User blog: Rusty Meyners

Pearson TestNav Fail & Recover

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:17:58 CST

by Rusty Meyners.

Original (or at least previous) publish date: Wednesday, 12 May 2010, 11:47 AM

Here's what didn't work and did work for us when testing the entire Freshman class of around 90 students simultaneously on netbooks with wireless connections.

Server install DID NOT work - obviously and decidedly so.
- It seemed the most natural way to do things and bandwidth considerations seemed to be the only issue flagged in the Pearson documentation. We had tested groups of class size or smaller in the past with barely tolerable results, usually not seeming to be related to bandwidth. Testing 90 simultaneously crapped out after less than 2 dozen connections. In this case we were using netbooks on wireless connections but no change in perfomance was noted on several that were plugged into ethernet. Best guess is that the program files did not play well when in use by so many users - NOT A GUESS is that critical files were easily broken in this scenario and re-install was the so-called "fix".
Proctor Caching DID work - apparently.
- We have no observation of how things would have performed without this but none of the problems we had indicated a problem with caching, particularly considering good performance after changes were made only to components other than this.
Local install DID work - WITH A TWIST
- After it appeared that a local install was the solution (the Pearson documenation DID NOT give any indication to this effect but phone support did) we successfully circumvented the need to perform a full install on each machine by merely copying the folder from the server installation to each local desktop (NOT an idea we got from phone support). It may be possible to to the same thing with a local install folder but be sure the proctor caching settings are correct and if necessary edit the configuration file for that purpose. No critical .ini files were broken on 90 local instances.
- Some tips on this:
  - Zip the folder and copy it by USB to the local desktop where it is then unzipped in a separate action and ready for use. It could be copied directly from network but might result in an annoying bottleneck. Attempting to unzip directly from the network share will probably aggravate the bottleneck and uzipping from the USB stick will also be slower than performing the separate actions. This makes a difference when prepping more than a class-sized group.
  - If possible, set relevant temp-file paths (different on server vs. local installs) when performing the original install that you are going to copy. Not critical, because we performed an adjustment to each local computer and it wasn't horrendous (compared to running from server the previous day) but could be avoided. The correction is requested after logging in: just click Browse and the default path is normally suitable but if it doesn't work, just click "Skip Upload" (assuming student has no work to save yet).
  - On our netbooks, there were two suitable resolution settings, changed by hot-key, however making this change after the test starts will trip the cheat-detector and require the test to be restarted. So try to confirm a correct resolution before hand.
  - Because our netbooks are on full-time assignment to students, a special domain login was implemented to ensure a clean profile with less chance of junkware interference.

2011-02-21

(Will put updates or link to them here

Now that this reminds me NOT to do network install (hard to believe I'd forgotten THAT), here are some things that immediately come to mind.

Will probably script the copying AND unzipping of files involved in "Local Install" as described above in #3 (WITH A TWIST).
- have recently used scripting for similar delivery from network shares with encouraging results
- 7z zip utility (free) has proven very efficient and effective for this and works well with scripting
After optimizing scripting and zip procedures, will likely retest these from network shares as well as USB or SD card delivery, to evaluate which is/are preferable.

Google Apps for Education & Moodle Integration Update

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:02:55 CST

by Rusty Meyners.

Recieved email request today for links to info about new Google Apps for Education account features & changes as well as Moodle-Google SSO integration. This is the reply:

First link is a Moodle course I slapped together for a Moodle Mini-Moot at TCEA2010. A little dated but still relevant.

http://moodle.eustaceisd.net/course/view.php?id=204

Second is a link found on page above to a wiki covering Moodle-Google SSO integration specifically.

http://moodle.eustaceisd.net/mod/wiki/view.php?id=1101

Third & maybe most important are instructions I assembled for setting up Moodle-Google SSO. Though dated, recent feedback validates their continuing relevance.

http://moodle.eustaceisd.net/mod/wiki/view.php?id=1101&page=Setup+Single+Sign-on+Integration+of+Google+Apps+for+Education+and+Moodle

The links above are to guides I've written but following is a Google link to info about impending changes in the Apps for Ed accounts. Mainly it's a matter of adding more of the consumer account features to the Apps for Ed Edition as well as transitioning personal accounts that use an email from an Apps for Education domain - they'll need to associate it with a different email address, whether Gmail or 3rd party. This change includes a new feature that diverts a login attempt to an SSO domain's Moodle login page if pertinent.

http://www.google.com/support/accounts/bin/answer.py?answer=181963

Why an "Optimized" version of Khan Academy OFFLINE?

