I'd much rather see a group gathering, live chat, teaching area which is for free. No signing up required- just stop by on Saturday at 4:00pm EST and....

For example, I feel that I have a firm grasp on Perl Curses. If someone doesn't have a specific question, but would rather "just learn to use Curses", I'd offer to go through some simple excercises and examples with explanations. Currently, folks like that are turned away with harsh RTFMs and such which put perlmonks.org on the map of anti-newbie as suggested in a previous Meditation. So, I would announce that I would offer a Curses Colloquium at such-and-such a time- stop by if you'd like! This area might contain a live chat area where the lecturer has precedence and can filter content. This is so interesting, I just might do this on my own server. Thanks for the thinkjuice, tilly!

AgentM Systems nor Nasca Enterprises nor Bone::Easy nor Macperl is responsible for the comments made by AgentM. Remember, you can build any logical system with NOR.

There are companies doing this kind of online tutoring (such as digitalthink.com). Perhaps PerlMonks could go on a partnership with them...

Anyway, AgentM's suggestion is quite appealing. Most of us have at least one area that could use some more study or a nice little course...

Now wether or not that's what people want, I can't answer. But PerlMonks woulnd't be the same anymore.. and I belive that what it would gain in material would be lost in atmosphere.

Now something like what AgentM mentioned would fit better into what PerlMonks is now. Free chat type classes or anything like that.

For what it's worth..
Rich

"A man's maturity -- consists in having found again the
seriousness one had as a child, at play."   --Nietzsche
[download]

I use perlmonks.com - it's really great! Should we suggest it to the guys at perlmonks.com? :p

$ perldoc perldoc

Like some of the other replies, I like the idea, but I think it doesn't fit Perlmonks. I think the problem is that it doesn't fit the metaphor of a monastery, which is about contemplation, discussion, "enlightenment"; formal courses with testing and fees don't, imho, fit that very comfortably. Perlmonks doesn't have to hew to that, but that's part of the appeal of Perlmonks. However, there's no reason why there can't be another Perl learning community, with a different set of equally valid goals.

So I would like to suggest that if you want to go through with this, Perlmonks may be the wrong place for it. You should create with a new community with a new metaphor -- one that supplements but doesn't supplant Perlmonks.

And I've got just the thing. Monks and Nuns, I give you...

The Perl Scouts.

1. Earn merit objects (Merit::Tie::Knots, Merit::Module::Craft, Merit::Net::Fishing) from your denmaster/abbot as /s?he/ leads you on code camping expeditions to remote wilderness areas of CPAN.
2. Earn enough merit objects, and you become a Camel Scout.
3. Raise money by selling boxes of CGI::Cookies.
4. Parents will beam with pride when their children recite the Perl Scout's Credo: A Perl Scout is Lazy, Impatient, and Hubristic...

The possibilities are endless. Imagine after-school Perl Monger meetings in high schools (although s/\bbeer\b/root beer/i).

-- Frag.

I'm affraid that if PerlMonks started providing pay courses, monks that make a living by offering training would be inclined not to contribute anymore.

PerlMonks would be the competition rather than a community.

I, for one would not want to loose their valuable contributions to this community.

TGI says moo