Dokeos 1.8.5

DOKEOS 1.8.5 is now available!

Get it from our download page: http://www.dokeos.com/download.php

Linux users might enjoy the .tar.gz version a little better, as it also includes default permissions settings that will make the installation faster: http://www.dokeos.com/download/dokeos-1.8.5.tar.gz

Latest news: we wanted to release 1.8.5 on the 12th but I have just realized a few problems when upgrading from 1.6.5 to 1.8.5 so I’m applying these little fixes and we’ll be releasing. Today, most probably.

Dokeos 1.8.5 is currently out as an Release Candidate version 1 (RC1) and is likely to be out as a definitely stable release during the second week of June (most probably Thursday 12th).

We’ve been through a lot of date changes, and finally we are here with a much more professional e-learning suite than expected, but much later than anticipated.

The information below the following line will stay here for historical reason (it might make you laugh a little about the initial scheduled release date) and for the sake of keeping you informed on what’s in Dokeos 1.8.5 that wasn’t in 1.8.4.

As usual, don’t hesitate to comment if you’d like to give your opinion on this particular version.

Although we do not recommend 1.8.5 RC1 for production environments, it is amazingly stable right now and we won’t be doing any database changes (that’s a promise) so you can start using it, really. The only changes between this version and the stable will be a set of small script updates that will make code faster or more reliable.

The next version of Dokeos will be 1.8.5. Its release is currently planned for mid-february 2008. It should be one of the latest versions (if not the latest) adding new features to the 1.8 branch. After that, we will move to a 2.0 version, changing application kernel. Although this is a massive root-level change, there should not be any major difference in the interface for basic users and teachers, which is something very important to us.

Dokeos 1.8.5 will include (not exhaustive)

  • integrated gradebook extension, with additional dev allowing for certificates to be issued when a user has finished a series of challenges (assigned resources like quiz, learning paths, Dokeos assignments or external assignments input into Dokeos)
  • OpenID support
  • integrated web LDAP management interface
  • way to provide multiple CSS styles to a site depending on the URL and on the user (both can be enabled/disabled from the admin)
  • increased security (better files filtering)
  • integrated anti-spam/virus checker

2008-01-04 update

Although development of 1.8.5 is going ahead quite well, we are starting to see a few additional features that will not fit in quite well in Dokeos 1.8.5, but that might fit in a Dokeos 1.8.6 (commercially, we still need to push on the 1.8 branch a little to finance the extra work for 2.0). The features we are discussing at the moment are:

  • better DHTML (call it AJAX, Web 2.0 or whatever) design to improve the usability and speed of user experience
  • some way to export important (maybe financial) data to large companies HR and Finance systems
  • improved ways to modify CSS themes (more CSS tags + a documentation to explain which element is which)
  • improved (still) exercises creation interfaces to make it easier and faster to design tests
  • multi-portals mode (allowing one code set to be used by multiple campuses without data clash)
  • improved online user documentation

Dokeos 1.8.5, on the other side, will also include many bugfixes (thanks to our clients and the community who have been very active and precise in the bug-reporting process).

We are also preparing a surprise offer for right after the release of 1.8.5 (more on this in March).

2008-02-13 update

The release of Dokeos 1.8.5 has been rescheduled to mid-March 2008. We are not really in a hurry to get it released as we have had many bugfixes and want to add a few features but to make sure that there aren’t any security or usability flaws.

The videoconference tool’s renewal is well on its way (we have finished a new version of the classroom, have added a new mode one-to-one and are currently reviewing the meeting-of-4 mode).

2008-02-21 update

We are now talking about end of March for the official and final 1.8.5 release. However, we will release an alpha version on Monday the 25th of February with possibly a working version of the new videoconference tool.

2008-03-04 update

It might have gone through unnoticed, but we have entered the alpha-beta-rc-stable cycle last week, by preparing a first alpha release. Although the code is *exclusively* for testing (do not use or plan to use in production mode), it apparently runs well enough and provides a series of interesting features. Although not yet complete and bug free (we didn’t focus on that), it was necessary for a team of students proceeding to a range of tests on the software. We’ll see how that goes. If you’d like to try it out, you are free to download it here

2008-04-06 update

The official release date for Dokeos 1.8.5 has been announced in the March Newsletter for the 19th of April (just 12 days from now). We will release a beta version during next week (probably at the end of next week, around the 11th).

2008-04-14 update

I wanted to release a beta last Friday but obviously a series of obstacles have prevented us to do so. Honestly, I do believe we will release it tomorrow (the 15th) or Wednesday the 16th. I just hope nothing gets in our way. You can watch a public list of the last bugs that we are solving before the beta here. Personally, I still have to implement the dynamic LDAP feature into the admin section, which I *am* going to do before the beta, and I have a mouthful of simultaneous clients to assist for various little things, so cross fingers, we’ll have it by Wednesday.

The beta shouldn’t be used in production environment, but it should be pretty stable and if you want to help us make it a perfectly stable 1.8.5, this is where you might help us do it!

2008-04-23 update

We’re still a bit late, but the LDAP code has been added to Dokeos, a lot more bugs have been fixed and we are currently looking at the last two things to integrate before we release. My next update will be to announce the release, and it will be this week.

2008-04-26 update

I still have time before it is actually the 26th here, but nevermind, Dokeos 1.8.5 beta is out. I’m writing a piece of news about that on the front page… We’re very proud, although there are still some bugs that we wanted to fix before the beta, it’s still very good and stable. The only things you might have problems with are the things that aren’t used too often or things that are completely new. Anyway, the Dokeos website has a piece of news about it

2008-05-17 update

Next week, we will be releasing an RC1 for Dokeos 1.8.5. The main targets for this version are:

  • fixing SCORM (import, export and reporting)
  • fixing audio recorder and some videoconference minor bugs
  • improving the templating system
  • adding repetitive events to the agenda (and iCal import, as well)

Leave a Reply