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 21:44:00 CST

by Rusty Meyners.

Why an "optimized" version of Khan Academy OFFLINE?

One might well ask this question since it is based on fine work found at http://code.google.com/p/khanacademy/ and I'm glad you asked.

In early December of 2010, I was approached with the question of having iTunes installed on our student netbooks and the complications we might experience with that. I suggested possibilities involving other avenues of content download and the considerable hard drive space available on the netbooks for offline storage. Khan Academy came up briefly during this discussion, so I subsequently spent some time familiarizing myself with that, ever eager to be knowledgeable on alternatives to iTunes.

The next day I was called in again to discuss offline content on netbooks with emphasis on Khan Academy. By this time I was a little more acquainted with Khan and aware that there were projects already in place regarding offline use of that subject matter.

... to be continued

Moodle Servers: Windows, Linux, Virtual or "Real"

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:36:24 CDT

by Rusty Meyners.

Regarding Windows or Linux:

Moodle is a Linux native along with the majority of the available support. My duties, skills and salary are too Windows-dependent to devote the time to mastering Linux that I’d like; but having said that, I couldn’t personally recommend Windows for a Moodle.

Regarding the Virtual vs. “Real” question:

Our Moodle has been a Linux virt from day one around 2.5 years ago and I’d do it again exactly the same today. BUT it is on the OpenVZ flavor of virtualization which is quite different from the VMWare solution that most people default to.

FULL VIRTUALIZATION (and para-virt)

VMWare is one of many flavors of FULL virtualization which use processing and memory resources for a software imitation of the hardware components in an imaginary machine on which you install your system. Fully virtual machines for the most part do not even know they are not actual boxes of metal and silicon. A subset is “para-virtual” where the virt has special drivers and awareness that it can get more direct and efficient access to the “real” hardware. Other solutions including (Free/OpenSource) such as KVM (on Linux but able to host Windows) and XEN work in a similar fashion to VMWare.

OS VIRTUALIZATION

OpenVZ only virtualizes or “partitions” the operating system and uses hardly any extra resources to do so. This keeps most of the advantages of virtualization and brings more benefits to the mix, especially in the way of performance. OpenVZ only works (last I heard) with Linux systems, though there is an expensive proprietary version for Windows that has gone by various names such as Virtuozzo and (I think) Containers(?). If you are using or even considering Linux implementation, getting familiar with OpenVZ would be an extremely valuable investment of your time, as I believe it almost never makes sense to virtualize Linux any other way. With OpenVZ I have can (and often do) have a production Moodle system running alongside a production KalturaCE, BackupPC, FOG and sandbox space for trying out any flavor of Linux system that catches my attention (Mahara is next on that list). Normally we have these spread out over several host boxes but the beauty of virtualization is the portability, disaster recovery and load balancing potential.

HYBRID VIRTUALIZATION:

ProxMox is the actual “brand” of virtualization we use and it is Free/OpenSource with pay support options. It combines KVM Full Virtualization and OpenVZ OS Virtualization for multiple Linux AND Windows virts in the same host system and may be one of the fastest ways around to get into the virtualization business. It requires fairly new 64bit hardware with virtualization support which includes almost any decent server hardware you would be considering anyway. I would love to help anyone in education trying to get started with ProxMox.

Netbooks in the Un-Happy Middle

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:22:37 CDT

by Rusty Meyners.

My response to the student who felt the netbooks were useless because of the blocks and filters, and asked why there couldn't be a "happy middle".

You don't really want a happy middle - you want everything your way. This is school and it's always been that way. If you wanted a happy middle, you would be thanking me for scheduling the blocks for the school hours and leaving you more freedom before and after. In return you would be using the laptop for school work and not abuse it when you are supposed to be paying attention.

Where was the happy middle when I originally left Skype on the netbooks and trusted y'all to be responsible with it? The abuse was so bad that we couldn't even wait until a scheduling block tool was available and we had to do it the quick and dirty way with the same lack of respect y'all showed by refusing to control yourselves and use it at more appropriate times.

Let's see your happy middle when the Internet is too slow to use Google Docs because those who would rather watch YouTube or download music or game emulators are hogging it all up.

So go ahead and look for a way around it if you want an express ticket to AEP - with a short stop at ISS if you're lucky. Everyone has been told what the reward is for hacking or bybassing network and computer filters and rules. Just ask those who already found out the hard way.

