OSDGROUP PROVIDES FREE LINUX PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTE CERTIFICATION EXAMS

OXFORD, MS / TORONTO, ON, December 2, 2002 - The Open Source Development Group (OSDgroup) (http://www.osdgroup.com/), an open-source software training company, is now including free Linux Professional Institute (LPI)
(http://www.lpi.org/) certification exam vouchers as part of its Linux training courses until March 15, 2003.  The free vouchers are redeemable at any testing facility offering LPI certification exams, including Prometric and VUE testing facilities.

"Our joint program with the OSDgroup is just another initiative we are taking to encourage Linux training and certification among corporate and government IT professionals," says LPI's president Evan Leibovitch.  "As Linux continues to gain acceptance and recognition, it is extremely important these professionals take a complete holistic approach to their Linux training and certification process that will lead to better employment opportunities."

"Testing and certification is an integral part of the complete training solution," adds OSDgroup's president John Weathersby. "By offering free LPI certification exams, we are encouraging IT professionals, who are deploying and maintaining Linux systems in increasing numbers in the corporate and public sectors, to stand up and be counted as a truly certified Linux professional."

OSDgroup provides a variety of open-source software training solutions to corporate and government clients including the recently announced training program for Security Enhanced Linux (http://www.securityenhancedlinux.com). The joint program with LPI applies to OSDgroup training courses that lead to LPI's Level One and Level Two certifications.

LPI is the premier professional certification program for the Linux community.  LPI's mandate is to design and deliver a certification program from within the Linux community, using both volunteer and professional resources. It has been ranked number one on the list of certifications expected to rise the 'fastest in importance' according to the recently released 2002 CRN Certification study.  LPI has also been selected as the winner, for the second consecutive year, of the Linux Journal's annual
Editors' Choice Awards in the Training and Certification category. LPI has delivered almost 20,000 Level One and Level Two certification exams globally since the program's inception in January 2000.

About Linux Professional Institute

The Linux Professional Institute (LPI) develops professional certification for the Linux operating system independent of software vendors or training providers. Established as an non-profit organization in 1999 by the Linux community, LPI develops accessible, internationally recognized certification programs which have earned the respect of vendors, employers and administrators. LPI's activities involve hundreds of volunteers and professionals throughout the world in many different capacities, and the group encourages active public involvement through mailing lists and its website at www.lpi.org. LPI's multi-level program of exams is administered globally through Virtual University Enterprises (VUE) and Prometric testing centers. LPI's major financial sponsors are Platinum Sponsors Caldera International (NASDAQ:CALD), IBM (NYSE:IBM), Linuxcare, Maxspeed, SGI (NYSE:SGI), SuSE Linux AG and TurboLinux as well as Gold Sponsors Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HWP)
and Wave Technologies.

About OSDgroup

The Open Source Development Group is a custom open source training and courseware provider.  For more information on OSDgroup or the Security Enhanced Linux training program, please refer to the website www.osdgroup.com or www.selinuxtraining.com.  Call 662.236.1794.

Contacts:

Sheldon Rose
Sacke & Associates Inc.
416.218.1102
sheldonr@sackepr.com

Richard Kuebler
OSDgroup
662.236.1794
rkuebler@osdgroup.com