How Maykin Went From Demoralization to LPI Trainer

My first introduction to Linux came from my undergraduate coursework in computer science. To be honest, it wasn’t a stellar debut…

From Confusion to Control: The Early Years

Though I knew the command line from my earlier days of creating batch scripts in the MS-DOS environment, a side hobby that had even earned me some pocket money, Linux presented a difficult and, at first, demoralizing obstacle. I negotiated the course more through tenacity than skill, barely passing in the end. After graduating, life took an interesting turn when I joined IBM and was stationed at a major enterprise bank client site. My responsibilities focused on the non-functional needs of their banking applications. Initially, I worked on performance optimization to ensure that those systems could handle enormous transactional loads. In those high-stakes environments, I came to see Linux not just as an operating system but as a direct line into the infrastructure’s pulse. Gradually, my focus expanded to include security, an area that would shape the trajectory of my career.

From Frustration to Fascination

At the same time, I began a master’s degree in information systems security, spending weekends in class while working. During this program, my relationship with Linux changed entirely. Nearly every lab session depended on the Linux operating system. Somewhere between late-night assignments and early-morning labs, my frustration gave way to fascination. I began to appreciate the elegance of the command line and the sheer efficiency of it. Solving problems without touching a mouse felt powerful. With each shell script I wrote and every system I configured from scratch, I gained a sense of control and capability.

Linux became a hacker’s toolbox, an architect’s blueprint, and a teacher of fundamentals. That hands-on experience finally delivered the practical context I had missed during my undergraduate years. In a real-world security setting, Linux’s adaptability and depth became impossible to ignore. What once felt intimidating now made perfect sense.

I was hooked.

From Learner to Linux Advocate

After earning my master’s, I began lecturing part-time in IT subjects at local colleges and universities. No matter the course, I always found ways to integrate practical Linux skills. I truly believed they were essential to any IT education. Hearing from former students who landed internships or jobs thanks to their command-line skills has been one of the most rewarding parts of the journey. They often shared stories of job interviews where their Linux knowledge stood out. Knowing I helped build that foundation has given me lasting satisfaction.

Over the years, my role as a Linux advocate naturally expanded. What began in classrooms moved into something broader. Former students reached out for advice on LPI’s certifications (which led me to take the LPIC-1). Colleagues asked for internal workshops on hardening systems or analyzing logs. People from non-technical teams (project managers, analysts, etc.) started asking questions too. And I told them: understanding Linux is like knowing how to read schematics if you’re an architect. Even if you’re not pouring concrete, you should understand the structure.

Then, something great started to happen… People experimented. They installed VirtualBox, spun up Ubuntu, and asked about swap sizes. I saw managers confidently use grep to scan logs. I watched junior testers realize they could automate 80% of their workflow with a shell script. I mentored interns, taught at bootcamps, and helped build lab spaces where students could break and fix things without fear. Every time someone moved from “I’ll never get this” to “Wait, this is actually cool,” I felt that same early fire return.

… Full Circle!

It has been years since I first typed ls and didn’t understand what I was seeing. Years since I Googled “how to exit vim” in frustration. Now, when a colleague tells me they’re afraid of the terminal, I smile, not because their fear is silly, but because I know how quickly it can turn into fascination. I still teach, even if not always in classrooms. Sometimes it’s a mentee over coffee. Sometimes it’s suggesting Linux-based containers at a project kickoff. Sometimes it’s just a quiet line in conversation:

“You know, you can script that.”

Because Linux didn’t just give me tools. It gave me a mindset, a new way to look at problems, structure, and possibility.

Not long ago, I bumped into one of my old university teachers at a tech conference—the same professor who taught the first Linux course I once dreaded.
He smiled and said, “Still struggling with Linux?”

I laughed. “Actually… I teach it now.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Is that so”?

“Yeah”, I said. “And I make sure no one gets scared off the way I once did.”

He looked at me for a moment, then nodded. “Good. That’s how it should be.” And he was right. That’s exactly how it should be. And, yes: I’m proud to be an LPI Approved Trainer!

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