tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-116818982024-03-08T08:51:25.025-08:00Hartman's Blogtastic BlogOriginally created for use in San Diego State University's Educational Technology 700 course on integrating the use of blogs in the classroom for educational advancement, this blog now acts as my personal online area for documenting professional advancements, ideas, and edtec ramblings of all sorts.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-41090297788994404882013-07-30T22:22:00.003-07:002013-07-30T22:23:48.480-07:00Quick thoughts on Microsoft's position<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=11681898" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=11681898" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=11681898" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=11681898" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Today it was revealed that Microsoft spent $50 million more this year advertising the Surface/Windows 8 than it made selling the Surface (both RT and Pro). As I did spend my money on a new Windows 8 touch screen laptop recently, I have some thoughts to share.<br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTdii-rTo_8ZNMdfCQYwSQxjOnGNKguPSfKlmRlnv5lyZoGNdPt" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTdii-rTo_8ZNMdfCQYwSQxjOnGNKguPSfKlmRlnv5lyZoGNdPt" data-sz="f" name="G1okr3kj1ICTVM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTdii-rTo_8ZNMdfCQYwSQxjOnGNKguPSfKlmRlnv5lyZoGNdPt" style="height: 168px; margin-top: 0px; width: 300px;" /></a></div>
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Firstly, the biggest mistake Microsoft (and many other people) made was to misjudge why people wanted iPads. They thought people wanted iPads because they had a touch screen, or because they had an app store. This is a mistake in my opinion. By my judgement, people want iPads because they are easy to use, familiar, reliable, and of excellent quality. Let's dissect these four attributes further.<br />
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<a href="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/55/178759836_15b490bf9d_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/55/178759836_15b490bf9d_o.jpg" width="320" /></a>Windows 8 is not easy to use. This is immediately apparent the first time you have to restart your new machine and are faced with no fewer than six required actions (mouse to top right corner, mouse down to settings icon, click, mouse to power icon, click, restart). From what I can tell, they have basically succeeded in duplicating most, but (frustratingly) not all, of the Windows settings from the Desktop interface into the Metro interface. Therefore, sometimes with the OS to add a user you use the traditional Windows 7 "add user" window. Of course, you can also add a user using the new Metro interface as well. What is the difference here? I stopped caring about that before I started writing this sentence because I just want to add a user already. The same is true for other areas of the OS, such as network settings and UI.<br />
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" 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" style="height: 177px; margin-top: 0px; width: 236px;" /></a>Windows 8 is probably the most dramatic departure from what was "familiar" about Windows since Windows 95. However, given all the hoopla over the missing start button, the greater sin in my estimation is the Live Tiles. There is a reason no other OS uses such things: they are confusing and intimidating. Animated desktop wallpapers are beyond the comfort level of most users at this point, and Live Tiles are way, way, way beyond that.<br />
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<a 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" 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" style="height: 169px; margin-top: 0px; width: 229px;" /></a>Microsoft's biggest problem is the reliability issue. When I worked in a University computer lab I used to fume at people who claimed Macs were more reliable than PCs because I was forever force closing applications on Macs for people who got the Spinning Pinwheel of Death. However, the SPOD comes nowhere near the cultural zeitgeist level of the Blue Screen of Death. The BSOD is only the most infamous of Microsoft's laundry list of issues though: viruses, spyware, printing, popups, safe mode, control-alt-delete, Scandisc and Defrag, printing... Nobody ever told another person, "I come in, turn on my iPad, and get a cup of coffee while I wait for it to startup".<br />
<br />
So yes, while the Surface may have been of excellent quality, it did nothing to address these other issues. When my parents, both fairly savvy tech users in their own rights, think about getting a Windows tablet they wonder if it will take longer and longer to start up each month they own it. They wonder if its battery will last 20 minutes in two years like the Dell's does. They ask about viruses and popups.<br />
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<a 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N9GsZf3kLNp6KoYLObYDZr/Udb2FFbx/l5U/0X5n/ANVLuPan+i/MP/laQ6tI0O481jyV5PiFUVUGOzDE6yrYQ2V0mpbcNLXfOblvqDlb8F2DhrFH1cPUewNNyPV2PnquE3AkLwTd2/mpahxqWAh8UrmEeBNveFFSfNThNzq5r4HFz6inmqHROcTb0dgLun7Wa5fFptusblRxC0OfQSusJD1Ke+3U+lGPaLEeYPcrHxbjSaSop6pxtPTMfHG9mXKWuBBD2OBB+cVo7SQ+7dLG4721U5R9B1VGPBQGI0A10VnhPi5rqdsdTUCWcF3rEEHJ9EOJ3I8fYpSqqGPF2kH2LaNFxOitfRa1VxWK3nFI91qWIR7rNVCuC8VcgVCyCIiAiIgIiICIiAiL1oQZuHRXcFvuBM2Wl4XHqFvWDs0CsG3UDtFKxzKEpX2CzmzraJIVIGpUNjHHENL85j3fkhZXVHdWZqKKT57GuHmEGr1XOK4tHCR5uN/0LWKzi/0iQPqXOc0G4jb6o966UzAKT+RZ+aF5JwvRu3gj+AUGuYXzFooWhrI2xeeUu/QpCTmBQTC0tToewg/ebrJl4FoXfxLR7NFjnl7QfU+8oNfxV2FPBMNRlce7mut8AFrclOzcVETvZmB/QuhHl3Rdmn4lYtbwLRMaSGm/tQc3kFjo4O9iGVSeL4IxhOQEW81r0jbGyyqqokBWLlVT1bJUF5sxGyk6HH5GWGYqFzIHFBu7cVMg1UZX63WBRVLrbrIllJC0Imcaqysio3WOVkEREBERAREQEREBVxhULIp2XKCZwqPZbnhgsAtXwuLZbPRmy1ET0L1e6yjWS+arEvmtCRjnV0SqLEquNmKCTbOVcbPdRjZlcE6CR6yddR/pC866CQM/msarIcNVjmdUPmQa/i9CNbBaHilK5rjZq6lO0FRFdhbXX0Clg5e8lUXW41nDLSdlHScOgd1nFa9detaSpz8SAd163DAFMGDTRELIIWSKay8dEqI2dqxXBSU8awJGqC2iIgIiICIiAiIg9Cz6Nuqj1mUW4QbNQiymIJFD0eylIluIzhUearE/msRVsVGY2cq4ydYYVwIM30hVddYiqCDKEqqMyx2qlyC+ZlQ6ZWSqSguGVWpZlS3dWpkFiaS6jp2rOlWFJuVBivarTmK+5UlQWCxWpGq+VaeisOdmiiZjqpmfYqDm3UooUhS8P1UrWPigkkY8uaxzAHXLb5h7RlPwUevJPmH8ofqlQSk3DVWxj5XQPEcRc2R/qlrXNk6bmkg7hwt9+2qjCLKmT5zfyGfoVTtz7UH/2Q==" 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9GsZf3kLNp6KoYLObYDZr/Udb2FFbx/l5U/0X5n/ANVLuPan+i/MP/laQ6tI0O481jyV5PiFUVUGOzDE6yrYQ2V0mpbcNLXfOblvqDlb8F2DhrFH1cPUewNNyPV2PnquE3AkLwTd2/mpahxqWAh8UrmEeBNveFFSfNThNzq5r4HFz6inmqHROcTb0dgLun7Wa5fFptusblRxC0OfQSusJD1Ke+3U+lGPaLEeYPcrHxbjSaSop6pxtPTMfHG9mXKWuBBD2OBB+cVo7SQ+7dLG4721U5R9B1VGPBQGI0A10VnhPi5rqdsdTUCWcF3rEEHJ9EOJ3I8fYpSqqGPF2kH2LaNFxOitfRa1VxWK3nFI91qWIR7rNVCuC8VcgVCyCIiAiIgIiICIiAiL1oQZuHRXcFvuBM2Wl4XHqFvWDs0CsG3UDtFKxzKEpX2CzmzraJIVIGpUNjHHENL85j3fkhZXVHdWZqKKT57GuHmEGr1XOK4tHCR5uN/0LWKzi/0iQPqXOc0G4jb6o966UzAKT+RZ+aF5JwvRu3gj+AUGuYXzFooWhrI2xeeUu/QpCTmBQTC0tToewg/ebrJl4FoXfxLR7NFjnl7QfU+8oNfxV2FPBMNRlce7mut8AFrclOzcVETvZmB/QuhHl3Rdmn4lYtbwLRMaSGm/tQc3kFjo4O9iGVSeL4IxhOQEW81r0jbGyyqqokBWLlVT1bJUF5sxGyk6HH5GWGYqFzIHFBu7cVMg1UZX63WBRVLrbrIllJC0Imcaqysio3WOVkEREBERAREQEREBVxhULIp2XKCZwqPZbnhgsAtXwuLZbPRmy1ET0L1e6yjWS+arEvmtCRjnV0SqLEquNmKCTbOVcbPdRjZlcE6CR6yddR/pC866CQM/msarIcNVjmdUPmQa/i9CNbBaHilK5rjZq6lO0FRFdhbXX0Clg5e8lUXW41nDLSdlHScOgd1nFa9detaSpz8SAd163DAFMGDTRELIIWSKay8dEqI2dqxXBSU8awJGqC2iIgIiICIiAiIg9Cz6Nuqj1mUW4QbNQiymIJFD0eylIluIzhUearE/msRVsVGY2cq4ydYYVwIM30hVddYiqCDKEqqMyx2qlyC+ZlQ6ZWSqSguGVWpZlS3dWpkFiaS6jp2rOlWFJuVBivarTmK+5UlQWCxWpGq+VaeisOdmiiZjqpmfYqDm3UooUhS8P1UrWPigkkY8uaxzAHXLb5h7RlPwUevJPmH8ofqlQSk3DVWxj5XQPEcRc2R/qlrXNk6bmkg7hwt9+2qjCLKmT5zfyGfoVTtz7UH/2Q==" style="height: 181px; margin-top: 0px; width: 226px;" /></a>Probably the only reason they might consider such a device would be because it looks familiar, as both have used PCs for the last decade plus. Of course, with the Metro interface, that's no longer as much of a consideration. Sure, they might think the Surface looks nice, but there is no such thing as "sexier than an iDevice". The sexiest any piece of technology can hope to be is "as sexy as an iDevice".<br />
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Other thoughts:<br />
Microsoft really screwed itself over by overestimating the appeal of actual Office and not releasing Office for iOS and Android years ago (QuickOffice and all the other Office impersonators are filling in quite well thank you very much). Seeing as how Office is more and more their cash cow, losing the mobile market is looking worse and worse.<br />
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Microsoft is about to get pinched even more on the Office front. Google Docs have been chipping away for years on the Cloud front, and all the little App Store solutions have proven that Office is less than mandatory on mobile, but now iWork for iCloud is coming out as well. With Windows 8, at least the company had a direction. It was a terrible direction, but it existed. What are they going to do to innovate in the Office arena that won't cut into their bottom line or push customers even more into the arms of competitors?<br />
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<a 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" 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" style="height: 133px; margin-top: 0px; width: 332px;" /></a>Microsoft's long term salvation lies in the custom solution consulting market. Call it the trail that IBM blazed. I remember vividly the day it was announced that IBM's consumer device division was being sold to Lenovo. I'd never even heard of Lenovo and thought it was a foolish decision. It makes sense to me now though. The quicker you recognize a losing hand, the sooner you should fold. Of course, it doesn't look like Microsoft agrees with me, what with their recent reorganization geared towards greater collaboration and integration across products. I'd prescribe the exact opposite: ditch Windows, spin off the Xbox and Office divisions into independent entities, and take the rest of the company down the IBM path of custom solutions.<br />
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Or they could double down on Metro and release Windows 9 to great acclaim. For the sake of my poor Asus laptop, I would be happy with this route too.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-8740494681530258892013-03-15T21:55:00.000-07:002013-03-15T21:55:12.037-07:00Microsoft. Still sucky after all these years.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/312/1/b/ms_office_2013_faenza_icons_by_wheell33-d5kd3qo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/312/1/b/ms_office_2013_faenza_icons_by_wheell33-d5kd3qo.png" width="320" /></a></div>
I've got a few minutes on my hand because I'm waiting for Office 2013 to finish installing. My wife got a deal from work for it for $10 and that seemed like a fair deal. Of course, it's been installing for about 30 minutes now, so maybe I paid a bit too much. In any case, that's only the most recent of my issues this evening, as I've spent the better part of the last 3 hours setting up a new Asus VivoBook x202e for my wife's new business venture. It's been a while since I got a new computer and had to install updates (4 of them from Asus tonight, each one critical, each one requiring a restart), uninstall unwanted apps (innumerable Asus apps I'm afraid to remove and McAfee which is utterly unnecessary with Windows 8 I understand), install apps (30 mins and counting for Office), and install updates again (Windows itself has upwards of 80 waiting for me after Office wraps up). Ugh. Will Microsoft ever figure this out, or is it utterly unsolvable at this point? I'm honestly not sure, but what I am sure about, and what nearly every other American is sure about at this point, is that this process is unnecessary (or at least much faster) on iPads and Android tablets, and Chromebooks for sure. It's probably even unnecessary on Windows 8 phones, although I've no experience with them. No wonder PCs are dying and Windows 8 sales are in the dumps. This is a terrible way to greet a new customer, and tarnishes the feeling of excitement at getting a new device at a cost of several hundred dollars. Until this issue is resolved, I can't see how Microsoft gains back any lost ground. We'll see how the wife feels after a few days with the thing I guess.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-68490077749786494292013-03-13T20:25:00.001-07:002013-03-13T20:25:11.969-07:00Official Google Reader Blog: Powering Down Google ReaderWell, it's been a good run. According to my Reader account, "Since March 20, 2007 you have read a total of 151,876 items". I don't know what I'm going to do without it. When I first heard about RSS and feed readers I couldn't really understand the value. Of course, once I jumped in and found a few popular feeds, it was game over. One of my first feeds was Digg.com, back when Digg junkies laughed at all the lame Reddit losers. With a few other favorites like the Sports Guy., Ars Technica, and Thomas Friedman, I was easily over 100 articles a day.<br />
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When I was dating my wife, Reader nearly caused us to break up. I was spending too much time reading articles and too little time with her she claimed. I had to cut Digg and a few others from the feed list and, upon noticing this action didn't have the traumatizing effect I thought it would, I made pruning my feeds a bi-annual event.<br />
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Recently I found an article on Ars Technica that reviewed a few Internet comics. As good as that site is, and it is my favorite blog of all, the community is probably even better. As such I read through all the comments and found half a dozen new comics to follow, including my new favorite, The Perry Bible Fellowship. If it weren't for Reader I'd probably forget to check that site every so often to see if a new comic had been posted, but with Reader I'm immediately notified when some new hilarity is available to enjoy.<br />
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I've just now read an article highlighting the best replacement readers. What a sad, sad picture is painted. These impostors all try to capitalize on fancy visuals and layouts, minimizing the content I'm there to consume in the hopes of suckering me into following the latest food porn site. Fine fodder for some I suppose, but I'll take the thousand words over the picture any day.<br />
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All in all, I suppose I can't be too angry. Over the past six years I've gained immeasurably from something I've never even paid for. Actually, that gives me an idea. I would happily, HAPPILY! pay $20 annually to keep my Reader account. Perhaps some enterprising chap will reverse engineer the site, make it available for a subscription, and part me from my hard earned wages. One can always hope. Until then, RIP Reader. You will be missed.<br />
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<a href="http://googlereader.blogspot.com/2013/03/powering-down-google-reader.html?spref=bl">Official Google Reader Blog: Powering Down Google Reader</a>: Posted by Alan Green, Software Engineer We have just announced on the Official Google Blog that we will soon retire Google Reader (the...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-26364526236340492922011-02-03T17:17:00.000-08:002011-02-03T17:17:05.468-08:00The Android Market: a Solution for Apps at Last?One of the main problems I've heard about these iPad and iPod Touch educational pilot programs that everyone seems to be so enamored with is application management. Everyone loves apps because they're cheap and good ones are so intuitive that almost no training is required at all to get them working. The problem is that apps are by and large built around a consumer market model, and almost exclusively delivered through the cloud whether via iTunes for iOS or over the air via the <a href="https://market.android.com/" mce_href="https://market.android.com/" target="_blank">Android Market</a> (or Blackberry Market, Palm Market, etc.). Has anyone honestly ever gone into a store to purchase an SD card with an app on it and then inserted that SD card into their phone and installed that app on their phone/tablet? (Nevermind iOS devices don't have SD card slots in the first place). That now absurd sounding process is exactly what consumers and organizations used to do with CD-Roms and DVDs, and that was one (admittedly complicated) way to concretely manage applications across an organization.<br />