So the truth is you aren't really happy in the middle, but if I'm wrong, give me your constructive suggestions for how we can do this better. Just don't forget what these netbooks are for and why the school board spent all that money to put one in your hands.

Netbooks Evaluated, Deployment Impending - At Last!

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:41:30 CDT

by Rusty Meyners.

Long overdue is not only an update but moreover a final and conclusive chapter to Eustace ISD's long-running netbook evaluation and this blogging thereof. The last update saw us almost certainly planning to purchase Acer Aspire One netbooks for all of our high school students as well as several classroom sets of 25 for rolling labs at the other campuses; but since then, our focus has seen an quick shift to the Dell Mini 10 and mere weeks later an even more abrupt switch to the Asus eeePC 1005HA.

Dell got our attention with a new low base price that had to be directly aimed at Acer, who of course had to promptly lower their prices as well but too late to prevent a seemingly permanent change in our direction. A firm commitment to Dell eventually got them to get serious about our negotiations but a late unsolicited presentation from Asus that included an eval unit and competitive bid could not conscientiously be ignored. Attempts to have Dell make adjustments to remain competitive with Asus specs went from bad to contemptible, with our sentimentally favored home-state computer giant not just dropping the ball but actually seeming to "intentionally ground" it in "poor sport" pique over the challenge.

When time came for our school board to approve a purchase of 600 units for deployment, the eeePC 1005HA was the clear choice not only from almost every technical measurement but by user acclaim as well. Most netbooks are created equal on the inside with the main differences being in outward design and included or available options and to my thinking it frequently came down to who had the better keyboard, a measurement by which Asus usually lost even when they might win on every other consideration; however, the eeePC now has decisively closed that issue with a keyboard as good or better than any other, regardless of the optically-delusional preference many would initially express for the Dell or HP. Once they fixed the keyboard, the fundamental performance and feature advantages that Asus has consistently maintained in the eeePC line begin to make the choice easier; and when comparing reliability factors indicated by repair trends where both Dell and Asus products are used, such as Irving ISD (an exemplary peer among school netbook deployments), it becomes a no-brainer.

The fast approaching and practically "day-one" deployment to every student at Eustace High School on a "full-time" (including take-home) basis precludes more time here describing the benefits of the 1005HA over the many other netbooks evaluated for our program; but those who have followed this Blog or otherwise kept up with our project will know that every effort has been made to fully consider every relevant factor before coming to this critical decision on a resource and tool propitious to excellence in education at Eustace ISD.

Netbooks Update

Thu, 07 May 2009 18:31:03 CDT

by Rusty Meyners.

Deployed a set of Acer Aspire Ones to a High School English classroom yesterday with desired results and then some. Students were walked through initializing the machines which currently have XP Home on them. Another set is being prepped with XP Pro to be swapped in but we felt it important to quick-start pilot testing an all digital classroom in a non-technology subject. Both student and teacher initial reactions were universally positive and all started seeing potential they had not yet considered for the ways curriculum management might be enhanced by personal laptops and Moodle. The teacher was already promising to keep the laptops busy every period remaining in the semester but now is actually seeing the possibilities of a near "paperless" classroom.

Got wind on Twitter last night of yet another contender for the netbook dollar - a Dell which already has a couple of entries but this one is really serious. The Dell Latitude 2100 reportedly aims for the enterprise market that only HP has so far has made a real run at, including the price structure that goes with that. Currently the HP 2140 might be considered the "Cadillac" of netbooks when money is not an issue but the new Dell which is not to be officially unveiled until around mid-May, might just be the "Lincoln Continental". Besides the upscaled design, quality and feature-set, enterprise-grade support is a critical factor of this approach, with both Dell and HP being a natural fit for it.

Meanwhile, however; price is a factor, so with that in mind we have quite positive expectations for the Acer Aspire One 10" model - the "Chevrolet" of netbooks! Incidentally, Acer is reportedly outselling all netbook brands including Asus, the pioneering "Ford" of netbooks, with their eeePC.

UPDATE 05/07/09:

Acer Aspire Ones working out quite well with nagging exception of 4 machines (out of 50) needing to be returned and one of the pilot teachers experiencing "digital fatigue". Out of the box or shortly after, two of the A1s suffered from dead trackpads and another from a bad display, while just today another trackpad bit the dust. The teacher of one of the netbook pilot test classes has discovered a need to periodically decompress with an occasional resort to pen, paper and grease pencil, at least during a transitional period. The kids on the other hand have found very little to complain about and indeed it can be difficult to convince them that some work should be done other than on the computer.

