Hi all:
As we are running a big Moodle site here at SFSU, we are really concerned about the chat application scalibility as we might have more than 100+ concurrent users (not necessarily in the same chat room) in the future. I was evaluating and was looking at an AJAX-based chat program called LACE (http://socket7.net/lace/), however, after I communicated with the author of Lace, he said that scaling Lace up to more than ~50 users is going to be hard without MAJOR changes. The whole codebase neds to be built from the ground up with scalability in mind. I wonder if anyone here in the forum know of any other chat application (PHP and/or AJAX based) that was built from the ground up with scalability in mind? Also, we tested both Moodle chat (1.6) and the Lace chat with a screen reader program called "JAW", both chat could not pass the test for this screen reader (accessibility test for reading impaired). Is there any plan for the Moodle chat to enhance its accessibility in the near future? Thanks!
About Lace (AJAX based) n Moodle chat - accessibility and scalibility
by Wen Hao Chuang -
Number of replies: 9
In reply to Wen Hao Chuang
Re: About Lace (AJAX based) n Moodle chat - accessibility and scalibility
by Michael Penney -
Hi Wen, just back from the Oklahoma Moodle Moot, where I was able to talk with Jason Cole from OU. OU is working on integrating Jabber for highly scalable chat, we've talked about this some too. Perhaps we can work out with OU a way to share resources on this with the OU?
In reply to Michael Penney
Re: About Lace (AJAX based) n Moodle chat - accessibility and scalibility
by Wen Hao Chuang -
yeah that sounds like a great idea. By the way, I wonder if there is any known issue in terms of screen reader (e.g. JAWS) accessibility with Jabber? Also, just curious, did anyone try this php client for Jabber before?
Class.Jabber.PHP
http://cjphp.netflint.net/?section=about
Class.Jabber.PHP
http://cjphp.netflint.net/?section=about
In reply to Wen Hao Chuang
Re: About Lace (AJAX based) n Moodle chat - accessibility and scalibility
by Alex Little -
Hi,
Here's a summary about the work we're doing here at the OU on Jabber/Moodle integration...
Firstly, the work we're doing isn't directly part of the main OU Moodle VLE project, it's part of the OpenLearn/Open Content project (http://oci.open.ac.uk), but it's hoped that we work we do will provide useful (and scalable/stable) enough to move to the main OU Moodle.
What we've got so far is a standalone web based (AJAX) client to a Jabber server (all seperate from Moodle), and for our initial release (in Autumn) we're looking to integrate this into a Moodle block, though the Moodle block will be a gateway to the standalone client - rather than the chat functions being all contained within the Moodle application. In terms of functionality, we'll be starting off very simply, the Moodle block will just show a users presence (all the contacts/buddy lists etc will be within the client rather than Moodle block), and we'd like to update the forums so it shows the current presence of other users. After the initial release, there are lots of things we'd like to do - eg extending the presence to other parts of Moodle (not just the forums), adding maps/geo-location etc
We're running Wildfire Jabber server so it's all java rather than PHP - and AFAIK we've no current plans to try and switch to a PHP based chat tool/server.
In terms of accessibility, Jabber is just the messaging protocol, so to test accessibility you're really testing the accessibility of the particular chat client software you're using, rather than Jabber itself (whether that's a downloadable client tool, or web based client). We'll be accessibility checking our AJAX application, though there accessibility issues/gotchas with AJAX applications generally (see: http://juicystudio.com/article/making-ajax-work-with-screen-readers.php)
Hope this info is useful, but feel free to reply or email me if you'd like to know more
Alex
Here's a summary about the work we're doing here at the OU on Jabber/Moodle integration...
Firstly, the work we're doing isn't directly part of the main OU Moodle VLE project, it's part of the OpenLearn/Open Content project (http://oci.open.ac.uk), but it's hoped that we work we do will provide useful (and scalable/stable) enough to move to the main OU Moodle.
What we've got so far is a standalone web based (AJAX) client to a Jabber server (all seperate from Moodle), and for our initial release (in Autumn) we're looking to integrate this into a Moodle block, though the Moodle block will be a gateway to the standalone client - rather than the chat functions being all contained within the Moodle application. In terms of functionality, we'll be starting off very simply, the Moodle block will just show a users presence (all the contacts/buddy lists etc will be within the client rather than Moodle block), and we'd like to update the forums so it shows the current presence of other users. After the initial release, there are lots of things we'd like to do - eg extending the presence to other parts of Moodle (not just the forums), adding maps/geo-location etc
We're running Wildfire Jabber server so it's all java rather than PHP - and AFAIK we've no current plans to try and switch to a PHP based chat tool/server.
