Why paid ITIL courses and materials are superior to Free ITIL materials (that are pirated copies)
Unless you’re completely new to the internet, chances are, you are familiar with file sharing (otherwise known as pirating). While music and movies tend to be the products that most choose to illegally share, there are those who also do the same with a variety of books and other written works as well. Books are apparently scanned and then transferred to PDF format, in order to cut down on file size. The world of professional supplementary education has also been affected (attacked) by these self-labeled Robin Hoods.
But enough about the reprehensible actions of these pirates; let’s examine why it is good idea to (legally) purchase your ITIL materials, and what additional hidden benefits might also be up-for-grabs.
First off, in case you didn’t know, all ITIL materials are actually copyrighted by the royal UK crown (which is facilitated through a branch of the UK government). While this might not matter to some, you should realize that quite a lot of investment capital has gone into the development of ITIL. Unlike other organizations which might make it exorbitantly expensive, difficult to undertake/study, or add one’s own experience to the knowledge base, ITIL remains open to all.
How the ITIL community is making a positive impact on the world
One should realize that the individuals who are responsible for maintaining and disseminating the ITIL are actually performing a service to everyone in the global IT community, and should be rightly compensated as such. With every passing month and year, new methodologies are added to subsequent releases of the ITIL. These releases in turn, will educate (and update) those who are in a position to best use this knowledge; this in turn improves the quality, speed and capabilities of the entire global IT infrastructure!
“Hollow certification syndrome”
Once some people hear the words, “ITIL certification can increase your salary”, they are instantly motivated to seek it out. However, if you are the type of individual who is seeking ITIL certification in order to boost your pay without actually taking the time to truly understand and absorb the material, you are doing yourself a disservice. This is especially true if you are trying to attain certification with pirated educational materials. The methods and practices contained in ITIL 2011 for example, can transform your understanding of your career and duties, but you have to make an active effort toward gaining this knowledge (and then properly utilizing it). Those who treat ITIL as if it were simply another hollow certification, are not only missing the point, they are in many ways a danger to the entire IT community.
Specific benefits of paid courses and programs
Aside from simply “doing the right thing”, there are actually benefits to purchasing an ITIL certification course. For starters, when you buy a program you can rest assured that you are actually receiving all of the necessary materials required in order to help you pass your certification exam. Likewise, most legitimate certification programs are designed to help you prepare for the most recent version of the cert exam. In addition to this, paid programs might also incorporate certain discounts, or certification vouchers, which will further cut down or eliminate testing costs.
However, the biggest benefit of purchasing an ITIL certification program has to be access to additional online materials, expert assistance and interactive learning. That’s right; some ITIL certification programs incorporate online site-specific interactive learning programs which are designed by experts in order to further facilitate your learning experience and aid in comprehension. Additionally, some organizations might even offer limited remote study assistance. Why take a chance on some random pirated learning materials when you the real thing is affordable, readily available, and offering useful perks?
…and of course, the legal ramifications
When you download illegal PDF copies of ITIL course materials, you are violating laws that are in place to protect copyright holders. What do you say to the people administering your certification exams when they ask “what company / study program you used to prepare for your test?” Perhaps your supervisor or boss is suitably impressed with your drive, initiative and new qualification(s) and asks for you to provide them with the details of the educational package you used. The bottom line is that you should simply “bite the bullet” and legally purchase a package; there are numerous courses available which are priced to suit any budget.
The supplementary professional development industry exists in order to help organizations like ITIL to distribute their materials. When a person decides to sidestep these e-learning providers they are removing a link in the value chain, so to speak. The cost of ITIL certification and training is paltry in comparison to the benefits it offers, and with each package purchase, the growth and quality of future releases are assured.
If you’re looking for a dynamite program covering certification for the latest release / version of ITIL (2011), then click here.