We are actually pilot testing the netbooks in two classes now (the other being Social Studies) with both using Google Apps in Moodle heavily. The sharing features in GAPPS are invaluable for hand-outs, student collaboration and teacher grading, as well as a nifty ability to embed presentations directly in a Moodle topic section. The GAPPS folder navigation can be a little confusing at first, seeing that it looks like an email client; but when you consider the actual purposes and function, it starts to make more sense.

We are in the process of installing iTalc on the netbooks to provide more manageability with the digital classroom. It is imperative that the teacher be given effective tools for keeping the kids on task, because lacking them, the clamor to block valuable but often distracting Web 2.0 resources will be an overwhelming force.

Full Summary of our Netbook Evaluations Here

Student-Teacher-Class Dialogs & Collaborations in Moodle Google Apps

Wed, 06 May 2009 11:00:33 CDT

by Rusty Meyners.

The question was asked to the Strategic Open Sources SIG of TCEA mailing list:

"How can I set up a discussion between a teacher and her students, but limit the students to only see their own comments? The teacher doesn't want the students copying responses from each other."

This was my response:

We had not quite addressed this when you first asked it but it happens that I have a Social Studies and an English teacher pilot testing netbooks this week. Both are using Moodle-Google Apps integration with heavy reliance on the GAPPS side. The Social Studies teacher is doing something close to what you are asking in Google Docs.

After some collaborative work in both classrooms using that aspect of Google Docs Sharing, the Social Studies teacher asked how a student could "submit" work they completed independently. This was worked out by the following steps (the first two might be optional):

1. The teacher shared a "View Only" "template" with each student in the class.

2. Each student then opened the template and performed a "Save as Copy" to work with. The students could delete the original if desired.

3. Each student then shared their working copy "View Only" with the teacher who was able to review them in progress and grade them when the time came. If the teacher wants to make annotations (maybe in a different font color) it would need to be shared "For Collaboration" (Google Docs provides a Revision History - kind of like a wiki - to keep track of who contributed what in a collaboration).

With this approach, the student did not need to "submit" the work, because the teacher had continuous access to it from the time the student shared it with him. Though it would not be necessary to share it back until completed, I suggested that be the first thing they did, so as to avoid claims that "the cloud ate it".

The teacher had thought to next use a Moodle Forum for the students to work in pairs on a project that would involve a running dialog but has now decided that the share/collaborate/revision history features in Google Docs will suit him better. They plan to create documents that are shared three ways between the teacher and each pair of students.

Possibly you will see an application to your needs in this info; though it does assume access to Google Docs, with Moodle integration being almost a requisite but not absolutely so. Frankly, Ken's [Moodle] Blog suggestion may be the most beautifully simple approach if you don't need a revision history.

Embedded PowerPoints with Google Presentations

Mon, 04 May 2009 13:50:33 CDT

by Rusty Meyners.

Not sure how new this is but just found a Google Apps sharing feature that was new to me and maybe I'm easily excited but I couldn't wait to share.

While showing a Social Studies teacher how to share upload a PowerPoint and share it as a Google Presentation Webpage, I saw an "Embed" option not previously noticed, I immediately changed directions on the 'just in time" tutorial and we instead embedded it into a Moodle topic label. I explained that embeded share options had been made popular in My Space but can be used in almost any Web 2.0 venue such as Moodle. That includes this blog where I am fixing to embed his presentation with confidence it will work, though I've yet to try it.

Fooled You! Thought there was gonna be an embedded player, didn't you? Well so did I but the problem is with the Moodle Blog or our editor hack, so I had to just put a screen cap in. It is linked into the course where you might be able to view it if you have privileges there. Better yet, just try it yourself!

Mini-Note Computer Evaluations

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:33:07 CDT

by Rusty Meyners.

