Frequently Asked Questions

To enroll in our courses, you need to:

• Know how to use a browser proficiently;
• Know how to use email; and
• Be ready to learn by experimentation and creation.

You need not have any prior programming experience to enroll in the course Program, since several courses are on the beginning level. However, some of our courses will have specified prerequisite skills. These skills can be learned by taking another OST course, or you may already posess the prerequisite skills. If you are unsure, contact us and we'll help you with this.

Technical Requirements are the following:

Operating System	Windows 95 or MacOS 8.0, or newer. Windows XP or MacOS X preferred. Linux RedHat and Debian ok (see below).
Internet Connection	At least a 28.8 kbps modem, or faster.
Browser	Firefox 2.xx, Safari 3.xx, or Internet Explorer 7.xx, or NEWER. Popup windows and cookies must be enabled in your web browser. Your browser must also support Java applets.
Note	Students have had success using the Linux operating system and Mozilla on a variety of platforms, such as RedHat and Debian. If you use a lesser-known flavor of Linux, be sure to thoroughly try out the Learning Sandbox to make sure it works for you. If by chance it doesn't, simply let us know within 7 days for a full refund.

Operating System	Windows Users: Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows XP Macintosh Users: Mac OS X version 10.2.8 or later Note: Mac users will download the free Microsoft Remote Destop software from Microsoft. More detailed instructions will be given once you enroll.
Browser	MUST be Internet Explorer 5.5 or NEWER There are no browser restrictions for Macintosh users.

Base OST Course Tuitions are as follows (in U.S. Dollars):

DBA 1: Introduction to Database Administration:	$ 298.5
DBA 2: Administering MySQL:	$ 298.5
Introduction to HTML and CSS:	$ 223.5
Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming:	$ 298.5
Introduction to PHP:	$ 298.5
Introduction to XML:	$ 298.5
Java Programming 1: Introduction to Java and the Eclipse Development Environment:	$ 336
Java Programming 2: The Java Programming Language:	$ 336
Java Programming 3: Java Programming Foundations:	$ 336
JavaScript 1: Introduction to JavaScript:	$ 298.5
JavaScript 2: AJAX:	$ 298.5
Learn C Programming, Part 1:	$ 223.5
Learn C Programming, Part 2:	$ 223.5
Learn C#.NET:	$ 373.5
Learn Perl for CGI Programming:	$ 298.5
Learn SQL for Database Programming:	$ 298.5
Learn VBScript:	$ 223.5
Linux/Unix 1: The Unix file system:	$ 298.5
Linux/Unix 2: Networking and DNS:	$ 298.5
Linux/Unix 3: Unix Services:	$ 298.5
Linux/Unix 4: Scripting for Administrators Sed, Awk, and Perl:	$ 298.5
PHP/SQL 1: Introduction to Database Programming:	$ 298.5
PHP/SQL 2: Relational Theory and Logical Design:	$ 298.5
PHP/SQL 3: Seamless Web 2.0 Integration:	$ 298.5
Unix for Web Programming:	$ 223.5
Visual Basic .NET:	$ 373.5

• When you enroll in any course, you will be assigned an account on the OST server with which to experiment and build your online professional portfolio. The base lab fee for this account is $9.95 PER MONTH, and is constant no matter how many courses you take using this account.
• Certain courses may require additional options for your account, so your lab fee may be higher than $9.95 per month:
  • Linux/Unix System Administration courses incur an additional $9.95/month fee, for the addition of a Virtual Root Server account.
  • Eclipse-based courses incur an additional $5.00/month fee, for the addition of a virtual Windows terminal server which serves Eclipse.
  • PHP and XML courses have an additional parsing tool added to the account, but do not currently incur an extra fee.
• Your lab account is available to you 24 hours a day, for as long as you do not cancel your account. Many students keep their OST lab account in between and beyond their coursework, for additional practice, or to have an online portfolio to show employers.
• If paying by monthly credit card subscription, your lab fee will automatically be charged to your card each month. When finished with all the courses you plan to take, you can keep the account active without doing anything further.
  
• You can also pay for 3, 6, or 12 months in advance, by credit card, invoice, or purchase order. Whatever you decide to prepay is up to you, and is nonrefundable. If your account is still open at the end of the lab fee period, you'll receive an email invoice with the option of paying for more lab fee.
• Completion of your coursework does not automatically close your account. Since we have no way of knowing if you plan to take more courses, or if you'd like to keep your coursework as an online portfolio or to continue using the tools, we leave it up to you to cancel your account through the following interface:
  https://oreillyschool.com/student/
  

Beginning in December 2008, OST is launching a referral system which pays current or past students for referring new students.