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With the advent of app stores, how does an organization manage applications effectively? Is an application licensed to a device or a user? If several classes and dozens of students are utilizing one iPod Touch cart, how many instances of a given application are they supposed to purchase? How does a student make sure the progress they make in the app or the work they do in an app is associated with the correct user account? What about updates?<br />
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Yesterday Google officially unveiled the Android Market, which seems to have answers for some of these questions. The Android Market is a website, (not a program like iTunes) and programs can be purchased and installed to multiple Android devices over the air. The skeleton of a comprehensive application management system appears to be there, but there is still much progress to be made:<br />
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Firstly, I haven't been able to find out if Android devices have the ability to support multiple users logging in and out. This would be important since the Android Market associates all applications on the device(s) with whatever Google Account is active on the devices at the time.<br />
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Secondly, the Android Market does not appear to support multiple application management rights levels. It would be nice if, for example, an IT administrator could log in to see all the applications and devices owned by the organization, while a teacher could log in and see all the applications and devices being used in their class, etc.<br />
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Thirdly, the Android Market appears to only have the ability to install applications to devices, whereas a complete central application management system would have to allow an administrator the ability to install, update, and uninstall applications to any device or groups of devices.<br />
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That being said, it does now seem possible for a rudimentary application management system to exist. An administrator could purchase a dozen Android tablets, register a dummy Google account, purchase an app through the Android Market and deploy it to all 12 devices over the air. In fact, this appears to be the <a href="http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Android+Market/thread?tid=7fd290348feb14dc&hl=en" mce_href="http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Android+Market/thread?tid=7fd290348feb14dc&hl=en" target="_blank">recommended strategy for just such a situation</a>. (I should probably mention that this strategy is probably also possible on iOS devices using iTunes except that the devices would have to be physically tethered one after the other to a computer to get the apps instead of getting them pushed over wireless).<br />
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This rudimentary strategy may not have all the advantages of a fully fledged application management environment, but at least you only have to buy each app once!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-44556310977498074472011-02-03T17:15:00.000-08:002011-02-03T17:15:40.960-08:00Canvas LMS: newly Open Sourced and ready for EducationI've never heard of Canvas before, but it looks like an amazing product. I suppose that has something to do with it being written in Ruby. I have some friends who code in Ruby and they swear by it. I'd love to get an install up and running for this and see what it can do, but the youtube videos (apparently not working anymore on this link for some reason) show a lot. The grader looks incredible in its own right.<br />
<a href="http://www.zdnet.com/blog/education/there-are-alternatives-to-blackboard-and-moodle-instructure-canvas-goes-open-source/4475?tag=mantle_skin;content"></a><a href="http://www.zdnet.com/blog/education/there-are-alternatives-to-blackboard-and-moodle-instructure-canvas-goes-open-source/4475?tag=mantle_skin;content" style="text-decoration: underline;">http:/<wbr></wbr>/<wbr></wbr>www.zdnet.com/<wbr></wbr>blog/<wbr></wbr>education/<wbr></wbr>there-are-alternatives-to-blackboard-and-moodle-instructure-canvas-goes-open-source/<wbr></wbr>4475?tag=mantle_skin;content</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-78806009248985573782010-07-10T22:35:00.000-07:002010-07-10T22:35:01.268-07:00The Five Orders of Technology OR Why OpenOffice Impress SucksI don't have decades of experience supporting technology, but in the few years I've been at the academies I've noticed that several mistakes I've made were as a result of my failure to properly understand what I've come to refer to as the "Five Orders of Technology". The Order is a classification system of technology tools that has been, in my experience, a useful way of evaluating both potential purchases as well as existing technology and the ways to best support its use.<br />
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Technology tools at the top of the Order are the most preferred. They are tools that are both good AND predictable, meaning they accomplishes useful tasks with a high degree of quality while operating in a consistent and reliable manner. Examples would be a quality gigabit ethernet switch or an excellent industrial air conditioner.<br />
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The second order of technology are tools that are worth having, but just barely. They are bad, but operate predictably. They might be a network hub or Microsoft's Movie Maker. Neither one of these tools is particularly good at what it is built to do, but at least they both can be depended upon to accomplish what they do with consistency.<br />
<br />
The third order of technology is a bit of a misnomer. It is to have no technology at all. This may seem counterintuitive, but I'll explain later on why this is where "no technology" belongs in the order.<br />
<br />
Fourth in the Order of technology is that which is good but unreliable. It is like Google Chrome on my home theater PC. It works beautifully, but crashes at unpredictable times (unless I have guests over and am trying to show them something cool on the Internet. Then it can be depended upon to crash without fail).<br />
<br />
The fifth and least desirable level of technology is that which is both bad AND unreliable. It is at this lowest and least preferred level that OpenOffice Impress resides. It is bad software in nearly every sense of the word: unintuitive, complicated, overwhelming, underpowered, and slow. It is also unreliable; actions do not behave in predictable ways. Bullet points, for example, move higher or lower on text (or vanish altogether) depending on seemingly arbitrary and unseen circumstances.<br />
<br />
Using OpenOffice Impress is an obvious exercise in self-flagellation and clearly worse than good and reliable software, but is it really worse than having no presentation software at all as suggested by the Order? Allow me to illustrate how it is with the example of a restaurant chef and his refrigerator.<br />
<br />
The first order of technology assumes the chef has a high quality refrigerator that works well and dependably. It keeps his ingredients fresh and rarely fails (or maybe even has a backup power mechanism in the event of failure).<br />
<br />
At the second order, the chef has a lesser quality fridge, but one that works predictably. Maybe it doesn't have as much room, or the same features, or isn't as customizable as the top tier refrigerators, but it does the job the chef asks of it and rarely lets him down.<br />
<br />
The third order gives the chef no refrigerator at all. This is a burden, but at least it is predictable. The chef knows he does not have the ability to keep ingredients cold, and so devises methods of running his kitchen that do not require that ability. Perhaps ice is brought daily and kept in a cooler or ingredients are purchased each morning instead of once per week. The point is that the chef can adapt to his situation because he knows what to expect.<br />
<br />
The fourth order assumes the chef has a top quality refrigerator that regularly malfunctions. Perhaps it powers off in the middle of the night, spoiling the food it was supposed to keep fresh. Maybe it affects other tools in its surroundings by blowing fuses or short circuiting other devices. In any case, the quality of the device is overwhelmed by its unreliability and the chef's work is made more challenging for it. Some mornings he shows up and his ingredients are perfectly preserved, ready for preparation. Other mornings are disastrous, and he is left scrambling for solutions.<br />
<br />
The fifth order is worse than the fourth only in that the refrigerator is of a lower initial quality. This difference is negligible really, as the main problem continues to be the predictability of the fridge, not its quality. (In fact, it could be argued that the fifth order is actually preferable to the fourth in that the chef might be less frustrated by unpredictable performance from a substandard refrigerator than a top caliber one, and thus more likely to either rid himself of the technology and move up to order 3, or purchase a new one and move to order 1 or 2).<br />
<br />
There are, of course, situations when bad and unpredictable technology is preferable to no technology at all. If I were stranded on a desert island, for example, I think I'd rather have a cheap and unreliable long-wave radio than no radio at all. Similarly, it might be embarrassing for me to have Google Chrome crash when I have guests over, but I prefer it to having no browser at all.<br />
<br />
In production environments, however, like a school or a classroom, predictability is much more important (as seen with the chef illustration). It is far better, for example, for a teacher to know that there are no laptops to use this month than to design a lesson around using laptops only to discover they aren't working properly. The former scenario at least allows the teacher the opportunity to plan a non technology-infused lesson, while the latter wastes both the teacher's and students' time and, perhaps even more damaging, leads eventually to their developing a wary and apprehensive attitude towards the technology itself.<br />
<br />
In my experience, if a user is burned by unpredictable technology more than twice, they "learn their lesson" and are much less likely to attempt to use that technology in the future. This attitude can prevail even in the face of updates, troubleshooting, or even the wholesale replacement of the technology and is, of course, especially potent if that particular teacher is already fishing for an excuse to dismiss the use of the technology in the first place.<br />
<br />
Therefore, in an age when seemingly everyone is looking to technology to bridge divides in education and push student achievement higher, not heeding the implications of the 5 Orders of Technology is, in my opinion, a big mistake.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-43985573083226326642010-06-08T23:28:00.000-07:002010-06-08T23:29:51.919-07:00Our Google Secure Search Troubles Highlighted by Chris Dawson of ZDNetChris Dawson is one of the few bloggers of whose posts I read each and every one. Therefore it is a great honor for me to be mentioned <a href="http://www.zdnet.com/blog/education/using-google-apps-dont-block-encrypted-search/4014?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+zdeducation+(ZDNet+Education+IT)">in one of his posts</a> and, furthermore, I'm very thankful to him for taking the time to highlight our troubles. It is a shame that the occasion was prompted by such unfortunate circumstances as our being without any Google services for nearly two weeks however.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-68158143463129931112010-06-08T22:46:00.000-07:002010-06-08T23:30:33.895-07:00How to Undo an Update in Ubuntu LucidWell it took me a few hours but I finally figured out why a couple of the images I've been working on were taking so long to fully load the Gnome Panel upon login (about 30 seconds as opposed to the 5-8 it normally takes). After ruling out dozens of other possibilities I finally realized that it was a gnome-keyring update I installed just today that was causing the panel to load so slowly. It wasn't easy though.<br />
<br />
The first step to undoing the offending update was to find out what updates it was exactly. After searching some forums I came across a way to see my update history:<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Open synaptic package manager ("sudo synaptic" in the terminal). From the menu bar, click File -> History and you will see all your updates sorted by date.</li>
</ul><br />
Unfortunately I had installed about 20 updates today, and I didn't know which one had caused the problem. By searching through each of the packages named in the History list, I was able to downgrade a few at a time until the problem was solved and I had identified the offending update. To do this:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Use the search bar to find the package you want to downgrade. Once you've found what you're looking for, click on the package to select it. From the menu bar, click Package -> Force Version and select the previous version of the package from the drop down menu. Click the "Apply" button to apply the downgrade.</li>
</ul><div>It's not an elegant solution, but it did the trick for me. Hopefully it will help someone else out there sometime too. Cheers! -Joe</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-9753388413754732312010-06-08T13:43:00.001-07:002010-06-08T22:50:35.514-07:00Lock Down Firefox Preferences on Ubuntu Lucid With a New firefox.js FileIn the past couple of weeks we've received 105 donated computers. Dell GX260/270 towers, P4's all, 512MB-1GB of RAM and decent specs otherwise. This has dramatically shifted my vision for the technology infrastructure of the Academies. We no longer have to worry about utilizing underpowered Pentium 3 machines any longer, which means the need for LTSP and all its advantages is gone as well.<br />
<br />
LTSP is, in my opinion, an elegant but troublesome solution. Without consistent and frequent monitoring there are simply too many ways for individual workstations to stop functioning. Of course, when a breaker flips, a student accidentally kicks a surge protector strip off, or someone knocks out the switch the whole thing comes to a crashing halt.<br />
<br />
Therefore, I've recently begun building several images of both Windows XP (for our Rosetta Stone utilizing teachers) and Ubuntu Lucid for the various machines we have on campus. I'm hoping to find the time to put together a complete "From Square One" guide to locking down the Ubuntu desktop (as I've done it a few times already this week), but for now I thought I'd share a particularly useful bit of code, following up from <a href="http://hartmansblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/back-again-jaunty-jackalope-ltsp-local.html">a previous post of mine</a>.<br />
<br />
Some of the old firefox.js settings no longer work, but I've managed to fix all of them and add a couple more that I like. I think the descriptions are mostly adequate to see what I'm attempting, but if you have any questions drop a comment and I'll reply. Cheers! -Joe<br />