Mini-Note Computer Evaluations

The chart below shows six models of mini-notebook computer, two of which can currently be considered excellent choices for the purposes of deploying to EISD High School students on a 1:1 basis, as well as for classroom sets on any campus; while a third promises the same, though not available for our hands-on evaluation for another week or two. These are the eeePC 901 and the eeePC 1000, with the HP 2140 being anxiously awaited for our inspection. In fact the HP 2140 promises to be a superior machine in many but not all ways. The eeePC advantages lie largely in their intuitive and comprehensive operating system and software that has already been proven in our student trials. The HP has an unmatched overall quality of appearance and build, not the least of which is the best keyboard of any tested, though other questions remain unanswered as of yet - and it should also be noted that a glossy screen is gorgeous until you get near a window or go outside and glare makes it unusable. The Acer Aspire deserves an Honorable Mention, being an extremely good consumer value (Wal-Mart just did a “rollback” from $350 to $300) for individuals and families; however, for our purposes, it is found lacking (only slightly) on the “rugged” factor. The original eeePC 701 is still a very viable educational tool that only suffers from a modest hard drive, stingy screen and wimpy battery, though it’s as tough as a hockey puck. The HP 2133 is only included here because we have one on hand to evaluate its’ form-factor, since the more interesting 2140 that is not yet available shares the same case and keyboard. From a Tech perspective, the eeePC is considered on many levels to be the easiest to support, largely due to its’ solid state hard drive; however it is expected that HP will provide excellent support resources and critical peripheral items such as stand-alone battery chargers that could be vital.

MODEL	EISD TECH RATING	Approx. Price**	DURABILITY	PROCESSOR	HARD DRIVE*	BATTERY SIZE	SCREEN SIZE	SCREEN TYPE
HP 2140	A-?, B+?	$425	B+	Atom	160gb Std.	6	10	Glossy
HP 2133	C-	$300	B+	Via	160gb Std.	6	9	Glossy
eeePC 1000	A+	$410	B	Atom	40gb SSD	6	10	Flat
eeePC 901	A	$370	B	Atom	20gb SSD	6	9	Flat
eeePC 701	C	$275	A	Celeron	4gb SSD	3	7	Flat
Acer Aspire One(see_update)	B+_now_"A"	$300	C+_"B"	Atom	~~8gb SSD~~	3/6	9/10	Glossy
		*w/o shipping - other options available

Update 4/07/09:

Still haven't gotten hands on an HP 2140. HP is known to be one of the few planning enterprise-grade support for netbooks which their pricing reflects.

eeePC continues to release new models with emphasis moving a little more towards products designed for XP with the newest minor improvements in graphics, processing and battery efficiency. It is reported that they will be streamlining their netbook product line over the coming months.

Acer is still in the race with quite impressive sales that keeps competitors from resting easy. They still stick to a very basic model with few additional options, the $300 now fetching a 10" screen, 1gig RAM and a large standard hard-drive with XP Home. Acer currently has a demo progrmam for schools, offering a 30-day free trial with a $200 price for keeping it (only one at that price). Further update (4/13/09): Just rec'd demo of updated version and immediately note that the Aspire One now has a "quality feel" previously missing. It already had one of the best keyboard layouts and now seems to have a more solid action, while the chassis, lid and hinges are somewhat more rugged as well; so what previously was a "consumer recommended" unit now "makes the grade" for an enterprise deployment.

Other brands & models such as the Dell Mini and the MSI Wind should not be ignored. The Dell suffers from an atrocious keyboard layout that a motivated user will overcome for an otherwise great experience; and Dell is also offering netbook prices on 13" full-featured laptops. The MSI Wind hardware compares well with the best eeePC models if you don't mind XP without a solid-state hard-drive option or want to install your own Linux anyway.

Buzz is starting to build about the arrival of ARM processors into the personal computing market with devices that will blend the best of "cel"phone technology with netbooks to achieve even more efficiency, portability and economy; while the phones themselves continue to put more and more PC functionality in your pocket.

Linux seems to be losing ground in the netbook market for various reasons; but the ARM processor may alter the trend as well as Microsoft's Windows 7 business model (keep prices high).

Features and Challenges Considered for a Mini-Note Computer Deployment

1. Durability/Reliability

“Smaller” (or more compact), to an extent, seems to equal “tougher” in the case of mini-notes. Solid state drives are immune to accidental damage, leaving cooling fans as only moving part. Fewer moving parts equals less internal breakdown. Attention to construction and “feel” of LCD lid and hinges, as well as “feel” of keyboard.

2. Simplicity/Functionality

Preferably a mini-note computer should be ready to work out of the box with little or no preparation or user training. This means the included operating system should be easy to navigate with basic & necessary programs already included. Our mini-note infrastructure will ideally support curricular activities for anyone who can connect to the internet with a web-browser, regardless of brand or OS.