In terms of accessibility, Jabber is just the messaging protocol, so to test accessibility you're really testing the accessibility of the particular chat client software you're using, rather than Jabber itself (whether that's a downloadable client tool, or web based client). We'll be accessibility checking our AJAX application, though there accessibility issues/gotchas with AJAX applications generally (see: http://juicystudio.com/article/making-ajax-work-with-screen-readers.php)
Hope this info is useful, but feel free to reply or email me if you'd like to know more
Alex
In reply to Alex Little
Re: About Lace (AJAX based) n Moodle chat - accessibility and scalibility
by David Scotson -
This is also related to the 'Messaging' work that Martin mentioned in his keynote at the MoodleMoot UK. The plan is apparently for all 'messages' (e.g. notification of grades, or new forum posts) to go through a central point and from there the user can control how they are notified. This may mean turning off all notifications for two weeks as they are on vacation, or directing the crucial response they are waiting for to mobile phone sms messages, or jabber-based instant messaging as well as the more traditional email.
I'd imagine there's a general move to campuses providing their own jabber-based messaging, just as they currently provide email and so having Moodle tap into that (with the option of doing it all internally) seem the way to go.
In reply to Alex Little
Re: About Lace (AJAX based) n Moodle chat - accessibility and scalibility
by Wen Hao Chuang -
Hi Alex, for the standalone web based (AJAX) client, is it ready for testing right now? We would be really interested to help testing the code. Is it possible that you could post the code here or put it in the contrib directory? Thanks!
In reply to Wen Hao Chuang
Re: About Lace (AJAX based) n Moodle chat - accessibility and scalibility
by Alex Little -
It's not ready just yet! - we've still got a few more things to do before we can let people try it out. I'm not sure yet what we're doing with the code for the AJAX client, I know it's going to be open source, but as it's completely seperate from Moodle, not sure that we'll put it up in the Moodle contrib. We will be putting up the integration code (block) that we create, but this is in it's fairly early stages
Alex
Alex
In reply to Alex Little
Re: About Lace (AJAX based) n Moodle chat - accessibility and scalibility
by Anil Sharma -
Any progress on this ?
In reply to Anil Sharma
Re: About Lace (AJAX based) n Moodle chat - accessibility and scalibility
by Alex Little -
Hi Anil,
Yes, lots of progress since last August(!). Best place to have a look at what we've done is on the OpenLearn website (http://openlearn.open.ac.uk) and take a look at the MSG Instant Messaging block (you'll need to register to get the full benefits!).
If you're interested in running on your own Moodle then have a look at: http://kmi.open.ac.uk/technologies/msg/developer/ . To integrate it with Moodle though you do need to run your own Jabber server.
Just let me know if you have any queries
Alex
Yes, lots of progress since last August(!). Best place to have a look at what we've done is on the OpenLearn website (http://openlearn.open.ac.uk) and take a look at the MSG Instant Messaging block (you'll need to register to get the full benefits!).
If you're interested in running on your own Moodle then have a look at: http://kmi.open.ac.uk/technologies/msg/developer/ . To integrate it with Moodle though you do need to run your own Jabber server.
Just let me know if you have any queries
Alex
In reply to Alex Little
Re: About Lace (AJAX based) n Moodle chat - accessibility and scalibility
by Jeff Patterson -
Heyo all - I just installed the MSG Block and I am authenticating to my Jabber (Openfire) server fine and logging in.
But I don't know how to add users to chat with in Moodle.
Using the MSG client outside moodle it's straight forward, but it doesn't show how to do it inside. Can anybody help me out with that? This is an old thread so may not be possible. Thanks! See the attached snip on what I'm talking about...
But I don't know how to add users to chat with in Moodle.
Using the MSG client outside moodle it's straight forward, but it doesn't show how to do it inside. Can anybody help me out with that? This is an old thread so may not be possible. Thanks! See the attached snip on what I'm talking about...
MSG-block.png