<br />
As before, this is the firefox.js file located in etc/firefox/pref/<br />
<br />
// This is the Debian specific preferences file for Mozilla Firefox<br />
// You can make any change in here, it is the purpose of this file.<br />
// You can, with this file and all files present in the<br />
// /etc/firefox/pref directory, override any preference that is<br />
// present in /usr/lib/firefox/defaults/pref directory.<br />
// While your changes will be kept on upgrade if you modify files in<br />
// /etc/firefox/pref, please note that they won't be kept if you<br />
// do them in /usr/lib/firefox/defaults/pref.<br />
<br />
pref("extensions.update.enabled", true);<br />
<br />
// Use LANG environment variable to choose locale<br />
pref("intl.locale.matchOS", true);<br />
<br />
// Disable default browser checking.<br />
pref("browser.shell.checkDefaultBrowser", false);<br />
<br />
// Prevent EULA dialog to popup on first run<br />
pref("browser.EULA.override", true);<br />
<br />
// identify default locale to use if no /usr/lib/firefox-addons/searchplugins/LOCALE<br />
// exists for the current used LOCALE<br />
pref("distribution.searchplugins.defaultLocale", "en-US");<br />
<br />
// Enable the NetworkManager integration<br />
pref("toolkit.networkmanager.disable", false);<br />
<br />
// Other preferences<br />
<br />
user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://www.aeacs.org");<br />
<br />
user_pref("startup.homepage_override_url", "http://www.aeacs.org");<br />
<br />
user_pref("startup.homepage_welcome_url", "http://www.aeacs.org");<br />
<br />
pref("browser.startup.homepage_reset", "http://www.aeacs.org");<br />
<br />
pref("privacy.sanitize.sanitizeOnShutdown", true);<br />
<br />
pref("privacy.sanitize.promptOnSanitize", false);<br />
<br />
pref("privacy.clearOnShutdown.offlineApps", true);<br />
<br />
pref("privacy.clearOnShutdown.passwords", true);<br />
<br />
pref("privacy.clearOnShutdown.siteSettings", true);<br />
<br />
pref("privacy.clearOnShutdown.history", false);<br />
<br />
pref("privacy.clearOnShutdown.downloads", false);<br />
<br />
pref("signon.rememberSignons", false);<br />
<br />
pref("browser.tabs.warnOnClose", false);Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-88518005488352807322010-03-31T16:07:00.000-07:002010-03-31T16:09:13.388-07:00My personal statement for admission to Pepperdine's Ed.D in Learning Technologies program<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; ">I once read a story about an economist who was travelling through China and took the opportunity to attend a tour of a new dam being constructed. The tour was given by the town mayor, and when the two men came to a summit from which they could survey the construction in its entirety, the economist noticed for the first time the many hundreds of workers laboring with their shovels to move the earth. He remarked, "You know Mayor, you should consider purchasing some bulldozers and cranes for this project, it would go much quicker."</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> "Ah," said the mayor, "But then what would happen to the workers employed here? The way it is now these men enjoy a good wage and can provide for their families."</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were trying to build a dam," replied the economist. "If it's employment you want you should take their shovels away and replace them with spoons."</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> The lesson illustrated in the story is one of efficiency, perhaps the most fundamental concept of economics and one that technology is inherently bound to. My vision for technology is one in which increased efficiency, due to the use of technology in education, leads to transformative changes that increase academic oversight, opportunity, and achievement through an increased ability to differentiate and personalize instruction. In other words, I think technology should enable students to learn at their own perfect pace across all subject areas with whatever tools they want.</div><br /><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> Any educator will acknowledge that the most difficult aspect of teaching is challenging all learners at their individual ability levels. At the post graduate level this issue is often addressed through criterion based assessments outlined in syllabi that inform each student what the requirements of the class will be. In this scenario it is often the less capable students who suffer from inadequate support, failing to meet the criteria for advancement in the allotted amount of time and forced to repeat or abandon the class.<br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> Primary schools, in recent years, have taken the virtually inverse approach of "leaving no child behind". Until virtually every learner has grasped the concept at hand, the class is prevented from advancing to more difficult material. In this scenario, it is the most capable students who suffer.<br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> Excellent teachers in either case can mitigate the harm inflicted through these systems by differentiating instruction. That is, by providing extra support to less capable students while simultaneously providing extra challenges to more capable ones. The trouble with differentiating instruction is that it is extremely time consuming, mainly because units of learning are not very scalable. There will be some overlap between what one group of students is learning and what another is learning, but in general, any increase in the sets of learners for a given unit results in a corresponding and equal increase in the amount of time it takes the teacher to design the unit. In addition, designing a unit for multiple sets of learners increases not only the amount of preparation for a teacher, but the amount of instruction, and the amount of assessment as well. The very best teachers may be able to maintain a three-tiered system of differentiated instruction across multiple units, but teacher-differentiated instruction on an individual student level is simply too inefficient to be feasible.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> I believe that current, existing technology is capable of increasing the efficiency of this process to the point where it is viable to differentiate instruction at the individual learner level. Many districts are already using advanced technological tools and software to assess individual student abilities and target areas of weakness. The next step will be for them to utilize tools and software to design individual learning coursework. The popular language acquisition software Rosetta Stone already does an admirable job of this. The final step will be to design and utilize tools and software to deliver the coursework itself.</div> Some may balk at this last suggestion that technology could replace a teacher, and it is true that there may never be technology sophisticated enough to replace the unique abilities of a human educator. It is also likely true that there will always be a place for subjective, human assessments of student work in areas like creativity, originality, and endeavor, especially given the recent calls for teaching "21st century skills". But I believe we can agree that to the extent technology is able to replace a teacher's work, it should.<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> Computerized assessments are a proven example. Arguments against non teacher-graded assessments abound: they are impersonal, the teacher doesn't see the students' work firsthand, it's difficult or impossible to assess the students' line of thinking, etc. These are not invalid arguments, but the bottom line is that computer-graded assessments are more efficient than teacher-graded ones. In addition, this increase in efficiency allows the assessments to be exceptionally thorough, and they open up a host of other benefits such as cross-referenced reports and comparative graphs that make the data easier for educators to understand and act upon. Contrary to hindering the teacher from learning more about their students, computerized assessments enable the teacher to learn more about their students' abilities than ever before because they can be done more efficiently than ever before.</div> At this point in time, however, even the most advanced computerized assessments serve mainly to allow teachers to make curriculum decisions at the whole class level. The data aggregation extrapolates information from the individuals so that the teacher can make inferences about the class as a whole. In my vision for technology, the aggregation begins and ends at the individual learner level. Each student is instructed and assessed within their own optimized learning stream, without regard to their standing relative to their peers. <div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> There are obviously many hurdles to reform on such a scale as this. Political will, funding, and even the wisdom of such drastic changes would all need to be determined before moving forward. But as with many of the world's most intractable problems, the existing culture surrounding education in America may be reform's single biggest adversary.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> Americans are accustomed to an educational system that is organized around time. Whether the time is the school year, the semester lengths, the periodic breaks, the length of the school day, or the age of the students in a grade, the entire educational system has been organized around it. An individualized approach to education would deemphasize the role of time, and instead emphasize the role of accomplishment. In my vision, instead of asking certain students to accomplish either more or less than other students in the <i>same </i>amount of time, we would ask all students to accomplish equally, even if it took <i>different </i>amounts of time. Such an paradigm shift is unlikely to be easy for Americans to adjust to, but it has already begun to happen in the business world.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> Many successful businesses, Google being perhaps the most famous, are renowned for their commitment to accomplishment rather than time. Their employees are not subjected to time cards, 30 minute lunches, or even a steadfast start to the working day. In return, however, employees are held accountable for their accomplishments (or lack thereof) and expected to be productive during their time on the job.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> Globalization, in emphasizing the relativity of time, has succeeded in shifting the paradigm as well. In a world where executives are frequently in meetings with individuals in other time zones and much of the Muslim world takes weekends on entirely different days of the week, a rigid adherence to the eight hour day and 40 hour week is competitively disadvantageous.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> Finally, technology itself has affected the way the business world regards time. When business trips were the norm, time was an abnormal concern only with respect to jet lag. With the advent of conference calls, video conferences, and mobile phones, business meetings no longer necessarily coincide with traditional business operating hours, and instead of being defined by the clock, the modern businessman's climate is defined by the accomplishment of tasks.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> Therefore, there is reason to believe that such a paradigm shift in educational culture would be possible for Americans to accept. What circumstances would have to arise to allow such acceptance is unclear, but given that competition was the main motivator in the business world, it seems reasonable to assume that it would be the same in education. Where that competition comes from then becomes the question, and while there are many, even at the highest levels of government, who are trying to manufacture competition in education through the establishment of charter schools and voucher programs, I believe that the majority of the competition will come from outside America's borders.</div><br /><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> My tenure as an Edtec graduate student at San Diego State was one of best times of my life. I took the trolley to campus and read books for pleasure on the ride. I got a graduate assistantship in the College of Education and learned how to repair computers and train faculty to utilize technology in their classes. I even got to oversee a distance learning class for one of my professors, where half the class participated in person with microphones and a camera that I controlled, and the other half participated through webcams and their computers at home. Perhaps my best experiences during that time, however, were the two trips I took to China to see and learn about the implementation of technology in education across that country.<br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> My first trip lasted nearly two months, that time being split between a few days in Shanghai, about a month in Shenzhen (near Hong Kong), and the remaining weeks in Beijing. The internship was the result of a collaboration between SDSU and Beijing Normal University, and I was assigned a mentor in Shenzhen, a fellow Edtec graduate student, to shadow and learn from. Together we traveled across the city to see "experimental" schools whose express purpose for existing was to be testbeds for technological innovation in education.<br /></div><br /><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> I had spent the preceding school year working in what was my first teaching position: sixth grade math and science teacher at High Tech Middle School. HTM is affiliated with the highly respected High Tech High consortium of charter schools centered around project-based learning and abundant technology use. In my classroom, in 2004, we had enough laptops for a 1:2 ratio of computers to students, but it was easy enough to borrow a set of laptops from a neighboring classroom to allow a true 1:1 ratio when needed. This experience made me believe I was prepared for whatever innovations I would see in China, but I was wrong. Nothing I experienced at HTM compared to what I saw in China. Indeed, in the six years hence I have yet to see anything in American education compare in scale or maturity to what I saw being done there.<br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> In Shenzhen I saw incredible, systemic innovations being applied across multiple schools. Entire primary school lessons incorporating flash-based interactive modules were delivered by teachers to classrooms of fifty or more students, each with their own computer built into their desk. Familiarity with the routines were self-evident, and teachers took pains to extend the lesson beyond the computer screen by instructing students to pair up and peer evaluate one another, or put on their headphones and repeat out loud the words they were learning from the flash modules. Confident volunteers were invited to recite points of the lesson from their seats or from the teacher's control podium at the front of the room, and when the lesson was all over, students as young as American kindergarteners gathered up their belongings and scurried off to their next subject-based class.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> In Shanghai I saw lectures by college professors, both live and recorded, streamed to mobile phones with audio and the ability to pause and rewind. Then I was shown on the same mobile phone, a live camera view of the room directly adjacent to the one I was standing in. What Americans might mistake for security cameras were being used to record and broadcast lectures across a mobile network.