• Only current or past students who have passed at least one OST course are eligible to be paid for referrals.
• Only new students who have never before taken an OST course are eligible to be referred -- no retroactive referrals.
• Students cannot refer themselves or anyone in their households.
• New students can be referred by only one current or past student.
• When a referred student enrolls, he/she should enter the email of the referring student exactly as it is stored in the OST system in the Referral Email field, which is in Step 1: Your Selected Courses.
• Once the student enrolls, the referring student should see a new entry in his/her My Referrals section of the Student Start Page.
• Referral credit is granted to the referring student ONLY after the referred student enrolls successfully, and ONLY if the new student does not withdraw with a refund. For this reason, all referrals are listed as "pending" in the Student Start Page until the 7-day refund period has passed.
• Also on the Student Start Page will be a link to download and print a W-9 tax form from the IRS. Due to U.S. tax laws, payments cannot be submitted to the referring student until he/she fills out this form and faxes it to OST Attn: Georgia M. at the following fax number: 707-829-0104.
• Payments are made on a monthly basis, via check to the referring student's Shipping Information stored with OST. Untracked, 1st-class U.S. Mail will be used.
• Payment amounts for each referral may vary from month to month; however, credit for students referred will always correspond to the payment amount that is in effect on the day of that student's enrollment.
• Questions? Contact us via email, or call Georgia at 707-827-7187.

• If you pay via credit card, your payment will be processed in seconds via our secure server, and your enrollment will be completed immediately.
  
• If you pay by check, money order, or purchase order, you will need to allow 2-3 weeks from the time you send payment for your enrollment to be completed. Once payment is received, your enrollment status will be set to "active", and you'll receive an email with instructions on how to begin your course.
• Purchase Order/Voucher Instructions: When you register via purchase order, your Student interface will offer a space to add a Purchase Order number to your invoice. This way, you'll be able to print out the invoice immediately, with the P.O. number already filled in per your company's requirements. Just print, give to your Accounts Payable department, and as soon as payment is received, your enrollment will be set to "active" and you'll be able to begin your courses.
  
• You can choose your preferred method of payment when you register online.
  
  

• We use Verisign to process your credit card payment. Verisign is a respected leader in e-commerce, and they use the very latest technology to verify your transactions. http://www.verisign.com
• Still nervous? Give Georgia a call, and she'll process your enrollment over the phone. 800-998-9938 x.7187 or 707-827-7187

All of our courses are completely Online and Self-Paced. This means there are NO class schedules, and you may enroll in a course at any time and take as long as you need to finish it.
Your learning takes place using our Web-based software called the Learning Sandbox^®. You will go through lessons, experiment with the examples, and try your own programming all in the same place.
All quizzes and projects are handed in online, also in the same place. You can also monitor your progress and see your graded files online, through an "interactive syllabus." Everything is self-contained and personalized for you to practice, make mistakes, and get help from your instructor.

The OST Sandbox is the heart of the O'Reilly Learning experience. The Sandbox is a combination of learning materials and a convenient, fully functional set of REAL technology tools in which to practice your new skills as you go. You can go through lessons in the top half, and try out the code in the bottom half. Or, you can maximize the workspace and work on your own creation. With one click, you will publish your work directly to your own lab account on our server, making it available for viewing by anyone on the Web--handy for showing employers or potential employers the results of your hard work. All Perl debugging, C/C++ and Java compiling, XML and PHP translation, and HTML/JavaScript rendering can be done with one click. Both SQL and Unix/Linux SSH interfaces are also incorporated into the Learning Sandbox^®, and System Administration students can use these interfaces to access their own root servers.
You need only a Web Browser to use it--no need to download anything.
We designed the Sandbox to maximize learning, and to minimize the technological complications that often stop the learning process cold before it starts.

Below are instructions on how to start learning:

• Once you are enrolled and have a Login and Password, go to the Student Start Page and log in: http://www.oreillyschool.com/student/
• Click on "ENTER" in your course list. The Learning Sandbox^® should open.
• Once the Sandbox is loaded, click on "My Stuff". You'll be asked to log in using your Sandbox Login and password. IMPORTANT! Use your Sandbox Login, NOT your email address!
• From there, you may access your files, course lessons, quizzes, objectives, and monitor your progress.

• For each course, you will have one Instructor.
  
• Your Instructor will thoroughly evaluate your quizzes and projects, and will help you with any questions or problems you may have. You will keep in email contact with your Instructor throughout your course.
• You should expect to receive feedback from your mentor within 3 business days of handing in each quiz or objective, although often you will receive feedback much sooner than that. Your instructor will generally get back to you within 24 hours if possible.
• Many students find the relationship with their Instructor to be one of the most enjoyable aspects of the courses. Think of having a lab all to yourself with a personal tutor!

• You can complete the course at any time, as quickly or slowly as you like. As long as you do not cancel your account, and continue to pay your lab fees, you'll always have access to ALL your coursework, tools, and files, to complete at your leisure.
• Although each course may vary depending on your experience leading up to enrollment, you can expect to work approximately 40 hours on each course that you take.
• On your syllabus, you might see a "suggested time frame" in which you can complete the course. This time frame--"deadline"--is for your benefit as a motivational tool and does not have to be followed.
• If you enroll in more than one course at a time, you are NOT expected to take them concurrently. You can take them in any order you like. If you find that your courses are sequenced differently than how you plan to take them, just let your instructor know -- we'll be happy to reorder them for you.

