As a matter of interest, we have been running toolkits here since the tail end of 2008, so just over 4 years. We have something like 70,000 potential  users, 2000 academic staff. They have produced 65GB of content in the four years we've been running the service, just under 8,000 learning objects (though many are unfinished / hello world / tests).

The point is, 65GB is not a lot of data, and you don't have 2000 staff anyway...

-----Original Message-----
From: A list to facilitate and support teachers using Xerte Online Toolkits [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Shirley Crawford
Sent: 15 January 2013 13:36
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Xerte on a network

Wow

Thanks for all the replies and info I will collate later this week and forward to the relevant people.  Is there a list anywhere of which colleges/universities are using Xerte?

Shirley

Shirley Crawford
E-Learning Teaching Mentor
(Room J453 Tel:external: 01726 226755 ext 2755) Cornwall College - St Austell 

-----Original Message-----
From: A list to facilitate and support teachers using Xerte Online Toolkits [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ron Mitchell
Sent: 15 January 2013 11:05
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Xerte on a network

It's the practical rather than technical difference that's important here and Shirley mentioned XAMPP which means XOT rather than Xerte the developer tool but to clarify further:

Locally: whether the developer tool or XOT via XAMPP loses all the benefits of collaboartion, sharing, external access, efficiency etc

Network: In this context actually means a webserver with an XOT install, ideally public facing so that staff and students can access from outside college

-----Original Message-----
From: A list to facilitate and support teachers using Xerte Online Toolkits [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Terry McAndrew
Sent: 15 January 2013 10:51
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Xerte on a network

Just to clarify the term 'locally' - in IT speak it means on your own desktop computer rather than on a network via a server, in this case the Xerte Online Toolkits server. I realise when I talked about Xerte I was thinking Xerte Online Toolkits as that's the only version I have used.
Having an installation in your institution is another type of 'locally' but not the one Ron objects to (I think!).

-----Original Message-----
From: A list to facilitate and support teachers using Xerte Online Toolkits [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ron Mitchell
Sent: 15 January 2013 10:50
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Xerte on a network

In addition to what has already be said by Julian and Terry I'd add the following...

1. Don't even consider having it installed locally.
For me the only justification for that in your context is if you also have a developer who wants to use the local install to develop customisations or additional features.
A local install loses all the benefits of easy and college wide sharing and collaboration, embedding LO's in the VLE etc It's free and open source which means once installed it's available for ALL staff and ALL learners to use at no extra cost

More importantly compare the impact and cost of time in the following
scenarios:

Local install
If installed locally every user Teacher or Student has to export any LO's they wish to share and upload to somewhere online that others can access.
Let's say that takes even just 10minutes per LO and multply that by the number of anticipated users, the numbers of LO's they might create and the frequency they might create or change those LO's. Let's be conservative and say that's only 10 users creating 3 LO's each per week:
3 LO's x 10 minutes each to export and upload x 10 users = 300 minutes per week and the reality is it would be many many more users and LO's than this

Online college wide install
A member of the IT team completes the initial install but after that version updates and occasional fixes and improvements amounts to less than a week per year.

I've typed this quickly so my maths might be skewed but you get the point...
Which costs more in terms of time?
Which has clearer benefits for teaching and learning?

2. Adobe Presenter and Captivate are completely different tools and if you have them can be used very effectively together with XOT. I very much doubt you have a license to allow all staff and all students to use those tools and in terms of ease of use and T&L features there really isn't any comparison.

HTH
Ron

-----Original Message-----
From: A list to facilitate and support teachers using Xerte Online Toolkits [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Shirley Crawford
Sent: 14 January 2013 20:16
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Xerte on a network

Hi

Hoping that someone can answer the following.

I am still trying to get Xerte installed on the network but our Network manager is concerned about the amount of time and effort that would be needed to maintain it, can someone give me an idea of what is involved in running it on the network.

It has been suggested that we have it installed locally, I presume that the new version will need Xamp?  I know from past experience that local installs are not ideal as LOs cannot be shared and the user needs to use the PC which has Xerte installed to edit the LO.

There is concern that staff would not use it.  How does Xerte compare to Adobe Presenter or Captivate?

Alistair, I saw a message in December from Ian Hall at East Durham College, thanking you for documentation and advice in helping put a case for Xerte, would it be possible to have a copy of this?

I do feel that I am banging my head against a brick wall, so would appreciate any help to the above questions.

Regards

Shirley

Shirley Crawford
E-Learning Teaching Mentor
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