<br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> During my second trip to Beijing, about a year after the first, I attended a conference where Edtec graduate students from Hong Kong showed me a farm-centered Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing game they had created. Americans might recognize it now as similar to Farmville, the popular social game within Facebook. The difference, of course, is that China's version was designed to be implemented in the classroom and teach economic concepts, whereas Farmville is seen to be mostly a good way to waste time and spam your friends' Facebook feed.<br /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> As blown away by all this as I was, the most impressive aspect of the innovation I saw in China was not the technology itself, or even its use. It was instead the collaboration across the technology that struck me as being so far beyond anything in America. The technology alone served to simply link the different participants together, to make the work of one body accessible to a different body.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> The farm-centered MMORPG was designed by Edtec students in Hong Kong, but coded by computer science majors at the same school, and implemented by teachers across the country. The lectures being recorded in Shanghai were archived and made available to universities across the country, specifically the underserved and more rural eastern provinces. The flash-based modules the teacher in Shenzhen used were designed by a Beijing Normal University Edtec graduate student and stored in a database of similar lessons. The system of collaboration even included me, a lowly foreign intern. My job in Beijing was to transcript the English flash-based lessons and input their entire text into the central database so that any teacher across the country could search for any given lesson by title, subject, or keyword.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> Today I work at a different charter school in San Diego, teaching fifth grade and also overseeing the entire IT infrastructure of the organization. Over the past four years we've made great strides in providing our teachers and students with access to technology. We've moved both the student body and the entire faculty, staff, and administration over to Google Apps for Education. We've provided every teacher with a laptop and projector cart with document camera. We've installed WiFi across the campus and bought some netbooks that students can check out from the library. I'm proud of the progress we've made, but we're still years away from utilizing technology to the extent that those schools in Shenzhen were, and that was over five years ago now.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> The most depressing thought for me to ponder though, is the fact that many of my fellow teachers don't utilize the technology we've given them at all. Several, especially in the lower grades, don't even know how to operate the projector cart adequately. If we, a small, unencumbered charter school, can't collaborate effectively across even the few grades we serve, how will we, as a city, state, or country collaborate to the extent that China has been for years?<br /></div><br /><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> My personal hope for this degree is that it will lead me towards acquiring the knowledge and understanding needed to begin to answer daunting questions like the one I've asked above. I know that without the ability to address these sorts of problems, my vision for technology, much less more audacious visions, have no chance of coming to fruition.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> I'm in the midst of interviewing for a position with the San Diego County Office of Education, and I hope to work with districts there to not only help them effectively implement technology within their own schools, but also help them implement technology effectively between their schools, between districts, and even between educational realms. I could see myself working within this specific office for the rest of my career, but not if I don't have the skills and understanding to be a productive member of the team.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> I want to become an agent of positive change in America's system of education. I believe I have seen the future of education: the entire system working collaboratively, from postgraduates to preschoolers, helping one another become more accomplished learners and better citizens. I hope an Ed.D in Learning Technologies will introduce me to new possibilities for implementing technology in education and that it will introduce me to new people with the same passions as myself, but I also hope it will help me reach this goal of being an effective and positive agent of change within the system of education itself.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> America may no longer be the global leader of public education (if it ever was) but that only means that our current path forward has been more clearly laid out by the current leaders than it would have been otherwise. I, for one, am anxious to get started down that path.</div><br /><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: right; ">Respectfully, Joseph Hartman</div></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-8135205460915783302009-09-02T17:13:00.000-07:002009-09-02T17:34:14.789-07:00Resolution issues in LTSPYesterday I brought my whole class down to my newly configured LTSP lab with my dual quad core xeon, 8 gigs of RAM server powering my 22 Pentium 3, 128 MB RAM thin clients across a 10/100 switch with gigabit uplink from the server to the switch. From everything I've read this setup should work fine, especially since I've got firefox running as a local app now. Alas, it was not long before the familiar old complaints were ravaging my ears. "Mine's frozen!" "The computer's not working!" "Mine's slow!"<br /><br />Ugh.<br /><br />I did my best to alleviate the immediate issue by moving kids off of computers and that seemed to help a bit, but I still think there must be some sort of issue with my switch or something. I'm not entirely sure what the problem could be, but I knew that 128MB was pretty lean for the clients so after school I collected all the old PC133 SDRAM I had in stock and installed an extra stick in each client. This brings me to 256MB RAM in each machine which should be adequate.<br /><br />I figured out how to check on the switch settings and all the ports are running at full duplex, but I've got a parent here who's pretty saavy with network issues so I might have him probe around a bit more.<br /><br />One thing still left me puzzled yesterday, and that was the fact that some of the machines were not showing the screen correctly. Things were showing tracks around the screen and the resolution was different on different monitors. This despite the clients all being the same make and model. Very confusing.<br /><br />It's taken me a couple of hours this afternoon, but I finally figured out the problem. I noticed that the problem was only happening on certain monitors, Dell M782 models to be exact. The Dell 781P's, which are actually a year older than the 782's, were working perfectly.<br /><br />After wading through the <a href="http://doc.ubuntu.com/edubuntu/edubuntu/handbook/C/customizing-thin-client.html">ltsp handbook</a> for a while and trying all kinds of settings in my lts.conf (/var/lib/tftpboot/ltsp/i386/lts.conf) I finally found the one setting that fixed all my problems:<br /><dl><dt><span class="term"><code class="varname">XRANDR_DISABLE = True<br /></code></span></dt></dl>Apparently Xrandr was trying to autoconfigure the settings on the monitor and was somehow getting them wrong. By disabling xrandr I was able to dictate the resolution I wanted and all the tracing and slow performance disappeared! Sweet. Here's my complete lts.conf if you're curious, but disabling xrandr was really the key to getting the monitor resolutions right. Cheers! -joe<br /><blockquote>[Default]<br /> LDM_DIRECTX = True<br /> XRANDR_DISABLE = True<br /> X_RAMPERC = 80<br /> X_MODE_0 = 1280x1024<br /> LOCAL_APPS = True<br /> LOCAL_APPS_MENU = True<br /> LOCAL_APPS_MENU_ITEMS = firefox<br /> SEARCH_DOMAIN = 192.168.0.1 || Change this for your own network<br /> DNS_SERVER = 92.168.0.1 || Change this for your own network<br /> RCFILE_01 = /etc/init.d/chmod-resolv.sh</blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-7738616282527176852009-08-30T09:12:00.000-07:002009-08-30T09:50:23.672-07:00LTSP Local Apps progress: Firefox AND Flash Success!Yesterday (Saturday) the schools campus was open until 4pm to give teachers one last shot at preparing for the kids' arrival on Monday. At about 3:50 I finally got my classroom LTSP server running Firefox with Flash as a local app!<br /><br />It took a few clean installs to get it working and I never could get it to work with XFCE, which may be just as well since their support listserv still hasn't gotten back to me about kiosk mode in XFCE 4.6 and there is still no documentation on their website for 4.6 at all.<br /><br />In the end I used GNOME, but I was also successful using KDE on one of the computer lab servers a couple of days ago. I plan on sticking with GNOME for the time being mostly because it is a faster desktop environment, but also because kiosktool for KDE appears to be a pain to install AND rarely maintained. I just wasn't willing to muddle my way through another lockdown program so it looks like GConf will be my new best friend for the time being.<br /><br />I took the time to create a new page on the wiki that describes for beginners the process to getting <a href="https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuLTSP/LTSPLocalAppsFirefox">Firefox and flash working as a local app on an LTSP setup</a>. I haven't run through it myself to make sure every line is accurate, but I plan on doing so this week when I switch the computer lab over to GNOME from KDE.<br /><br />In summary: it should now be possible for nearly anyone to <a href="https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuLTSP/LTSPQuickInstall">install an LTSP setup</a> with nothing more than a Pentium 4 as a server and then run Firefox with flash as a local application on the thin clients without too much trouble. LTSP is getting more viable by the day! -joeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-89179584902107840502009-08-22T23:52:00.000-07:002009-08-23T00:19:21.380-07:002009-2010 Year ApproachingSchool starts in 8 days, but I started back at school a couple of weeks ago. We had a string of break-ins on campus at the end of last year and while the thief initially (and surprisingly) didn't take anything aside from a few dollars laying around during the first two incidents, he eventually wised up and swiped a laptop.<br /><br />In any case, I had some work to do processing some new equipment brought in for different situations like the one above, and of course I wanted to make a little progress on the Ubuntu servers we have in the labs and classrooms to see if I could have them running <a href="https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ltsp-localapps">local apps</a> at the start of the year.<br /><br />Anyone looking to implement local apps at this point (myself included) would be wise to remember that it is a very experimental proposition as it currently exists. That being said, there are <a href="http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1040198">a few people around</a> who seem to have gotten not only firefox to work as a local app, but flash as well. If envy could be sent across the intertubes, you would detect an abundance of it emanating from me right now.<br /><br />The good news is that I know that I've at least got the first step of firefox as a local app going thanks to Gavin and the guys on the <a href="https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/edubuntu-users">edubuntu user list</a> who really did a great job of dumbing down the <a href="https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuLTSP/ThinClientHowtoNAT">Thin Client How to NAT</a> so an amateur like me can follow it without frustration. In case you're thinking of trying local apps yourself you'll soon realize the first step is setting up the LTSP server as a NAT gateway so thin clients that don't boot off of the server (or local apps running off the thin client instead of the server) can get Internet access.<br /><br />Regrettably, there's not a similarly concise and simple How To page for setting firefox as a local app, but I'm working on the process and if I get it nailed down I'll be sure to put some hours into a comprehensive How To for others to follow. Paying it forward and all that I suppose.<br /><br />Finally, I sent a message to the <a href="http://foo-projects.org/mailman/listinfo/xfce/">xfce users listserv</a> asking how to set up kiosk mode in xfce 4.6 but I haven't heard a response yet. I'm hoping it is just because it's the weekend, but the pessimist in me says it's time to move to KDE's well documented kiosk tool. I downloaded the latest <a href="http://www.linuxmint.com/">Linux Mint</a> image with KDE 4.3 as a means of reviving an old Gateway laptop my cousin sent my way a few months back. I'm planning on experimenting with <a href="http://extragear.kde.org/apps/kiosktool/">the kiosk tool there </a>and hoping it works as well as it claims. Great to be back! -joeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-88694464440937172202009-05-07T17:31:00.000-07:002009-05-07T19:15:16.328-07:00LTSP Local Apps Progress (Or Lack Thereof)I've been working hard this afternoon to try and get Local Apps up and running as mentioned in the <a href="http://www.edubuntu.org/releasenotes/904">Edubuntu Jaunty Release Notes</a>. Alas, I've experienced little more than the all-too-familiar Linux fatigue trying to navigate my way through a relatively complex set of instructions with little to no (or in the worst cases, inaccurate) documentation. My (least) favorite part is the little blurb in the release notes that makes everything seem so simple:<br /><br /><blockquote>Installing Firefox inside the LTSP chroot and setting <em>LOCAL_APPS_MENU=True</em> in <code>lts.conf</code> will make Firefox to run locally on the thin client. The XDG integration takes care of adding the application in the menu or replacing it by the local application if it's already present.</blockquote><br />Ahhh, the art of deception. I have, in fact been able to install Firefox in the LTSP chroot, and have also created and modified the lts.conf file appropriately. I have not found it true that the the application is replaced by the local application however. Nor have I been able to actually get Internet on Firefox when it is running as a local application. This is important because, as much as I enjoy seeing that familiar Firefox screen indicating that I am NOT, in fact, connected to the Internet, I think I speak for most users when I say that the value of Firefox is vastly diminished without Internet connectivity. Before I write more about that, however, let me give a little background to those who are about to walk in my footsteps.<br /><br />I really don't understand why there is an opt/ltsp folder on the server or why it seems to have the exact same files that are on the Server file system already. I used to think that the server was operating in its own environment and the Clients were all in another environment under opt/ltsp and that to update the server was one thing, but to update the clients you had to use the command line and change root to opt/ltsp and then run updates from there. And while I still think this is sort of true, it doesn't explain why I can just install an application on the Server and that application will then become available on the Thin Clints. Shouldn't I have to install the application within opt/ltsp as well?