Video Based Training rocks!

I discovered this year how much I enjoy formal video based training.  For me, it is really beneficial because I fit in anytime whether eating lunch or in the evening.   I like the way it is broken into short chapters.  I had already discovered subject based videos like Notes and 9 and benefited greatly, but what I am talking about here is more like a college class with subjects that are covered in a comprehensive way.

I still like books, and all but admit that I struggle every time I try to open my "Mastering Xpages" book.   I am making good progress with Head First Java, but still have a ways to go.   Books are great for helping me fall asleep.

This year I was turned on to Lynda.com, which is amusing for me because my wife's name is Linda.   I first heard about it from listening to the Taking Notes podcast.   Since then I have signed up and have completed 8 courses, and have many more that I intend to watch.  It cost $25 a month and is well worth it.

The course I have completed on Lynda.com are:

• Up and Running with HTML - although I knew this pretty well, this helped fill in the gaps with the current version of HTML.  James Williamson is an excellent teacher.
• Javascript Essential Training - another subject I knew fairly well, but this course really gave me a more rounded understanding of how Javascript works and then in the end tells you to learn jQuery.
• HTML5 First Look - Great course on the new standard for the web
• CSS Fundamentals - I really needed this one.  
• Javascript and AJAX - loved this course, Ray Villalobos really taught me a lot
• Responsive Design Fundamentals - I feel better prepared for the eventual mobile development project
• Javascript and JSON - similar to JS and AJAX - really learned a lot of good stuff in this one
• CGI Essential Training - older course, but I wanted to know more about the old way of doing things

These are courses I am currently working through:

• jQuery Essential Training - taking lots of notes, great course so far
• Java Essential Training - using to help train my daughter to learn java
• Up and Running with Bootstrap - just started this one

In the future, I have intentions to use Lynda.com to learn Sharepoint, and Ruby on Rails, just because I want to know how other frameworks do things, and you never know when that might be needed.

In addition to Lynda.com, I have a free month to use at some point on pluralsight.com, which has a lot of the same content. 

I am also working through Matt White's XPages101, but I will save that for another post.