3. Value

Emphasis on the best of all other factors for the least investment. Consideration of needs to be met over the unit’s usefull lifetime of four to five years (plus).

4. Speed/Efficiency

Undue delays & stalls must be minimized due to shorter class periods and student inclination to take advantage of this excuse. Mini-note computers are not particularly fast or powerful but are efficient with the right combination of processor, RAM & operating system. Battery & power requirements will be an extremely significant factor in this project

5. Processor – Recommended Intel Atom

5.1. Intel Atom – also known as N270

Most efficient in current mini-note class both in terms of processing speed/power. Particularly noted for power consumption efficiency resulting in cooler operation and in turn quieter operation due to less fan noise.

5.2. Intel Celeron

Original mini-note standard processor with reasonable power and fair efficiency with somewhat warm operation and reasonable noise level.

5.3. VIA Processor

Underpowered, least efficient, hottest running.

6. RAM – 512mb minimum, 1gb preferred

7. Hard Drive

Solid-State hard drives are preferred for durability and power efficiency. Most models that have these are also available with a large standard hard drive and Windows XP Home at no extra price and in some cases a solid-state drive is much more expensive.

8. Operating System – Recommended Linux, probably eeePC/Xandros but with Ubuntu as an alternative

8.1. XP Home

Usually too slow on mini-notebook computers, at least when booting up or starting new programs. Not very expensive to license for mini-notes due to Microsoft’s aggressive interest in not being left out of the mini-note market.

8.2. XP Pro

Not enough known about performance on mini-notes, though seemingly reasonable when customized. Very expensive to license for this class of computer – not part of the Microsoft approach to this market.

8.3. Vista

Not known for speed or efficiency on any platform, much less mini-notes. Not part of Microsoft marketing approach for this platform, therefore expensive to license.

8.4. Linux

8.4.1.Xandros – eeePC custom edition

Simple, intuitive, well rounded variety of programs out of the box. Vast community of user support due to immense popularity of eeePC mini-notes. Highly and easily customizable and adaptable.

8.4.2.Ubuntu – universal , free, not brand specific

Valuable alternative to out-of-the-box operating systems. Highly customizable and adaptable to most hardware with exception of wireless adapters on some brands. Vast community of user support due to unique global standing of Ubuntu Linux business-model/philosophy.

8.4.3.Linpus – Acer Aspire One custom edition

Reasonably simple and intuitive with good selection of programs. Smaller, but vigorous community of support.

8.4.4.Suse – HP/Novell Enterprise Edition

Not proven by our own experiences, but thought to meet and possibly exceed most of our requirements in many ways. Has enterprise features including extensive Microsoft interoperability that other Linux systems may lack. It should be noted that integration of mini-notes into our infrastructure is expected to largely ignore “enterprise” features with a largely web-based “cloud-computing” approach.

9. Battery/Power –three-cell or six-cell batteries come as standard equipment

Three-cell batteries tend to operate a mini-note computer for 2 to 3.5 hours when new and take around twice that long to charge. Six-cell batteries are good for around 5.5 to 7 hours operation and need to charge overnight. Some models come with a 3-cell standard and have an available 6-cell but the price is almost prohibitive; whereas, buying a model that has a 6-cell as standard equipment is much more cost-effective. Power is expected to be the most challenging “infrastructure” issue in this project, as no matter how good the original battery is, students will soon enough need ample opportunities to “plug-in” for a charge or operation. In some models, a 6-cell battery contributes to a less convenient overall size and shape of computer.

10. Screen

These range from 7” to 10” with resolution being a more important issue for younger eyes. The 7” screen has a resolution slightly lower than practical because normal web pages and even programs often do not fit and sometimes even scrolling cannot compensate. Nine inch screens have a resolution that is quite practical and 10” screens use the same resolution with the luxury of viewing it only slightly bigger. Glossy screens look awesome until you get near a window or go outside, at which time the glare can make them unusable.

11. Keyboard

As a rule, the bigger the screen, the larger the keyboard making the choice between 9” inch and 10” screen actually a choice between the bigger keyboard which is probably a more important consideration. Keyboards in this class max out at approximately 93% of “full-size”, with smaller sizes featuring altered placement of vital keys such as the Right-Shift.

Netbook Update Here

Moodle - step two (part b) "MOODLEFIED"

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:36:02 CDT

by Rusty Meyners.