<br /><br />Anyhow, I followed <a href="http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1040198">this post</a> and was able to install Firefox in the LTSP chroot, which I guess lets it run on the Thin Clients instead of the Server, and everything seemed to be fine. I can follow his command "ltsp-localapps firefox" on the Thin Clients and Firefox indeed pops up, although with no Internet. According to the post, I have to set up the Server as a NAT/Gateway or whatever. No problem, I get that: normally the Thin Clients look no further than the Server for their network information, but now we need them to be able to look beyond the Server to the actual Internet. Fine.<br /><br />I followed as best as I could all the instructions on the <a href="https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ThinClientHowtoNAT">How to NAT</a> wiki page, and I thought I did everything right, even performing the checks (accurately I thought). At the end of the day, however, I could still not get Internet on Firefox as a local app. I even used my work Windows XP laptop to run ipconfig while on the LTSP network and couldn't get it to see past the Server. I'm not sure what I did wrong, but if I ever find out I'll be sure to post it here with the quickness.<br /><br />What I really want to whine about, though, is the lack of accurate documentation available for things like this. I feel like the devs all complain about a lack of testers and inaccurate bug filing and maybe they are right about that last one (I wouldn't know, the process is so complex I just avoid it altogether because I'm afraid of doing something wrong). The former issue, though, could be helped with a little better documentation on things. Two examples:<br /><br />Example 1:<br />I tried to set up my Server as a Gateway/NAT as described above, but here is the first check I am supposed to perform: <blockquote><strong></strong><strong><br />Test</strong>: Reboot the PC, to ensure it sees this and examine the default route (on linux type <tt>route -n</tt>).<br /></blockquote><br />Okay, I can reboot the PC (although the first time I followed this tutorial I thought I was supposed to reboot the Thin Client) but then what? I am supposed to ensure that it sees WHAT? How do I ensure that it sees this? What do I specifically do to ensure it sees whatever it is supposed to be seeing? Then I am supposed to examine the default route? Examine it for what? What am I examining and how will I know if something is wrong?<br /><br />I guessed that I was supposed to ensure that the PC saw the change in the option routers. But there was no change to make for me. The "change" was to "change" a network address to what was set up by the LTSP install by default. If this is correct, shouldn't there be a note that this might be the case? As far as "examining" the default route, I guessed that this meant typing "ipconfig" in the command line on my Windows XP laptop while it was connected to the LTSP network. When I did this it seemed to show that it was seeing the "new" network address, but I didn't really know if what I was looking at was correct and I could proceed or not.<br /><br />Example #2:<br />A while back I posted about kiosk mode in XFCE 4 and even posted the contents of my kioskrc file that locks down the Thin Clients. This was a huge breakthough because it allowed me to configure all the clients quickly with just one small file and I could be confident that they wouldn't be tinkered with my malevolent students. Well, Xubuntu Jaunty uses the latest version of XFCE, version 4.6. Overall the changes seem positive (I LOVE being able to click and drag to select multiple files on the desktop) but my old kioskrc trick doesn't work anymore, and there is NO documentation for XFCE 4.6. I don't mean that there is little documentation, or that the documentation is inadequate or hard to find. I mean that on the <a href="http://www.xfce.org/documentation/">XFCE.org website under "documentation"</a> it says:<br /><br /><blockquote>We're sorry, but there is no documentation for 4.6 (<a href="http://www.xfce.org/development/">yet</a>).<br /><br /></blockquote>So, I play the waiting game (again) and they don't get their user testing.<br /><br />Today I switched to GNOME , deciding to give it another try after bailing on it over a year ago. Unfortunately GNOME remains slower on Thin Clients than XFCE, gconf still sucks to use (I set a "disable switching users" key to "mandatory" and it entirely removed from the panel the button to log out AND refused to let me change the key back!), Pessulus is still lacking all the options I need (and thinks people are using Epiphany instead of Firefox for some inane reason) and Sabayon still crashes when I try to run it. It's like May 2008 all over again!<br /><br />I'll be sure to post again when I have some good news. For now, I'm going to litter the intertubes with requests for information about XFCE kiosk details and clarification on the How to NAT. Cheers! -joeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-53449577971870149882009-04-28T16:17:00.000-07:002009-04-28T16:35:22.871-07:00Back (again), Jaunty Jackalope, LTSP local apps, and a new way to set firefox preferencesWell it has been way too long since I posted an actual post here. Last year I had a lot to say as the Technology Teacher and School Techguy. Unfortunately the budget cuts to California's school system led to the outright elimination of my position at the school. Fortunately my administrator saw fit to offer me a position teaching 5th grade and even offered me a stipend to continue working a few hours each week solving various technology issues. Although I really miss participating in the overall edtec community as much as I was able to do last year, I have a lot to be thankful for with this new position and it has been a great experience. That being said, I still have some thoughts to share regarding the current state of technology in education and I thought I'd take some time to convey them (especially since I have little else to do while Xubuntu 9.04 loads on my student server).<br /><br />Speaking of Xubuntu 9.04, if you haven't had time to read up on all the changes in Jaunty I suggest you do so. I think I agree with the consensus, which is basically that everything just works a little bit better. I'm glad to see they didn't adding any major changes like pulseaudio or compiz and instead seemed to focus more on making everything more reliable and faster.<br /><br />9.04 has seen some significant improvements in LTSP as well, including something that has the potential to revolutionize (at least for me) how LTSP deployments are configured and used. That thing is support for local apps. You can read more about it in <a href="http://www.edubuntu.org/releasenotes/904">the release notes</a>. If and when I get this feature working I'll be sure to post back about it.<br /><br />Finally, I wanted to share something I discovered recently that relates to a popular former post of mine about setting firefox preferences. I've since found a better way to set these preferences. Instead of creating and editing a user.js file I now just edit the <span class="il">firefox</span>.js file in etc/<span class="il">firefox</span>/pref/<br /><br />Things aside from the typical preferences that are included in Xubuntu by default that I decided to tic are:<br />setting the homepage<br />automatically clearing cookies and passwords after each session<span class="il"></span><br />not asking the user if they want to clear the cookies and passwords<br />not remembering any passwords by default<br /><br />Here is my entire firefox.js file that I use at school:<blockquote><br /><br /><div> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">// This is the Debian specific preferences file for Mozilla <span class="il">Firefox</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">// You can make any change in here, it is the purpose of this file.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">// You can, with this file and all files present in the</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">// /etc/<span class="il">firefox</span>/pref directory, override any preference that is</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> // present in /usr/lib/<span class="il">firefox</span>/defaults/pref directory.</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">// While your changes will be kept on upgrade if you modify files in</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">// /etc/<span class="il">firefox</span>/pref, please note that they won't be kept if you</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">// do them in /usr/lib/<span class="il">firefox</span>/defaults/<wbr>pref.</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("extensions.update.<wbr>enabled", true);</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">// Use LANG environment variable to choose locale</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("intl.locale.matchOS", true);</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">// Disable default browser checking.</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("browser.shell.<wbr>checkDefaultBrowser", false);</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">// Prevent EULA dialog to popup on first run</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("browser.EULA.override", true);</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">// Disable "safe browsing" feature that hogs CPU, HDD, etc. etc. in LTSP</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("browser.safebrowsing.<wbr>enabled", false);</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("browser.safebrowsing.<wbr>malware.enabled", false);</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> // Disable annoying location-bar suggestion "feature" that is sludgy with thin-clients</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("browser.urlbar.<wbr>maxRichResults", 0);</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> // Disable offline/disk caching of web pages</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("browser.cache.offline.<wbr>enable", false);</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("browser.cache.disk.<wbr>enable", false);</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">// Other preferences</p><div class="im"><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("browser.startup.<wbr>homepage", "<a href="http://www.aeacs.org/" target="_blank">http://www.aeacs.org</a>");</p></div><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> pref("browser.startup.<wbr>homepage_reset", "<a href="http://www.aeacs.org/" target="_blank">http://www.aeacs.org</a>");</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("privacy.item.passwords", true);</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> pref("privacy.item.<wbr>offlineApps", true);</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("privacy.item.cookies", true);</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("privacy.sanitize.<wbr>promptOnSanitize", false);</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("privacy.sanitize.<wbr>sanitizeOnShutdown", true);</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">pref("signon.rememberSignons", false);</p></div></blockquote><div><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Hope that helps some of you out. Good luck! -joe<br /> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-71714008466603254642009-04-25T20:41:00.001-07:002009-04-25T20:41:25.961-07:00Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.<br /> - <a href="http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/35699.html">Leonardo da Vinci</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-82655857488734886462008-06-25T12:03:00.000-07:002008-11-07T17:00:32.916-08:00Locking Down Xubuntu LTSPOne of the most annoying things I've had to deal with this year in the lab is students constantly changing settings on the Windows 2000 computers. It has varied from the mostly harmless (pictures of a student's cat on the desktop) to the mildly annoying (students changing the theme to have tiny fonts and garish colors) to the embarassing and offensive (Family Guy characters floating on a raft of blow-up women tiled across the desktop).<br /><br />Sadly, an even more annoying experience has been trying to find an easy way to lock these settings down with Ubuntu. There are lots of options out there (gconf editor, KDE kiosk) but many of the ones I tried had flaws of some kind. The most difficult thing to fix seemed to be locking down the backdrop picture. Unfortunately this was also one of the most important.<br /><br />I do think I've finally solved my problem though, and while the following steps are specific to Xubuntu and XFCE, they may be transferrable to GNOME or KDE at least in part.<br /><br />The solution began with this page on the kiosk mode in XFCE:<br /><a href="http://wiki.xfce.org/howto/kiosk_mode" target="_blank">http://wiki.xfce.org/howto<wbr>/kiosk_mode</a><br /><br />Here is what my kioskrc file looks like:<br /><br /><blockquote style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;" class="gmail_quote"> [xfdesktop]<br />UserMenu=aeinstein<br />CustomizeBackdrop=aeinstein<br />CustomizeDesktopMenu=aeinstein<br />CustomizeWindowlist=aeinstein<br />CustomizeDesktopIcons=aeinstein<br /><br />[xfce4-panel]<br />CustomizePanel=aeinstein<br /><br />[xfce4-session]<br />CustomizeSplash=aeinstein<br />CustomizeChooser=aeinstein<br />CustomizeLogout=aeinstein<br />CustomizeCompatibility=aeinstei<wbr>n<br />Shutdown=aeinstein<br />CustomizeSecurity=aeinstein<br /></blockquote><br />Once the kioskrc file is placed in etc/xdg/xfce4/kiosk it locks down everything for all users except user "aeinstein"<br /><br />Since I also wanted a custom backdrop on all the student computers I made one in GIMP, named it "xubuntu-jmak.png" and saved it in usr/share/xfce4/backdrops<br /><br />This basically just replaces the default backdrop that xubuntu looks for when a user logs in.<br /><br />I also wanted a custom homepage for all the student computers so I created a file called "user.js" in usr/lib/firefox-3.0/defaults/profile<br /><br />Here is what my user.js file looks like:<br /><div id="1ep0" class="ArwC7c ckChnd"><br /><blockquote style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;" class="gmail_quote">user_pref("browser.startup<wbr>.homepage", "<a href="http://www.aeacs.org/" target="_blank">http://www.aeacs.org</a>");<br />user_pref("browser.startup<wbr>.homepage_reset", "<a href="http://www.aeacs.org/" target="_blank">http://www.aeacs.org</a>");<br /></blockquote><br />The custom homepage only works for users who have never logged on before though.<br /><br />The real test will come next year when the students are using it all the time, but for now I think I'm pretty well set. Cheers! -joe</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-27706163320049581462008-05-29T19:29:00.000-07:002008-05-29T22:07:21.978-07:00Could the EEE 900 be the School Computer of the Future?My eee 900 test unit arrived on May 19th, exactly one week after the official release day. I literally ran down the stairs to the office when I saw that it had been "delivered" and the reaction from all the office ladies and parents was exactly what I had come to expect after reading about the little machine all over the net: intrigue, excitement, and enthusiasm. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited too, but I sobered up pretty quick. But let's start at the beginning.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-CTbIav9I/AAAAAAAAAi8/uDBnl25DQ28/s1600-h/0521081619-01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-CTbIav9I/AAAAAAAAAi8/uDBnl25DQ28/s320/0521081619-01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206022964475772882" border="0" /></a></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Plan</span><br />I've got several thousand dollars in a grant to provide the Middle School with a mobile lab. The idea of a $250 little laptop to get on Google Docs was pretty attractive and I almost pulled the trigger on an old eee 700 last month before reading about the 900's impending release and deciding that 9" is a lot bigger than 7", 1gb of RAM is a lot more than 512mb, and a 20 gig hard drive is a lot bigger than a 4 gig. (the verdict: $550 isn't $250 and 9" is still pretty stinking small).