same boat as you with work hours and I hate reading those damn books. I can't keep with them, I need something hands on. Luckly, work has been nice to me. Last June they sent me to TechEd '05 in Orlando and I've gone to 2 private training sessions where it was just me and the boss for a week each class. I guess I'm lucky enough to work some place that helps me out with that. I just went in and asked each time and laid out why I felt it would benefit them. Maybe you can do the same at your work.
 
DaturaX said:
Hey technical folks out there,

Anyone of you in a similar position as I am? I work as a Network Engineer in a Systems Integrator company. CCNA and am pursuing my CCNP. Lately, I have been getting sick of technical books and just can't seem to read more than 1 page of it at one go. books like BSCI and that is discounting technical manuals and knowledge base I gotta go through at work.

I need some motiviation to get me started on my CCNP certification.
Click to expand...
Welcome to burn out. You have crammed about as much as you can for the moment into your head, and you need to take a breather and learn some other way for a while until you can read again.

The other thing might be; You are learning about stuff you haven't played with yet, so the stuff in chapter 1 isn't real to you yet. Unfortunately, chapter 2 builds on chapter 1, chapter 3 builds on chapter 2 ( and so on and so forth ). Get your hands on some hardware and play with it. That should help if you are burned out too.
 
Technical books are like Tom Clancy novels to me.

Perhaps I am just...weird. :eek:
 
Boscoh said:
Technical books are like Tom Clancy novels to me.

Perhaps I am just...weird. :eek:
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I've had a few that were that way... very educational and easy to understand.... I've had others, that were AWFUL....

QJ
 
I'm to the point that I'll only read O'Reilly books. I don't know if it's that they have higher standards or what, but all of the books I get from them are well-written without a lot of fluff. I get the information I need without much rambling, but it's presented in a way that it's not tedious reading (most of the time).

My big gripe right now is that it's hard to find good Linux books. Either they assume you know way more than a Linux noob normally does or they spend five chapters on "here's how your computer works". Then they approach the actual direction completely wrong more often than not; basic command line functions are ignored while they discuss any number of niche applications.
 
No, not at all, cause I don't read them. I learn the old manual way... trial and error :D

however, I do need to sit down and do some studying. I would like to get some certifications to go with my background to help set me apart from other IT people. Plus I would like to get some type of cert in Cisco so maybe I could get into a position where I could begin some entry level work and harness some good knowledge in that area...
 
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