Huggins' 4th Grade class got "Moodlefied" last Friday when they created their own new Moodle accounts and then held an online forum about their just completed biography projects. The students were so jazzed about this new way of collaborating that they continued exploration of their online classroom space after school and over the weekend. Without prompting some were to shortly find the blog feature and couldn't wait to try out the new creative outlet. Below is the first example.

Also see previous post: Moodle - Step Two

Moodle - Step Two

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:30:47 CDT

by Rusty Meyners.

OK, so you've created your Moodle course and maybe you've posted some information or even videos on it. Oh, you haven't posted any videos? You haven't even used it to list assignments or other class information for parents to access, much less as a paperless way to pass out forms, references and other resources?

How are we going to take the next step with Moodle and leverage it for the interactive WEB 2.0 potential we've heard all the hype about? We can create, take and grade quizzes or tests in Moodle, but at first glance, that's intimidating enough for the new Moodle Educator, so just imagine how the students are going to react to that. Digital documents can be not only created in Moodle but turned in as well using the assignment submission feature - once we get the hang of it; but frankly the "fun and engaging" factor we're looking for in a new learning tool is a little lean when it comes to basic word processing.

Collaboration on documents or other projects is a little more to the point, after all, a simple definition of WEB 2.0 is "the read-write web" or maybe another way to put it, is "the give & take web". I never tire of telling the story about the first time I was involved in introducing Moodle and Google Docs to an 11th grade AP English class in the spring of 2008, where the first reaction was "this is lame" (the word spoken wasn't actually "lame") but by the end of the class one was heard to exclaim "Wow, Google Docs is like MySpace for English!".

The challenge before me at the moment is how to start getting a 4th grade teacher and class involved with the "give-take" aspects of Moodle. KISS principles seem appropriate, so let's start with something very simple and next to it put something fun, then push them together and stack something simple & fun on top and call it "constructivist".

So here's the plan. First, we're gonna take the 4th graders into the lab and have them register their own account in Moodle and with the time left have them try out the Chat feature. Second, the teacher will create a Forum for a recently finished class assignment (in this case, a major biography project that each student produced and presented); then, either in another lab period or in individual computer sessions, each student will "Add a new topic" to the forum with a paragraph summarizing their biography presentation. Each student will then choose or be assigned to read a few (say 5?) of the other topics to which they will each post a discussion question or comment for the original student to reply to or acknowledge. Or something like that.

Online forums obviously should never replace classroom discussions but the benefits could be substantial. They can be quieter, more organized, and don't have to take place in real time on a strict schedule, besides which they can be graded more constructively. Students can be promised an A for participation but the teacher will be able to critique and suggest additional tries on underwhelming efforts.

I'm a tech and not a teacher but Dr. Holcombe stresses that we are all Educators; and since I can hardly wait to see how this goes, he must be right! BTW, activities like this in a forum such as Moodle leave a digital record that can be shared and evaluated as appropriate, so I am also looking forward to having this example for other teachers to follow in the near future.

Next: Moodle - step two (part b) "MOODLEFIED"

ProxMox Virtualization Hybrid of OpenVZ & KVM

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:34:01 CST

by Rusty Meyners.

OK, so you want my view on ProxMox, OpenVZ or KVM? Maybe even VMware, Xen & Virtuozzo?

Yes, someone really did ask, earlier this evening on Twitter.

First, I've no experience with OpenVZ or KVM as stand-alone; because ProxMox does both and gets you off to a fast and easy start. This does assume that you have some "big-iron" because ProxMox only installs on 64 bit bare metal and uses the whole drive array, though there are work-arounds to make use of the extra drive space if you need to.

I do have experience with VMWare Server and also ESXi but only after each became free, as well as a brief spinup of Xen and a significant period with Virtuozzo. Still can't do without VMWare Server and Converter for utility, though my production stuff is almost always on ProxMox. Most of the hypervisors (even bare metal) are more or less free these days because the money is deemed to be in the management programs. Virtuozzo is a nice and unique product that unfortunately is far from free and probably will remain so until Microsoft becomes Open Source; and I would still be using it if it had come out with support for Server08 sooner.

OpenVZ is the Linux equivilent of what Virtuozzo does for Windows with an approach that partitions the operating system on top of a shared kernel, rather than virtualizing any hardware, which is where the processing and I/O overhead are lost. OS partitions are referred to as containers, rather than machines, and the term Virtual Environment is an umbrella for both types of virtualization; hence the VE on the end of "ProxMox VE".