<br /><br />A secondary experiment was to let some teachers try the machine out for a bit and evaluate its potential as a teacher machine. Obviously I knew the eee would be insufficient for 100% use and figured on an ideal situation of pairing up the eee with a 22" wide screen LCD, a full keyboard, mouse and printer all connected to a usb hub at work. Thus, with two simple plugs (1 from the USB hub and one VGA out) a teacher has a nice desktop setup.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Machine</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-CkLIav-I/AAAAAAAAAjE/PQmXFcWUTxo/s1600-h/0521081620-01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-CkLIav-I/AAAAAAAAAjE/PQmXFcWUTxo/s320/0521081620-01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206023252238581730" border="0" /></a><br />I've seen hundreds of pics of the thing online but I still wasn't prepared for exactly how small this thing is. I tried to convey its size with the picture to the right, but I think the best way to imagine it is to think of a DVD case, it really isn't much bigger than that. Tiny.<br /><br />The responsiveness of the machine is pretty snappy. My student tester commented almost immediately about how fast it was. Of course she's used to P3's running Windows 2000 but I noticed it too. I did have to wait a few seconds for OpenOffice to get running (<a href="http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=480">what else is new?</a>) and there was a noticeable delay in getting the camera going, but otherwise it was faster than I expected. We're all (students and staff) on Google Apps over here so I was particularly pleased to see the impressive performance of Firefox 2. When Firefox 3 comes out it should be even better.<br /><br />The user interface is pretty interesting, and while much has been made of the tabs at the top of the screen in lieu of a traditional desktop, what I found most interesting was the fact that Asus blatantly mimicked the Windows XP theme as far as buttons and menu bars (see pictures below). It's an interesting way to go, trying to lessen the Linux shock for newcomers by making things at least appear to be the same, but I suppose that's a topic for another time. In any case, I had a few people who needed help noticing the tabs at the top of the screen, but once they saw them nobody had any trouble finding what they needed. Seemed to be effective, if not exactly expected.<br /><br />The multi-touch track pad is a nice feature when it works. Where it doesn't work is Firefox. I couldn't even get the track pad to scroll in Firefox, and even though my mom's HP laptop does the same thing it's a pretty egregious oversight given that Firefox is the default browser. In fact, the only program I got multi-touch to work in (not that I tried all the programs by any means) was OpenOffice. Multi-touch zoom makes a lot of sense given the small screen but it needs to work everywhere.<br /><br />One annoyance was the eee's sleep function which seemed to take an abnormally long amount of time to wake up. More than once I closed the screen to move the thing and would bump into someone, go to show them the eee, press the power button to wake it up, and then wait for 10 or 15 seconds before anything even appeared on the screen. I figured for a SSD based machine that's centered around being ultra portable it would be a little faster waking up. Not sure what the problem is there but it's a pain.<br /><br />Connectivity for me wasn't an issue as far as the Internet was concerned. I took the eee home for a night and it flawlessly connected not only to my wireless network (simple WPA protected Linksys Wireless G) but to my buddy's wireless as well. Connecting to a networked printer was a different story though. The process was a little more complicated than it probably should have been (and way more complicated than with Ubuntu) and then, after supposedly installing the drivers, would not print to a simple HP LaserJet 4050.<br /><br />Peripheral support and drivers is always the Achilles heel of Linux distros and Xandros appears to be no different. This was a big strike for my plan because many teachers print not only to their locally connected printer, but to various networked laser printers and even directly to the Canon ImageRunner copiers we've got in the workroom. If the eee can't handle an HP 4050 there's little chance it's going to be able to manage all the other printers we've got around campus.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Screen</span><br />9" does not seem too small at first. That seemed to be the general thought of almost everyone who saw the eee. I did notice, however, that after just a few minutes of use the 9" screen gets pretty tediou<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-Df7Iav_I/AAAAAAAAAjM/j_Ftz53BnbI/s1600-h/0521081623-00.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-Df7Iav_I/AAAAAAAAAjM/j_Ftz53BnbI/s320/0521081623-00.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206024278735765490" border="0" /></a>s to use. Maybe I just got used to my new 22" wide screen but I think 9" is actually just really small. My stude<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-Df7IawAI/AAAAAAAAAjU/yQpQ6OBLo44/s1600-h/0521081626-00.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-Df7IawAI/AAAAAAAAAjU/yQpQ6OBLo44/s320/0521081626-00.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206024278735765506" border="0" /></a>nt tester definitely commented on the size after playing around for just a few minutes. Definitely not the way to go if a lot of work needs to be done over a long period of time. Reading Internet artic<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-DgLIawBI/AAAAAAAAAjc/PMA5j_XGNyU/s1600-h/0521081630-00.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-DgLIawBI/AAAAAAAAAjc/PMA5j_XGNyU/s320/0521081630-00.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206024283030732818" border="0" /></a>les may be fine for a while, I haven't tried it out yet.<br /><br />The eee does have a VGA out on the side, but it does not auto detect an external monitor and requires the user to press "function+F4" to send the video signal. Pressing the combination again will enable video to both the eee and the external monitor as is generally customary with laptops. I was kind of hoping for auto detect, but it isn't a big deal.<br /><br />1024 by 600 is the standard resolution of the 9" screen, but that can be changed on an external monitor to the more standard 1024 by 768. Unfortunately this must be done manually not only when the external monitor is connected, but also undone when it is disconnected. This is no small matter since, as you can see from the pictures above, in 1024 by 768 resolution the eee cuts off the bottom of the screen which not only eliminates significant parts of displayed content but also eliminates the lower panel with the clock and status bar and everything. It's too bad auto detect of external monitors wasn't figured out because that could have solved this issue as well.<br /><br />That 1024 by 768 is the highest output resolution for the eee was a major strike against it in my book. To really take advantage of a 22" wide screen monitor, teachers would need a significantly higher resolution than that, and they certainly aren't going to want to be manually changing the settings every time the pick the thing up to take it across the room or something.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Keyboard</span><br />Much has been made of the minute eee keyboard on the Internet, but in my experience this was the least concerning aspect of the machine. Nearly everyone who tried out the eee made a few errors off the bat, but within just a few minutes was typing almost as regularly as they would be on a normal keyboard. My experience was no different. It seems like Asus has basically just eliminated any part of the key that you don't normally touch, like the corners and the very top and bottom. It does make the margin for error much smaller, but in direct opposition to the 9" screen, the keyboard gets less irritating with time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-FbrIawCI/AAAAAAAAAjk/Ks1FM7I7q2o/s1600-h/0521081634-00.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-FbrIawCI/AAAAAAAAAjk/Ks1FM7I7q2o/s320/0521081634-00.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206026404744577058" border="0" /></a>I certainly understand how it could be unusable for someone with huge hands, but you can see below how well it fits a sixth grade student's fingers versus an adults. Despite this, even my student tester had a little difficulty <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-FgbIawDI/AAAAAAAAAjs/6qKdtKblCyA/s1600-h/0521081634-01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10pt 10px 0px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-FgbIawDI/AAAAAAAAAjs/6qKdtKblCyA/s320/0521081634-01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206026486348955698" border="0" /></a>making the adjustment at first. This would indicate that keyboard size is an acquired preference rather than an innate one for most people. I don't think the keyboard could get any smaller, but in contrast to the 9" screen, I don't see a pressing need for Asus to go much bigger at this time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusions</span><br />Despite my own reservations about the eee 900, since I started loaning it out to teachers last week it's gotten nothing but positive results. Women especially seem to like it (maybe because they can see carrying it in a purse?) which is good since 80% of our staff is female. I think the reason for this is twofold: first, they really do like the small form factor offered by the eee. The EEE makes a lot of sense if a teacher is going to be carrying a computer around to IEP meetings in the morning, staff meetings after school, and home at night. Second, I think the teachers fail to understand the limitations they would have in trying to use the eee as their sole machine. Nobody is really using it as a replacement for their desktop yet (maybe that is the next step) which means that every dead end the come to whether it's printing or eye fatigue from working on a tiny screen can be solved by simply hopping on their trusty old Windows 2000 box.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-IVLIawGI/AAAAAAAAAkE/RmPkb-ijhac/s1600-h/0521081633-00.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GD2NkD7iQXA/SD-IVLIawGI/AAAAAAAAAkE/RmPkb-ijhac/s320/0521081633-00.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206029591610310754" border="0" /></a>As far as students are concerned I've all but ruled the eee out as a viable option for the mobile lab. The advantages that the eee presents to users (mainly those related to increased mobility) simply aren't applicable to students working in a classroom. When my student tester confessed that she'd rather be working on a full size laptop I didn't really need to hear anymore. At $250 it might be tempting enough to try, but with Lenovo and Dell regularly offering sub-$500 notebooks now, there just aren't enough reasons to go with the eee. Maybe the <a href="http://yourblog.direct2dell.com/2008/05/28/something-from-dell-at-d6/">new Dell UMPC</a> will fit the bill a little better. Cheers! -joeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-73490933821272453652008-05-16T17:04:00.000-07:002008-05-16T18:39:12.583-07:00Economist Article Response<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://economist.com/"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://media.economist.com/images/economist_logo.png" alt="" border="0" /></a>I have been an Economist subscriber since shortly after I stumbled across an issue while waiting for a sandwich at the <a href="http://www.shorelinelake.com/">Shoreline Park Lakeside Cafe</a> in 2001. I vividly remember standing next to the trash receptacle, reading over the "World This Week" section of the magazine that appears at the front of every issue, and just being stunned by the realization that I knew so little about what was happening in the world.<br /><br />My favorite part was how the section gave equal footing to the United States and what I regarded at the time as "countries of little consequence" like Sri Lanka or Finland. Here are a couple of snippets from this week to illustrate the point:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana,geneva,arial,sans serif;" >A computer hacker published on the internet confidential records belonging to 6m Chileans, including their <span style="">ID</span>-card numbers, academic records and telephone numbers. He said his aim was to demonstrate <b>Chile's</b> poor level of data protection.<br /><br /></span><p style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,arial,sans serif;">Several bombs were set off in the Indian city of <b>Jaipur</b>, killing at least 61 people and injuring more than 200. A little-known group, Indian Mujahideen, claimed responsibility. <a href="http://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11377166">See article</a></span></p><p style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,arial,sans serif;"><a href="http://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11377166"><br /></a></span></p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana,geneva,arial,sans serif;" >As expected, Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary in <b>West Virginia </b>by a whopping margin, 67% to 26%, underlining Barack Obama's lack of support among blue-collar voters. But the party began to unite behind Mr Obama and he secured the endorsement of John Edwards, who pulled out of the presidential race in January. <a href="http://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11376262">See article</a></span><br /><br /><br />Here is <a href="http://www.economist.com/world/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=11376995">the link to all the snippets</a> if you are so inclined.<br /><br />For the most part the articles covered in the economist address issues I have little to no knowledge of or expertise in. This leads me to oftentimes accept their view on a given issue as law, as it frequently represents the only point of reference I really have on the issue. The only subject with which this does not regularly occur is education.<br /><br />Education is the one subject in which I feel I have enough knowledge and experience to really effectively engage with what the Economist writes about on the topic. Sometimes I agree completely with what the magazine has to say, but most of the time I find myself in a position of slight to severe disagreement that has caused me many times to question the magazine's expertise in the other areas it writes about and that I am less knowledgeable in.<br /><br />One example of the latter situation begins with the recent article, <a href="http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/techview/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=11392128">"From Literacy to Digiracy" </a>wherein the magazine derides the rise of personal computers, and links their proliferation to falling literacy scores in the United States. It may be true that literacy scores in the United States have fallen over the same time as computer use has risen, but correlation is not causality as the Economist well knows. This association is an egregious example of journalistic failure the likes of which is uncommon for the magazine. Could the falling literacy scores not be associated with rising immigration patterns, decreases in traditional family units, or reductions in per pupil spending over the same period? I'm not a journalist so I don't know the answer to these questions, but it seems a shame that article leaves the reader wondering.