I was always confused why the State of Maine didn't do that with our tests. Seems like a no brainer, but so do a lot of other decisions that they make incorrectly. <div>On 2/27/06, Paul VanGundy <<a href="mailto:vangundypw@sau14.k12.nh.us">vangundypw@sau14.k12.nh.us</a>> wrote:<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> All, Generally speaking, the only way to ensure that you get platform independent programs/applications is to go web-based. I've really encouraged our state to start focusing on web-based testing and applications because that really is the only way to be platform independent. Besides, it's generally less expensive (both labor and time) to create a web-based application versus creating a Windows executable and the numerous install options Linux offers (.deb, .rpm, .bin, .tar.gz, etc...) and the Mac .sit file. About a week and a half ago I was on here talking about PowerSchool and how it's web-based (as is Centre...I don't want to go there again. :)) and how because it is web-based we aren't tied down to one operating system on our client side. We can use Macs, Windows, and Linux clients to view our student information system database. In my humble opinion, web-based is the way to go if your district and state can go that route. -Paul On Mon, 2006-02-27 at 06:46 -0700, Ken Grant wrote: > Hi: > > Thanks for all your wonderful responses! It is good to know, in a > bizzare sort of way, that other states have tried and failed at > implementing testing in this way. > > I'm going to talk to anyone I can at Harcourt and the state to make > sure that all platforms are considered when implementing this type of > testing. > > Bandwidth issues were mentioned and the public schools in Wyoming are > having a devil of a time with this issue. The whole thing has been > poorly thought out and implemented. > > Cheers, > Ken > > On Sun, 26 Feb 2006 11:45:23 -0700 > Ken Grant <<a href="mailto:kmgrant@actaccess.net">kmgrant@actaccess.net</a>> wrote: > > > Hello All: > > > > This may or may not be the best place to address this issue, but > I > > figure there are enough tech/educational experts here that someone is > > bound to have encountered it. > > > > My problem: Our state, Wyoming, is converting all standardized > testing > > for compliance with the "No Child Left Behind" law to computers. > > Starting in about six weeks, children in grades 3-8, and grade 11, > will > > be taking our state test online. The test is designed by the state > but > > admisistered through Harcourt Assessment. To ensure that students do > > not have access to other parts of the computer they are working on, > all > > testing must be done with a "secure browser." To get the browser to > > be secure a program called SiteKiosk is used. And you guessed > > it, it only runs on Windows and sometimes Macs. > > > > At this point the state is still dealing with many tech issues, > > including getting SiteKiosk to run on Macs. I've been assured by > > people at the state level and at Harcourt Assessment that no testing > has > > been done with Linux. Since K12LTSP is being used by school districts > > across the nation, this seems to me to be a terrible oversight. > > > > I realize that the bigger school districts have the funding for > Windows > > systems; however, we are a small Catholic school with very little > > resources to invest in IT. K12LTSP is the only way we can get > computers > > in the classroom. > > > > All that said, have any of you been faced with a similar issue? > If > > so, how have you dealt with it? How many schools with K12LTSP are > using > > it as their only platform? > > > > I plan to make as much noise as possible with both the state and > with > > Harcourt so that this situation can be corrected, but in the meantime > > any ideas on how to get SiteKiosk to run on Linux would be great. > Does > > anyone know if a Linux-based program exsists to make a browser > secure? > > > > Thanks for reading my rant and for K12LTSP...it's an awesome OS! > > > > Cheers, > > Ken > > > > _______________________________________________ > > K12OSN mailing list > > <a href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com">K12OSN@redhat.com</a> > > <a href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn"> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn</a> > > For more info see <<a href="http://www.k12os.org">http://www.k12os.org</a>> > > _______________________________________________ > K12OSN mailing list > <a href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com">K12OSN@redhat.com</a> > <a href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn">https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn</a> > For more info see <<a href="http://www.k12os.org"> http://www.k12os.org</a>> -- Paul VanGundy Information Technology Director Epping High School Epping Middle School P: 603.679.5452 F: 603.679.2966 <a href="mailto:vangundypw@sau14.k12.nh.us">vangundypw@sau14.k12.nh.us </a> Registered Linux User #398783 _______________________________________________ K12OSN mailing list <a href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com">K12OSN@redhat.com</a> <a href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn"> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn</a> For more info see <<a href="http://www.k12os.org">http://www.k12os.org</a>> </blockquote></div>