ClassWeb

File Release Notes and Changelog

Release Name: classweb 2.0

Notes:
ClassWeb is a web-based system originally developed at UCLA that enables you
to administer your own class website within minutes, without the hassle of
learning HTML, FTP or getting a UNIX ID. Using any web browser, an instructor
can access the website's administration to post class materials, announce
student assignments and focus student questions and discussion.

Some ClassWeb Features Available to Instructors:
          Password-protected administration utilities
          Complete control via Netscape or Explorer browser
          Upload files and automatically add them to the class page
          Easily create online quizzes
          Syllabus Wizard to quickly get course info to potential students
          Pre-enrollment form lets potential students express interest
          Announcements page
          List of Links Page where you add links
            - departmental and divisional links automatically on same page
            - pop-up web-links instruct students wherever you direct them
          View class roster online
          Ability to send email to all students on roster
          Teacher Assistants show up automatically from Registrar data
          Discussion Boards (anonymous or authenticated)
          Easy Editor to edit any information without knowing HTML
          Ability to directly edit the HTML of private and public pages
            - a complete online class can be created with provided tools
            - the configurable default is 100Mb web space per class
          Simple online grade management for instructor
          Course grades viewable only for and by authenticated student

Classweb has been in continual use at UCLA for several years, hosting over
300 classes per quarter.  The advanced 2.0 version of Classweb provides the 
full experience of Registrar controls, class pre-enrollment, content 
delivery, teacher-student feedback and grade management expected from a 
distance-based learning system.

Changes:
Classweb 2.0 - Glen Stewart - 03-05-01
--------------------------------------
prettified main Classweb page, adding icons for seasons, and pointer
  to make current term very obvious.
  
added Registrar link to main page, along with integrated Registrar functions
  thanks to PHPgen.  Registrar functions are BETA and not heavily tested.
  
added "doorway" icon/concept to entering a department to view classes.

revised stats.php to list all term classes, and added link on main term page.
  People wanted to see all term classes in a single glance, for all depts.
  
stripped away UCLA-specific output from stats.php, and added more useful 
  output like you'd expect from a course catalog.  Decided to remove links to
  library reserves since we have no way to link to various systems.  Links to
  Amazon.com can be handled from the Class Links tool.
  
concept of "sub-terms" was added to handle virtual classes (remote learning)
  that are not a full term long.  Since virtual classes have no room, there
  is no collision detection for conflicting class/room/time problems.
  
the old fedit scripts are now dedicated to handling Syllabus, and a new
  File Manager (based on a GPL'd tool called Database Manager) now manages
  files in the Private and (new) Public directories.  The file manager does
  quotas (100Mb is current default) and gives excellent control over the
  folders.  An entire online class can be created with this tool.  Using the
  Public directory cleans up the main class menu.
  
changed look of many pages with tables to make the table header highlighted in
  yellow.  Many pages lacked consistency.  Fixed. Info is easier to read now.
  
Pre-enrollment function added.  A prof can now have an assistant prof in their
  class act as Class Registrar.  This is described in the Installation and
  Administration documents.
  
grade functions added back in.  Unique, simple means for teachers to paste in
  grades from any sort of tool they use.  Student viewing of grades uses
  authentication.
  
major reorganization of database tables.  See the new tables.html document in
  the classweb-docs folder.  Changes include table deletions, mergers, and a
  couple new tables.  Note that all authentication now requires NUMERIC User
  ID's!!!  This was necessary to support auto-incrementing User ID's (ie.the
  self-standing registrar functions).  Classweb now stands alone - no data
  is fed by external college databases.
  
eliminated secure (https) access methods for Discussion Boards and any other
  areas for now.  Authenticated access seems adequate to me - we're not storing
  nuclear secrets here, are we?  ...and many sites do not have secure servers.
  
eliminated "classweb" group requirement in UNIX setup.  This added to setup
  complexity.  Most sites will just run classweb as nobody.nobody which is
  standard for Apache.
  
broke classweb into three unique sections: classes, classweb, and classweb-docs.
  classes go in web server DOCUMENT ROOT, classweb goes in /home, and 
  classweb-docs goes in DOCUMENT ROOT and contains much info from UCLA's 
  classweb site.  Folks on Intranets can survive without the UCLA site, and
  we can now update the local docs with each release.
  
fixed discussion board icons for prof and TA so they show up in authenticated
  boards.
  
major revamp of Administrator's "Other/Advanced Edit" menu.  Profs will be
  spending a lot of time in here, so it should look nice!
  
fixed problems with sending mail to class.

revised security/setgroups.pl, hits.pl, statsdb.pl, and bbcheckdb.pl to run
  without term arguments (who likes maintaining all this stuff each and every
  term?) when running in cron.
  
changed syllabus icon to check or X.

replaced UCLA's dept of Social Sciences logo with a standard Classweb logo 
  that should suit all departments.
  
added ability for prof to change their own Homepage URL.

added feature to let student/prof have their password remailed to them.

many, many other changes and enhancements...this was a sweeping rewrite.