<br /><br />Likewise, a section quoting statistics purporting to show a decline in leisure reading among teenagers does not even bother to define what "leisure reading" is. Is the definition reduced to printed material only, like novels and magazines? If so then I would say that I fall into the same category as my reading of magazines and novels has declined significantly in recent years while my computer use has increased significantly. This does not mean that I am reading any less though. Quite the opposite in fact. Earlier this year I had such trouble managing the deluge of articles sent to me through Google Reader each day that it was a strain on my marriage. Even after reducing my number of RSS feeds considerably I still receive several dozen articles each day and read close to twenty of them on average. It's too bad the article did not give enough background to tell me whether I was in the majority or minority because of this.<br /><br />Neither of these points is not the most aggrevating part of the article unfortunately. That is saved for the end where it is written:<br /><br /><p style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,arial,sans serif;">In Mr Federman’s view, the quest for truth has given way to the quest for making sense of the world as experienced. For anyone under the age of 20, the world being experienced is one where the internet has always existed, and where everyone who matters is only a click, speed dial or text message away. “Tomorrow’s adults,” says Mr Federman, “live in a world of ubiquitous connectivity and pervasive proximity.” Their direct experience of the world is wholly different from yours or mine.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,arial,sans serif;"><br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,arial,sans serif;">So, no surprise that when we incarcerate teenagers of today in traditional classroom settings, they react with predictable disinterest and flunk their literacy tests. They are skilled in making sense not of a body of known content, but of contexts that are continually changing.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,arial,sans serif;"><br /></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,arial,sans serif;">Teachers must recognise that our pedagogical tools are inconsistent with the skills needed to survive in a world where people are always connected to everyone and everything. In such a world, learning to think for oneself could well be more important than simply learning to read and write.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,arial,sans serif;"><br /></span></p><p>It is appalling how often such bland and generic illustrations as these appear in modern educational writing. What exactly is being said over these three paragraphs? That times are changing? That advancements in technology are having an effect on new generations of human beings? That individuality and independence are important things for a person to possess? At what point in the history of mankind could these things not have been said? At what point in the future of mankind will these things not be said?</p><p><br /></p><p>To it's credit the article does relate the Internet and the rise of computers to the telegraph of the last millenium. It is an apt comparison because in the classroom (where students are "incarcerated") all three simply become tools with which to grow citizens. In education the Internet, the book, and the pencil are all only as valuable as the owner is capable in wielding them.</p><p><br /></p><p>So this is the teacher's job, to prepare the children of today to be citizens in the world of tomorrow. It is a job description that has not changed ever, and just because Johannes Gutenberg invents a printing press or Al Gore invents the Internet (yes I know he never actually said he did this but it illustrates my point better to say it this way) does not mean that students are going to fundamentally learn any differently than you or I or our parents and ancestors did. Nor does it mean that students needent learn the same lessons that you and I and our parents and ancestors learned. It simply means that we have newer and possibly better tools with which to teach them.<br /></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-80328636590042330342008-05-16T16:49:00.000-07:002008-05-16T17:04:36.324-07:00A Better Update on Quad Core Xubuntu PerformanceLooking over my recent posts I realized that I never really followed up that well with a report on Xubuntu on the Quad Core Dell. In short, it's working great! The thin clients load faster than ever and flash is responsive enough that kids are able to play their games after school, even if they still complain about the performance. Watching the system monitor for a while revealed what I judged to be adequate load balancing between the cores. All four of them were doing something all the time, and while one or another would max out occasionally, they seemed to trade off the job at pretty regular intervals. From everything I know, that was the expected results so I was happy.<br /><br />Like I mentioned before, XFCE gives a little more control over the desktop and by logging on as each user I was able to unclick the "enable XFCE to manage the desktop" option which got rid of students' ability to change the desktop to some scantily clad Brittany Spears picture or something. Of course many of the students are smart enough to figure out how to undo this which is why I also installed Sabayon from the repositories and hid the "settings" option from the menu. This is a sophisticated enough solution that I think most students won't figure out how to undo it, but even if they did I could always use Sabayon to completely delete the taskbars and just have firefox start up when the user logs on.<br /><br />All in all I'm very happy with Xubuntu. It does sacrifice a bit in usability when compared to GNOME. Some annoyances include some sacrifices in Firefox integration (pdf's don't open as smoothly when downloaded), and the mouse can't be clicked and dragged on the desktop to select multiple icons at one time. For the most part though, the experience is very similar to what I had with GNOME and regular Ubuntu. Now I just have to wait to get my Eee 900 (shipped today!) and experiment with <a href="http://arstechnica.com/journals/linux.ars/2007/12/13/running-xubuntu-on-the-eee-pc">eeeXubuntu</a> a bit and see what I think. Cheers! -joeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-53940420951881357082008-05-14T15:43:00.001-07:002008-05-14T16:03:23.816-07:00Comment Responses and The Many Differences Between Private Sector and Public Sector EmploymentEarlier today I got an email from the Middle School Spanish Teacher explaining that her student computers (Edubuntu Feisty LTSP setup) weren't working and wondering if I could take a look at the problem. The first thing I noticed in turning on the server was the fact a horrible rattling noise assuredly coming from a fan or some other spinning device. Opening the box up I noticed a couple of wires had fallen beneath the fan shield and were the cause of the noise. A couple of seconds later the box was up and running perfect....except that there was no picture on the monitor.<br /><br />I pulled the VGA cord out of the server, plugged in a different monitor and it lit right up. What could be the problem? I restarted the computer, verified that it was fine and switched back to the original monitor. No luck. I power cycled the monitor to no avail before the solution hit me.<br /><br />Can you think of what it could be? The monitor is not broken btw. Pretty puzzling right?<br /><br />Apparently some kid had flipped open the front flap on the monitor and changed the "contrast" and "brightness" settings so that the screen was completely black. I tried resetting the monitor but for some reason that didn't work and it was only after I manually upped both the contrast and brightness that the screen came back to life.<br /><br />Just one little story illustrating the many little differences between tech support in a public school and tech support in the private sector (I'm assuming most adults don't intentionally screw with the brightness and contrast levels of their monitors until no picture at all is showing). Good Times.<br /><br />So I also thought I'd take the time to post a little response I wrote up to some of the comments on last week's post about Xubuntu (still loving it btw, just got Win2k running on Virtualbox on a P4 2GHz test machine).<br /><br />Apparently someone linked to the post because the 7 comments I got exceeded my previous comment total by about.....6. Here's my response to the various things people had to say:<br /><br />"Thanks for all the replies fellas. I've got a quick couple of minutes before my 7th graders show up to learn Google Sites (super sweet new addition to Apps BTW) but so far Xubuntu is doing great on the quad core Dell. (Now we'll see how it does with 8 cores!)<br /><br />Flash is very reliable BTW, not a problem so far except that it's slow on the clients which I've posted about. This does get a little better if "hardware acceleration" is turned off in the settings though.<br /><br />I like Ubuntu for lots of reasons, but most of them are described in slide 7 of my presentation on hartmanbot.com.<br /><br />I haven't tried PCLinuxOS, but from everything I've read Ubuntu, Fedora, and OpenSUSE are the big three in terms of hardware compatibility and ease of use. I owe it to myself to try it out in any case.<br /><br />I did try puppy and deli and a couple of others while I was debating the merits of Ubuntu and actually wrote about it in the previous post here:<br /><a href="http://hartmansblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/hardy-hardy-hardy-happy-return-to.html">http://hartmansblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/hardy-hardy-hardy-happy-return-to.html</a><br /><br />I guess I should elaborate a bit on what I did and didn't like about each of the other distributions. Better yet, I'll post on EXACTLY what I need out of a distro and maybe someone can prescribe me the perfect one.<br /><br />Fluxbuntu sounds good BTW. I'm definitely going to check that out for my stand alone machines. News coming soon...<br /><br />Cheers! -joe"<br /><br />Cheers! -joeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-85446626046740175292008-05-14T11:05:00.000-07:002008-05-14T11:18:01.893-07:00New Purchases: EEE 900 and My Dell Dual Xeon Servers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i.dell.com/resize.aspx/pedge_sc1430/100"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 127px; height: 127px;" src="http://i.dell.com/resize.aspx/pedge_sc1430/100" alt="" border="0" /></a>At long last and after much deliberation I finally bit the bullet today and had my Dual Xeon Dell Servers ordered. The justification for such a decision will become clearer on this blog in the coming days, but the most influential motive was the simple fact that the money had to be spent by the end of May and Dell had a special on the <a href="http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cat=prod&cs=04&k=sc1430&rpp=12&p=1&subcat=sys%2fservers&rf=all&nk=f&ira=False&%7Esrd=False&ipsys=False&advsrch=False">SC1430 model</a> with 2 E5310 Quad Core Xeon processors. In fact, the whole package for both servers cost me less than $2000. Now I just have to hope that Xubuntu knows how to take advanatge of 8 cores of processing prowress!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ak.buy.com/db_assets/prod_lrg_images/734/208017734.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://ak.buy.com/db_assets/prod_lrg_images/734/208017734.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />In addition I ordered my <a href="http://www.buy.com/prod/asus-eee-pc-900-20g-8-9-screen-w-built-in-camera-pearl-white-linux/q/loc/101/208017734.html">20G EEE 900 from Buy.com</a> (the only place around that seems to have the things in stock for the advertised price of $550). I'm really excited for this purchase as well since this particular machine will be serving as the EEE Ambassador to the entire faculty/staff/student population of the school. Positive responses from all the parties will hopefully lead us to purchase a few dozen more for our Middle School Mobile Lab. If not, then Dell seems to have some decent Vostro laptops on sale for pretty reasonable prices.<br /><br />In any case, I'm stoked about the new possibilities these purchases represent for our school. I'll post soon about my first impressions and what other people around have to say about them. Cheers! -joeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-52947447832751404472008-05-07T11:32:00.000-07:002008-05-07T11:55:08.112-07:00Xubuntu: Better than Ubuntu (at least for me)So my situation here at AEA has been pretty well stated in this blog, but to briefly reiterate where we are:<br /><br />There are approximately 200 workstations around campus for student use of which approximately 35 are Pentium 4 powered. The rest are either P3 or P2 machines with around 256MB RAM.<br /><br />The simple fact of the matter is that with machines like these there are few options when it comes to Operating Systems. I'm sad to say that the best option as far as performance is Windows 2000 (as long as I don't install any updates on it ever and just run Firefox).<br /><br />Of course Win2k is the worst option as far as stability, viruses, and ease of upkeep, especially when compared to a Linux LTSP setup. Ubuntu doesn't run that smoothly on these machines though, I've heard that 512MB is the minimum realistic requirement as far as RAM and that's just more than we have available for these workstations.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://xubuntu.org"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.xubuntu.org/themes/xubuntu/logo.png" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.xubuntu.org/">Xubuntu</a> though seems to work pretty well, and even better, it comes with an LTSP option right out of the box (something that is not offered with Kubuntu Hardy Beta, although that may have changed with the official release).<br /><br /><br />Even better, <a href="http://www.xfce.org/">XFCE</a> allows the user to disable control of the desktop which <a href="http://www.gnome.org/">GNOME</a> stupidly does not (at least without manually editing some ridiculous .conf file by hand) which means that I don't have to worry about students putting inappropriate or obsene images as their desktop backgrounds anymore! Xubuntu also works with <a href="http://packages.ubuntu.com/hardy/gnome/sabayon">Sabayon</a> (it's in the repositories although it's a little buggy still) so I can pretty much control every aspect of each users desktop.<br /><br />Best of all I did a little accidental user testing with some 6th graders today and the results were great! Basically I had 3 classes today and in each one a kid jumped on the Xubuntu machine I set up yesterday. None of the three kids even mentioned the fact that their machine looked different from everyone elses, they all just hopped on firefox and got to work!<br /><br />Now all I'm hoping for is a little performance boost across the LTSP network since XFCE is supposedly less resource intensive than GNOME or <a href="http://www.kde.org/">KDE</a>. I'm installing Xubunutu on our new Quad Core Dell box right now so I'll post any interesting results soon. Cheers! -joeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-4385993204915634282008-05-06T17:01:00.000-07:002008-05-06T17:18:41.475-07:00Hardy Hardy Hardy: A Happy Return to Blogging, My Thoughts on Hardy, and What I've Been Up To Since We Last SpokeWell faithful (and unfaithful) readers, it's been far too long since I last posted, and though my goal in doing so has for years to minimize the long posts and maximize the short ones, thus far I've proven singularly ineffective at heeding that advice. Nevertheless I will attempt once again to do so.<br /><br />When we last spoke I was in a state of dismay over the atrocious performance of Adobe Flash on an LTSP Thin Client running off of a P4 3.0 GHz server even with a new gigabit switch and Hardy (if you understood that, god bless you).