Hi,
I am running a building oriented website,
http://www.builderbill-diy-help.com
and I am looking for some software that will help me to make a graphical glossary of building and construction related terms. Using a lot of my existing images and sketches.
I could do it with HTML, but I think it would soon become unwieldy.
Would moodle do the job for me, or should I try a wiki type program?
Graphical is my main focus. Looking at the demo site for moodle this morning there seemed to be a limit on the size of image files download of 10kb. This would not work as most of my images go over that limit. Is there a work around for this?
Cheers
Bill.
Hi Bill
The file size can be whatever you want basically, I have mine set at 250MB (it's a server setting issue rather than Moodle, guessing the demo site would have it set low to conserve space).
So, yes, Moodle can handle what you've described. Whether it's the best software for your needs is another matter - not sure how you intend incorporating it into your existing site, can't say I've ever heard of SBI until now.
From having a quick look at your site (nice by the way, may have to visit again when I have time!) one of the more useful functions I would think would be having terms within your content being automatically linked to the corresponding glossary entry (which can happen in a Moodle site). Can't see how you'd be able to do that with your existing site + Moodle.
Technically, you could use Moodle for your whole site (I have a couple of sites where I use Moodle more as a Content Management System rather than a Course Management System) but not sure if you'd want to go that way, although would be a lot cheaper than you are paying now!
Perhaps it may be worth your time looking at other software that would suit your requirements better such as Drupal with the glossary module installed (another open source script therefore, "free" but with a fairly steep learning curve I feel).
Good luck tracking down the best solution for your needs
Regards
H
The file size can be whatever you want basically, I have mine set at 250MB (it's a server setting issue rather than Moodle, guessing the demo site would have it set low to conserve space).
So, yes, Moodle can handle what you've described. Whether it's the best software for your needs is another matter - not sure how you intend incorporating it into your existing site, can't say I've ever heard of SBI until now.
From having a quick look at your site (nice by the way, may have to visit again when I have time!) one of the more useful functions I would think would be having terms within your content being automatically linked to the corresponding glossary entry (which can happen in a Moodle site). Can't see how you'd be able to do that with your existing site + Moodle.
Technically, you could use Moodle for your whole site (I have a couple of sites where I use Moodle more as a Content Management System rather than a Course Management System) but not sure if you'd want to go that way, although would be a lot cheaper than you are paying now!
Perhaps it may be worth your time looking at other software that would suit your requirements better such as Drupal with the glossary module installed (another open source script therefore, "free" but with a fairly steep learning curve I feel).
Good luck tracking down the best solution for your needs
Regards
H
Thanks for that Harry.
I don't have any hope that I can use a glossary module with my existing site, rather what I want to do is start up a separate site as a sub domain to the existing one linking to it with the same look and feel, so that as far as a user knows they could think they are still on the same site.
I got steered to Moodle by a conversation with some TAFE people that were interested in using some of my content, and I thought that if I had to learn something fresh then moodle would be a good idea. I imagine that if I built a glossary it would be useful as far as import/export goes if we were all on the same system. But then again it is hard to find out what most TAFE or VET colleges are using.
Drupal is interesting to say the least, I'll have to give it more thought.
Thanks again.
I don't have any hope that I can use a glossary module with my existing site, rather what I want to do is start up a separate site as a sub domain to the existing one linking to it with the same look and feel, so that as far as a user knows they could think they are still on the same site.
I got steered to Moodle by a conversation with some TAFE people that were interested in using some of my content, and I thought that if I had to learn something fresh then moodle would be a good idea. I imagine that if I built a glossary it would be useful as far as import/export goes if we were all on the same system. But then again it is hard to find out what most TAFE or VET colleges are using.
Drupal is interesting to say the least, I'll have to give it more thought.
Thanks again.
Hi Bill,
Please keep in mind that this is an international forum and whenever you use an acronym for an institution that is country-related it is good practise to state what that acronym stands for.
TAFE and VET, what are they?
Thanks in advance.
Joseph
Please keep in mind that this is an international forum and whenever you use an acronym for an institution that is country-related it is good practise to state what that acronym stands for.
TAFE and VET, what are they?Thanks in advance.
Joseph
Good point Joseph
For our friends across the world:
Regards
H
PS The definitions aren't mine, "borrowed" them after a quick Google
For our friends across the world:
- TAFE stands for "Technical and Further Education"
The Technical and Further Education (TAFE) system in Australia is a government training system with a similar role to that of Community Colleges in the United States of America and the Polytechnic system of the United Kingdom.
It is the largest education sector in Australia, with approximately 1.5 million students enrolled in Institutes, Colleges and Campuses across the nation. It provides courses for vocational education and training, apprenticeships and traineeships, support for workplace training, and commercial courses as needed by business and industry.
- VET stands for "Vocational Education and Training"
Vocational education and training (VET) is "education and training for work" and part of a broader educational network in Australia that includes schools, universities and adult and community education.