• To successfully complete a course, you must successfully complete every quiz and project within the course.
  
• To successfully complete a quiz, you must answer each question with insight and explanation.
  
• To successfully complete a project, you must create with a professional portfolio in mind, making sure to present your project attractively and creatively while keeping content informative and relevant.
• We believe you cannot learn a skill without making mistakes and trying again. If your Mentor finds your quiz or project below the standards stated above (open to his/her own interpretation), he/she will ask you to improve the quiz or project. Generally an "A" or "B" grade must be achieved to continue.
• If, after submitting three or four times, your quiz or project is still unsatisfactory, the Instructor may allow you to hand in the assignment again, may invoke his/her right to charge you an Extension fee, or in the most extreme cases(such as caught cheating or thoughtless guessing over many redos), may choose to fail you. Since 1997, we've found that 99.9% of our students are busy, hardworking individuals who are devoted to learning skills; therefore, we've only been forced to charge an extension fee only a very few times. You will find your instructor to be very understanding of difficulties you are having, and encouraging in a Socratic way until you master the skill being learned.
  

There are several ways in which you can communicate your questions or ideas to your instructor.

• You can always email your Instructor at learn@useractive.com, or if you are having system or enrollment problems, support@useractive.com. Your message will automatically be routed to your own instructor. You should expect a return email within 2 business days, although often you will receive a response within the same day.
• When you log in, you can use the Contact tab contained within the Learning Sandbox to ask your Instructor questions.
• When you hand in an assignment, you can use the "Comments" section to communicate with your Instructor. Many students like this method of communication, since it accompanies the files being handed in.
• A phone call can be scheduled at the discretion of your Instructor, if you need to talk to him/her real-time. However, most students find this unnecessary with the amount of communication that can be accomplished via the other methods.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Office of Continuing Education

• Passing each course will earn you Continuing Education Units, or CEUs.
  CEUs are NOT the same as Undergraduate or Graduate credit, but are simply a measure of continuing education. CEUs are mainly used by employers (especially schools) who advance their employees' careers based on the number of CEUs earned. CEUs are also a positive resume addition.
  These CEUs are issued by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Office of Continuing Education, sponsored by the U of I Computer Science Department.
  Each course is worth 4 CEUs, except for XML, which counts for 6 CEUs, and Java, which counts for 6 CEUs.
• In the University definition, one CEU equals approximately 10 hours of student work.

Upon satisfactory completion of all courses in a Certificate Series, you will be eligible to receive a Certificate of Professional Development from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Office of Continuning Education.

The challenge of earning this certificate, coupled with the worldwide recognition of UIUC as a top-ranked institution, will ensure that your accomplishment shines on your resume.

To see a sample of this certificate, Click Here.

• When you pass a course, your interactive syllabus will give you the opportunity to request a CEU letter.
• CEU letters are not sent unless requested.
• When you complete a certificate series, be sure to request all the CEU letters. Once you request all the CEU letters, the certificate is automatically requested for you.
• The address you specified in your registration will be used for the CEU letters and certificates.
• Certificates take additional time to process, so please allow 6-8 weeks for your certificate to arrive.

Your Lab Account is like a beefed-up hosting account, and contains the following:

• 100 megabytes of web space
• A secondary domain name, such as "http://yourname.userworld.com"
• Full CGI privileges
• Compiling/Debugging privileges
• FTP access
• SQL privileges
• Telnet privileges for Unix

This account will continue after Program completion, as long as you do not cancel it. You are responsible for paying your monthly lab fee until you cancel your account. This way, your portfolio can stay online for as long as you want, and your account remains ready for new courses and tool access. To cancel your account, you must visit:
https://oreillyschool.com/student/

To change your account information, such as password, domain, credit card information, etc., log into: https://oreillyschool.com/student/

You may withdraw from a course online, at any time.
However, the deadline for withdrawing a course with a refund is 7 days from the day of enrollment. If you paid by check/money order, the "day of enrollment" refers to the day that your enrollment account becomes active.

Additionally, if half or more of the assignments within your course have been handed in by you and graded by your Instructor, a full refund is no longer possible, even within the 7 days.

There can be NO EXCEPTIONS to this policy.

• As long as you are enrolled in a course, you must keep your OST account.
• If you close your account while enrolled in courses, you will be withdrawn from your courses and lose any progress towards a certificate.
• You are responsible for cancelling your account. If paying via monthly lab fee subscription, monthly charges will continue to be assessed until you close your account.
• To cancel your account you must log into this address:
  https://oreillyschool.com/student/
• We do not accept cancellations via the telephone or email. We only accept cancellations via the secure server above.