<br /><br />Since that time I've made some great strides towards figuring out exactly what I need to do in order to have a functioning computer setup at this school that serves both the purposes of the users (the students) and the administrator (me). These strides have not all been in the same direction unfortunately, which was one of the main reasons for my prolonged absence in posting (that and my trip up to the Bay Area over Spring Break when I kind of lost some momentum).<br /><br />So that losing of momentum was probably more drastic than even I initially realized as I really found myself disbelieving in the whole LTSP idea and even Ubuntu in general. I did get to see Shuttleworth speak in SF over Spring Break but was generally underwhelmed by what he had to say. This had little to do with what he actually said and far more to do with the fact that I had pretty much already read what he was speaking on (at least in terms of Ubuntu and its future) so the whole experience was a bit like watching a very predictable movie. And of course I wussed out when the question and answer portion came along.<br /><br />So after that whole affair I started seriously looking at other Linux options. I checked out <a href="http://www.delilinux.org/">Deli Linux</a>, <a href="http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/download.html">DSL Linux</a>, <a href="http://puppylinux.com/">Puppy Linux</a>, and of course <a href="http://fedoraproject.org/">Fedora</a> and <a href="http://www.opensuse.org/">OpenSUSE</a>. With all of these options I looked at the possibility of installing stand alone machines versus pushing forward with LTSP as well as the supposed strengths and weaknesses of each distrobution relative to what I knew about Ubuntu.<br /><br />In the end I decided that Ubuntu had the same weaknesses as the rest, but more strengths (not the least of which were my own familiarity and experience with it and the community support of course). So now you probably understand why I failed to write for a while: I couldn't bear to write that I had given up on Ubuntu without actually being sure that I was going to do so.<br /><br />I'll wrap up this post by saying I'm not giving up on Ubuntu, although as of today I think I'm moving over to Xubuntu. There's a few reasons for this which I'll discuss in my next post, to be followed shortly by posts about:<br /><br />1. My job and recent developments related to the now notorious 2008 California State Budget Cuts<br />2. Next year's plan for the school (including potentially extremely controversial proposed changes in the technology layout courtesy of yours truly)<br />3. How things are going with my current setup in the labs and the library.<br /><br />Glad to be back and sharing again, (as down on Ubuntu as I was last time, I'm up on Xubuntu this time!) -joeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11681898.post-51796756088416298482008-05-03T10:41:00.000-07:002008-05-03T10:43:50.193-07:00<P ID=wj:l0 style=" TEXT-ALIGN:center; FONT-FAMILY:Verdana"> <FONT ID=wj:l1 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l2><FONT ID=m4..0 SIZE=2><b>Google Certified Teacher Final Reflection</b></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l3 STYLE="TEXT-ALIGN:center; FONT-FAMILY:Verdana"> <FONT ID=wj:l4 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l5><FONT ID=m4..1 SIZE=2>Joseph Hartman</FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l6 STYLE="TEXT-ALIGN:center; FONT-FAMILY:Verdana"> <FONT ID=wj:l7 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l8><FONT ID=m4..2 SIZE=2>K-8 Technology Teacher</FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l9 STYLE="TEXT-ALIGN:center; FONT-FAMILY:Verdana"> <FONT ID=wj:l10 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l11><FONT ID=m4..3 SIZE=2>Albert Einstein Academies</FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE="TEXT-ALIGN:center; FONT-FAMILY:Verdana"> <FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..4 SIZE=2>San Diego, Ca.</FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE="TEXT-ALIGN:center; FONT-FAMILY:Verdana"> <FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..5 SIZE=2>jhartman@aeacs.org</FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=s:lr0> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <SPAN ID=rpq_0><b>Summary</b></SPAN><BR ID=l11z0> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..6 SIZE=2>The majority of training that I did related to Google Apps and the tools offered therein. My first foray into any Google Apps training activities began immediately after converting every Albert Einstein Academies (AEA) teacher's email account over to the new Google Apps gmail service. It was the summer of 2007 and I was working </FONT></SPAN></FONT><FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..7 SIZE=2>as an IT Consultant </FONT></SPAN></FONT><FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..8 SIZE=2>at San Diego State University. It was here that I learned to use Adobe Captivate to create flash based video tutorials for SDSU faculty, staff, and students. Captivate seemed like a good tool to use for the purpose of introducing my colleagues at AEA to their new Google Apps tools so I created tutorials on how to use the Google Calendar and how to use Googlepages. I then uploaded these tutorials and sent them out to the teachers a couple of weeks before the school year even began.</FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=irfz0> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..9 SIZE=2>Before each school year AEA does an annual retreat with the entire faculty and staff, so this was my first opportunity to show off Google Apps in front of everyone. I made a succinct presentation that showed off all the new tools that would be available to the teachers, although not exactly how to actually use the tools. This was more of an introduction to make them aware of the possibilities afforded by our migration to Google Apps.</FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=fy3g0> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..10 SIZE=2>Once the school year started I did a lot of one-on-one coaching with various teachers, held a couple of all staff training sessions for the more basic Apps, and also held a few optional after-school trainings on specific aspects of the Google Apps. In total I was able to reach nearly every member of our 55 person staff. Additionally all 34 teachers in both the elementary and middle school are using Googlepages as their classroom website solution.</FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=a6xo0> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..11 SIZE=2>Midway through this year I began to seriously consider creating another domain with Google Apps for the student population to use. In February 2008 this idea came to fruition and aeastudents.org went live, offering over 500 students in grades 2-8 their own Google Apps Calendars, Docs, and Sites (Chat and Email are disabled). Since that day I have devoted countless hours teaching and training these students on the various Google Apps. In the process I've utilized various teaching methods, but the most effective has been to create an example of what I want the students to produce, show them the example, then give them a good start on recreating the example before cutting them loose and allowing them to explore the apps in attempts to complete the assignment. At this time the different grade levels are in different levels of completion, but the furthest along have finished lessons in both Documents and Presentations and will begin the Sites lesson next week.</FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=wskk0> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 style=" FONT-FAMILY:Verdana"> <FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..12 SIZE=2><b>Impact</b></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..13 SIZE=2>The impact of Google Apps on our school has been tremendous. On the faculty/staff side the most tangible result has been an increase in productivity due to the streamlined nature of Gmail and the elimination of any need to delete old messages. The most exciting result, however, has been an increase in collaboration due to the Google Docs and Chat (the Middle School Principal is especially fond of this outcome). I myself really appreciate the Calendar and its ability to assign and reserve "resources" because so many of our resources and related to technology (projector carts, etc.) and Google Apps has made turned the logistical nightmare this could be for me into something so simple I rarely even think about it.</FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=n2mf0> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..14 SIZE=2>The student side impact of Google Apps is a little more difficult to quantify because there has not been the same amount of time from which to draw conclusions as there has been on the faculty/staff side. The biggest gain thus far has definitely been the Google Docs because it simply eliminates the need for students to "save" work on a disc or flashdrive and allows them to access all their files no matter where they are. We have recently moved our Middle School Newsletter team over to Google Sites for their monthly releases instead of using a graphic layout editor. I'm hoping that the 2008-2009 school year will prove to be a transformative year for our school in terms of student/teacher collaboration and cooperation across Google Apps. I will be spending the summer thinking of ways to encourage teachers to share calendars and sites with their students, and to accept shared assignments digitally from their students as well (hopefully resulting in a significant decrease in our school wide paper consumption).</FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=eoa20> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..15 SIZE=2>That said, I think the best measure of success is made by simply looking at the teachers who are using google apps and how they are using it. Every teacher at our school believes that their classroom website is the best one in the school and the all take great pride in what they put online for their students. In simply making it a painless process to put content online Google Apps is making a huge and tangible difference in the way our teachers teach and our students learn.<BR ID=eoa21> </FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=rk6t0> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <FONT ID=wj:l13 SIZE=4><SPAN ID=wj:l14><FONT ID=m4..16 SIZE=2><SPAN ID=rpq_1><b>Challenges</b></SPAN><FONT ID=tk6d0 SIZE=4><BR ID=tk6d1> </FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> The biggest challenge by far has been encouraging the teachers and staff to move from using MS Office and their normal set of technology tools towards using the Google Apps suite. Certain Apps like Googlepages were much more easily adopted by the general faculty because few had any experience using web page tools to migrate from. Therefore Googlepages was their first foray into the world of web page creation. Google Docs on the other hand has been much slower on the road to acceptance because so many teachers are familiar with MS Word that they see little reason to set aside the hours of time it would take to become proficient on Google Docs to accomplish what is essentially the same task they already do with MS Word.<BR ID=uf5_0> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=f9v70> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> Certain facts are changing this belief though. When our principal's hard drive crashed on her PowerBook everyone noticed that she had not lost any work that she had created on Google Docs.<BR ID=sc840> There also seems to be a slow trickling effect within the school in which one user begins using Google Docs more effectively and a close colleague takes notice before venturing into the program a little further than they may have otherwise. </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=sc841> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> I have also noticed that my work training the students on Google Apps has helped to coax some of the teachers to use Google Docs a little more effectively. This is because the students oftentimes have not significantly used Word Processing Software or Digital Presentation Software before and Google Apps is their first experience really getting to know how to use such programs. Thus when they return to their home classroom from my class and their teacher asks them to write a story about their fieldtrip or something, they naturally ask their teacher if they can use Google Docs to do so. This has been my most proactive approach towards encouraging adoption among the faculty and staff and it seems to be working really well because I have noticed a recent increase in faculty requests for tutoring in Google Docs and its features. </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=armk0> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 style=" FONT-FAMILY:Verdana"><b> Personal Growth </b></P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> Implementing Google Apps has affected my teaching greatly. Training teachers was something I had prior experience with, but teaching students how to use an online suite of software was something entirely new for me. It was also a unique experience because I was attempting to teach it to students ranging in age from 7 to 14. My strategies for accomplishing this goal went through quite an evolutionary process, but with the latest iteration (see a description of my latest method in the "Summary" section) I think I have been able to find a solution that succeeds in both teaching the students the capabilities of the programs while simultaneously encouraging their imagination and curiosity about what these programs can really do. By finding that balance between explicit instruction and guided inquiryin my Google Apps lessons I really notice an opportunity to make similar changes in the other areas of my teaching. Ideally I would be able to mimic the teaching method I utilize in teaching Google Apps across all my other lessons, but whether that is feasible or not at this point I will have to wait to find out. </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=dj640> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 style=" FONT-FAMILY:Verdana"><b> Maintaining Momentum </b></P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> My biggest hope for the coming school year is to eliminate the option for teachers to use any office productivity suite at all except for Google Apps. There are several good reasons for this change, not the least of which would be to lessen the potential for catastrophic IT emergencies given that we will have virtually no IT support next year due to the budget cuts. I also think such a move would ultimately be a positive one for the students as teachers, now at least introduced to Google Docs, would be forced to utilize it in ways they may not have been this year and would hopefully pass on some of that newfound knowledge to their students. </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=bevp0> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> Aside from such a drastic step as this, I hope to produce some additional Adobe Captivate tutorials about how to use other aspects of Google Apps such as Sites. A few brief training sessions might also be in order, especially in the arena of layout options within Google Docs since this is one area that MS Word easily trumps its competitor. Finally I would like to initiate some incentives for students to further their mastery of the Google Apps, so things like a Google Presentations competition among the students might be an option. </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> <BR ID=li9y0> </P> <P ID=wj:l12 STYLE=FONT-FAMILY:Verdana> Overall Google Apps has been a transformative force in the way our school community works and interacts. What gains might be seen should we ever begin using Google Apps to its full potential is something I would love to find out. </P>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08669542062876450347noreply@blogger.com0