| Packages | Infrastructure | |
|---|---|---|
| Portals | ||
| Forum Package with Portlet | ||
| File Storage Package with Portlet | ||
| Calendar Package with Portlet(s) | ||
| News Package with Portlet | Portal | |
| Bulk Mail Package | Search | |
| Homework Dropbox with Portlet | RSS Support | |
| Simple Survey Package with Portlet | E-Commerce | |
| FAQ Package with Portlet | Content Repository | |
| Syllabus Portlet | General Notifications |
| Maintenance release |
| Packages | Infrastructure |
|---|---|
Portals provides a generalized infrastructure for personalized data presentation. "Portlets" are mechanisms through which data generated from packages (such as Forums or Calendars) can be aggregated. Date is aggregated at a group level and on a personal level. For instance, users can share a group calendar and group entries are automatically added to a users personal calendar. While this functionality is currently only available in .LRN, Portals is slated to be added into the core OpenACS toolkit. - - -
The Forum Package is a bulletin board or discussion group system for asynchronous communication. Dicussions are archived chronologically. Group administrators have control over the view (threaded or unthreaded), the default message display format, the user's ability to post new threads, and the email notification policy for postings. Notification of new posts can be received via email instantenously or in a digest of all the day's posts according to the user's preference. Users have control over their message display format and the option to cancel or add email notifications. Forums has an associated portlet as well, so that users can aggregate their forum subscriptions on their personal portal page. - - -
The file storage package is the cornerstone module for the course management system. Through a simple interface, similar to the interface that users are familiar with in desktop environments, users can upload and share documents like Word files, Photoshop images or PDF files. Group administrators create folders and upload files or URLs. This content can be kept as an archive for reuse in a future semester, or on an ongoing basis within a community. - - -
The calendar package functions on two levels: 1) manages group events within the group and 2) aggregates each user's group events into their personal calendar in one coherent, unified view. Single and repeating events can be imported to a individuals PIM (Outlook, Palm Desktop, iCal, etc.), so that each user selects what is synched to the PDA calendar. Group administrators can attach files and URLs to events and create customized event types to meet the needs of their group. - - -
The news package is a simple interface for one-way communication between group administrators and group members. News items are posted to the news portlet on the group page and all news items are "pushed" to the user's personal news portlet. News items can include HTML and the group administrator sets the release and expiration dates for each news item. - - -
The Bulk Mail Package allows a group administrator, or the site wide administrator (SWA), to send individualized or group emails to each user's email client. The emails are archived for reuse or reference. HTML formatting can be used in the emails. If enabled, individual group members with proper permission can also send bulk messages to other members. - - -
The homework dropbox and portlet is a homework submission tool that enables students to upload homework assignments and allows instructors to comment/evaluate and return assignments through a simple portlet interface. - - -
The simple survey package is a survey tool for collecting simple sets of data. There are several response types and settings for allowing users to edit or retake a survey. Data can be viewed online and exported as a .CSV file and imported into Excel for manipulation and compilation. There is a portlet associated with the Simple Survey package - - -
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