[K12OSN] Accelerated Reader on K12LTSP

[Luis Montes]

I don't see how .Net/Mono will help here.  If  Renaissance Learning 
cared about using open standards they already have plenty of ways to 
achieve it.  I don't expect every commercial software vendor to support 
every version of every platform, but RL's current stance is confusing at 
best.

 From there SystemRequirements page:
"Renaissance Place applications are designed for mixed network 
environments, such as those running Novell
Netware, Macintosh (Appleshare, Xserve), Windows NT, Windows 2000 
Server, Windows Server 2003*, or Linux.
Users simply connect from any Windows or Macintosh workstation with a 
browser by entering a server name or IP
address and logging in."

What is that supposed to mean? That its ok for a linux machine to be on 
the same network as Accelerated reader?  Wow! what a breakthrough. 
Really neat how they fixed tcp-ip like that, good selling point.

I hate to be so negative, but its amazing that a group of software 
engineers and educators could put out stuff like that.

Luis



Doug Gough wrote:

>Many of them don't "get it", but that's not the only problem. I think
>the bigger problem for educational software makers is that they have to
>support a huge and old code base in order to make their stuff run on
>EVERY version of Windows and Mac OS. We have several software packages
>that claim to run on everything from Windows 3.1 to XP AND Mac OS 7.X to
>OS X. Imagine trying to dig through all of that code to build something
>that also runs on Linux. Maybe some of this will be addressed by the
>acceptance of .NET/MONO. 
>
>Doug Gough
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: k12osn-bounces at redhat.com [mailto:k12osn-bounces at redhat.com] On
>Behalf Of Luis Montes
>Sent: August 27, 2004 6:32 AM
>To: Support list for opensource software in schools.
>Cc: jwhite at shaker.k12.nh.us
>Subject: Re: [K12OSN] Accelerated Reader on K12LTSP
>
>It still doesn't look like we can use this.
>
>Take a look at the requirements:
>http://www.renlearn.com/ProductSystemRequirements.pdf
>
>I'm not happy about buying windows 2000 server just to use their 
>software. If it would allow me to remove the few remaining win98 boxes 
>on the network, then maybe.
>
>That said, it doesn't really matter. They are still using QuickTime5 for
>
>part of the client.
>Their client specifications don't even mention Linux. They just sort of 
>threw the word "Linux" out there in the top of the page.
>
>I really don't understand why so many educational software developers 
>are stuck on using quicktime. There are plenty of  cross-platform ways 
>to provide animated content. How about using flash, libSDL, or java?
>
>I still don't think Reaissance Learning gets it.
>
>Luis
>
>
>
>
>
>jeremy wrote:
>
>  
>
>>I've seen the same thing.  Our district just doesn't want to put the
>>    
>>
>money
>  
>
>>out for the Web Based (SQL) Version just yet.  AR on the linux
>>    
>>
>terminals is
>  
>
>>low priority for the Administrators since we don't have the many of
>>    
>>
>them.
>  
>
>>But, I have a few teachers asking me about it so I thought I would look
>>    
>>
>into
>  
>
>>it.
>>Jeremy
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: k12osn-bounces at redhat.com [mailto:k12osn-bounces at redhat.com] On
>>    
>>
>Behalf
>  
>
>>Of Jonathan White
>>Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 6:45 AM
>>To: Support list for opensource software in schools.
>>Subject: Re: [K12OSN] Accelerated Reader on K12LTSP
>>
>>Just got a marketing snail mail from Renisance yesterday. It said
>>    
>>
>they'd
>  
>
>>come up with the perfect way to run AR (and the other Accelerated
>>programs) on any network, including a Linux network. It is their new
>>    
>>
>web
>  
>
>>based version of the Accelerated software.
>>
>>The flyer said that "all" you need to do to get AR running on your
>>    
>>
>Linux
>  
>
>>network is install a Windows2000 or 2003 server and you'll be all
>>    
>>
>set.:(
>  
>
>>I think it's safe to say that they still don't get it.
>>
>>
>>On Fri, 2004-08-27 at 02:22, Luis Montes wrote:
>> 
>>
>>    
>>
>>>Before you start messing with wine or crossover (not that I've gotten 
>>>that to work either), please contact their sales department and ask
>>>      
>>>
>for 
>  
>
>>>a linux port.
>>>
>>>http://www.renlearn.com/support/default.htm
>>><snip>
>>>   
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>> 
>>
>>    
>>
>>>jeremy wrote:
>>>
>>>   
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>Has anyone solve the problem of running AR on K12LTSP?  I have
>>>>        
>>>>
>thought 
>  
>
>>>>about several solutions, but before I get started I figured I would 
>>>>ask here and save myself some time.  Any info or tips would be 
>>>>appreciated greatly.
>>>>
>>>>Thanks,
>>>>
>>>>Jeremy
>>>>     
>>>>
>>>>        
>>>>
>
>
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