Almost a year ago, I was deciding which way to go with heavy production, having only used VMWare Server and knowing I needed a bare metal solution cheaper than ESX (which has since become free), so it appeared Xen was the way to go, with it's reputation of low overhead with the more efficient "para"-virt approach. Cranked up the Dell edition of Xen Express on new Dell hardware, because the free-version restrictions were slighlty more generous than the regular Citrix offer, and Dell had an interesting way of booting from an internal USB key and calling it "embedded".

Shortly after spinning up Xen and booting a new Server08 on it, an associate alerted me to a very interesting, though obscure Open Source product called ProxMox that we just had to try. Since I had a twin of the Dell 2950 running the Xen, we had the perfect opportunity to run a comparison. Installed an identical Server08 on a KVM in the ProxMox and did a PCPitstop test on both. I'm sure there are more sophisticated benchmarks but the bottom line was that, yes Xen was awesome on CPU efficiency but it was lousy on hard drive access and the ProxMox wasn't bad on CPU while it blew away the Xen on drive access. One of the new Dells was intended for Linux and the other for Windows, so OpenVZ seemed like a no-brainer since Virtuozzo experience showed the container concept more or less undisputed for efficiency, leaving a decision on full or para-virtualization for the Windows box. KVM started looking real good and the hybrid approach sounded even better with the promise of the clustering, migration and management features.

The first production "machine" on ProxMox was for a Moodle, so VZ was the natural fit and of course that means it was a VE "container" (though the term machine is hard to drop); however significant Windows loads have been running on several KVM machines, ranging from media streaming & file serving to (believe it or not) MS Terminal Services.

The best part of a year has gone by and since then ESXi has become free and had its' chance to compete with ProxMox as a host for Terminal Servers and others. It's a great product with a wide range of features and a plethora of configuration options that ProxMox will never catch up with, but in the end we retired it and committed to ProxMox. Chances are, we may have some slightly older hardware around that will see some ESXi action but only because ProxMox VE will only run on 64 bit.

ProxMox VE uses a minimal installation of CentoOS or Debian (I think - should confirm) as it's base and you are able to install other programs on it after it is running. Many basics are missing because they are not needed to begin using it for virtualization but it does have apt-get and you can quickly add wget. Since my Linux skills are somewhat light, this is the point where I put WebMin on it; because that wonderful package is what lets a Microsoft immigrant sleep at night when he starts putting vital services on Linux.

For those who gripe about ProxMox using the whole drive array, I have two answers. One, install a guest OS to host the space as network storage; and (or) two, use WebMin to manage the drive space.

Once you have ProxMox going, you will find plenty of reasons to crank up additional "machines". Because it is so easy to test new systems, it has been a snap to try out great stuff like BackupPC and Joomla, DimDim Server (just today) and hopefully soon, a FOG server and various security and firewall appliances.

Oops, I just remembered - the DimDim server was actually a pre-packaged appliance that I setup on VMware player to get it going quicker and will put it in a VZ container later. Just goes to show, that you still can't do without some of the free VMware stuff like Server, Player and especially Converter. ProxMox has a wiki with instructions for P2V migration using VMware Converter, that I couldn't do without.

Extracurricular Media Tech Group - Homecoming Internet Broadcast

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:33:23 CDT

by Rusty Meyners.

Students interested in helping get our Homecoming game broadcast live on the Internet - LISTEN UP! Several of you met with me briefly last week to hear how to get involved with Media Technology projects such as this and other important events and productions. Those and other interested students and others should please register with the "EISD Technology NEEDS YOU!" Choice Link on the front page of the Moodle and then also go to the TECH GEEKS group in MoodleSpace and enroll.

I am sending this message through Moodle to those on my list that have accounts and depending you y'all to get the word out to others who need to join us. Some of them have not had a chance to even log into Moodle for the first time, so help them out, either in the Library or maybe with the help of one of Mr. Myer's Tech Aides in C Hall.

I had to go to Dallas last Friday and got back too late to get in touch with the students on my list but hopefully we'll have plenty of help this week.

Tentative plan is to meet at the Boneyard no later than 6:30pm before the game, and if I know who is coming to help I can leave your name at the gate to get you in free. You will take shifts operating the video camera while also getting familiar with the programs and processes being used to produce the live Internet feed.

Pass the word to those who can't come to the game, that they can catch it on the Moodle or Webpage because you helped!

Remote help with computer & network problems.

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:15:15 CDT

by Rusty Meyners.

http://www.crossloop.com/RustyMeyners