Regards
H
PS The definitions aren't mine, "borrowed" them after a quick Google
No worries Bill, my apologies for giving you even more food for thought ;) . . . just had another quick look through your site and this "retirement" thing seems to be quite hectic for you!
As mentioned in my first reply, technically, you could use Moodle for your whole site quite easily. From an owner/admin perspective a LOT easier than Drupal IMHO. Now that you mentioned why you where asking in the first place, I'd suggest you actually give the idea of migrating the whole site to Moodle some serious thought.
From my quick scan of your site: there's nothing I saw that can't fit into a Moodle install - your topics (hand tools, power tools, concreting etc.) could be categories, each "article" could be a "course" if you wanted or you could use some other module like tabbed format; there's a few features in Moodle that I think would be of benefit (glossary linked to content, forums, database, ability to have "members" and therefore, members only pages etc.); a few features of little use at this stage (but who knows where your TAFE contacts could take you!) such as grades; and your ads and bookmark links can be added quite easily. One thing I'm not sure about is how your Google ranking would handle such a change.
Cost wise, if I remember correctly from the first look at the mob you do your site through (SBI?), and I read it right, it's costing you about $300US per year . . . with the mob I started with you could get 4 years hosting for that price! so pretty sure you can find a better deal (used to be with Site5, only left as my site was getting too big and I needed a dedicated server, just as I was leaving about 18 months ago they where merging with another mob so not sure what the service is like now but was excellent when I was with them but their usage policy was getting a bit harsh so worth looking into carefully.) I have no doubt you'd be able to install Moodle with little drama based on your bio.
As for what TAFE/VET institutions are using, indeed hard to track down a definitive list but there is definitely a high uptake of Moodle, might be worth having a look/asking the question at EDNA. It uses Moodle for it's online groups.
The fact the TAFE contact mentioned it to you tends to point that that institution is using Moodle. Also worth having a quick look at the list of registered sites if you haven't already, might get a feel for the numbers of relevant sites there.
Anyway, whatever you end up doing, good luck and I hope you get time to have a rest now and then!
H
As mentioned in my first reply, technically, you could use Moodle for your whole site quite easily. From an owner/admin perspective a LOT easier than Drupal IMHO. Now that you mentioned why you where asking in the first place, I'd suggest you actually give the idea of migrating the whole site to Moodle some serious thought.
From my quick scan of your site: there's nothing I saw that can't fit into a Moodle install - your topics (hand tools, power tools, concreting etc.) could be categories, each "article" could be a "course" if you wanted or you could use some other module like tabbed format; there's a few features in Moodle that I think would be of benefit (glossary linked to content, forums, database, ability to have "members" and therefore, members only pages etc.); a few features of little use at this stage (but who knows where your TAFE contacts could take you!) such as grades; and your ads and bookmark links can be added quite easily. One thing I'm not sure about is how your Google ranking would handle such a change.
Cost wise, if I remember correctly from the first look at the mob you do your site through (SBI?), and I read it right, it's costing you about $300US per year . . . with the mob I started with you could get 4 years hosting for that price! so pretty sure you can find a better deal (used to be with Site5, only left as my site was getting too big and I needed a dedicated server, just as I was leaving about 18 months ago they where merging with another mob so not sure what the service is like now but was excellent when I was with them but their usage policy was getting a bit harsh so worth looking into carefully.) I have no doubt you'd be able to install Moodle with little drama based on your bio.
As for what TAFE/VET institutions are using, indeed hard to track down a definitive list but there is definitely a high uptake of Moodle, might be worth having a look/asking the question at EDNA. It uses Moodle for it's online groups.
The fact the TAFE contact mentioned it to you tends to point that that institution is using Moodle. Also worth having a quick look at the list of registered sites if you haven't already, might get a feel for the numbers of relevant sites there.
Anyway, whatever you end up doing, good luck and I hope you get time to have a rest now and then!
H
Hi Joseph,
Sorry about that, so much to do, so little time
I suppose I could be cheeky and say that I was expecting the Moodle glossary to kick in and provide the definitions.
Harry
Thanks again, another informative post. I have already had a poke about at the EDNA site and I will check out the registered sites next.
I am happy with my sbi host, because they are not just web hosting, they teach us a lot and we get back more than we give. I had a small site before, and got no traffic, what's the point if nobody is seeing the stuff. I started fro scratch a year ago and last month got over 25,000 page views. It is going up every month. I will keep it going and my new Moodle site will be on a sub domain and they will link to each other.
Cheers
Bill
Sorry about that, so much to do, so little time
I suppose I could be cheeky and say that I was expecting the Moodle glossary to kick in and provide the definitions.
Harry
Thanks again, another informative post. I have already had a poke about at the EDNA site and I will check out the registered sites next.
I am happy with my sbi host, because they are not just web hosting, they teach us a lot and we get back more than we give. I had a small site before, and got no traffic, what's the point if nobody is seeing the stuff. I started fro scratch a year ago and last month got over 25,000 page views. It is going up every month. I will keep it going and my new Moodle site will be on a sub domain and they will link to each other.
Cheers
Bill