14 December 2007
Development Priorities
The current Online Tutoring System is being replaced.
I hesitate to discuss this openly, for fear of promising vaporware, but the next generation, known variably as Chinese One to One or My Chinese Tutor, has been under development for almost a year.
There is no scheduled release for the new system--we are currently in alpha testing, and our previous goals have come and gone.
The important thing is that the new system is under development. So when you submit bugs or suggestions, unless they are system critical, they are being incorporated into version 2.
We will post information about a public beta test when it becomes available. Thank you.
I hesitate to discuss this openly, for fear of promising vaporware, but the next generation, known variably as Chinese One to One or My Chinese Tutor, has been under development for almost a year.
There is no scheduled release for the new system--we are currently in alpha testing, and our previous goals have come and gone.
The important thing is that the new system is under development. So when you submit bugs or suggestions, unless they are system critical, they are being incorporated into version 2.
We will post information about a public beta test when it becomes available. Thank you.
# posted by OTS Development Team @ 2:54 PM
10 May 2007
Helpful Messages
Across the site, expect to see small insightful messages. Look for [?] next to features for a brief description. Only a few of these have been added so far, but more will be coming during regular maintenance.
17 April 2007
DST and Time Zones
US users now have the option of automatically updating for Daylight Saving Time. We finally found an easy way to do the update, so you can pick your regular timezone and we'll handle the Springing forward and Falling back.
We also reorganized our list of timezones and put the most common at the top, so you can be in Beijing Standard Time instead of just GMT +8.
Finally, there was an error with the way our system was handling some dates. When tutors added their availability, not everything was getting converted correctly. We've fixed this, but any slots added before April 17th are probably set up incorrectly. Sorry for the confusion!
We also reorganized our list of timezones and put the most common at the top, so you can be in Beijing Standard Time instead of just GMT +8.
Finally, there was an error with the way our system was handling some dates. When tutors added their availability, not everything was getting converted correctly. We've fixed this, but any slots added before April 17th are probably set up incorrectly. Sorry for the confusion!
Labels: Bug Fix, New Feature, New Look
06 March 2007
Report A Bug!
The OTS has a new bug reporting and tracking service. Instead of our old "just e-mail someone" approach, now if you have any type of problem at all you can click the "Report a Bug!" link in the navigation menu on each page. You'll be taken directly to a form where you can explain the problem, and even subscribe to an RSS feed to keep track of updates and responses to your problem.
The bug reporting service does not require you to be logged in, but if you are it can automatically fill in your name and e-mail address.
We are also working on a Frequently Asked Questions page that should be up by the end of the day.
The bug reporting service does not require you to be logged in, but if you are it can automatically fill in your name and e-mail address.
We are also working on a Frequently Asked Questions page that should be up by the end of the day.
Labels: New Interface
10 February 2007
Development Blog
Welcome to the Confucius Institute at Michigan State University Online Tutoring System Development Blog. Check here for regular updates on the status of the CIMSU OTS.
We encourage tutors and students alike to subscribe to our blog feed, to keep up on the latest changes.
Remember, CIMSU OTS is currently a beta product, and that means changes can be frequent and drastic.
Previous Changes
Calendars - Our oldest users may already have noticed some changes on the site. We recently revamped the look and feel of our calendar system to make it more uniform across the site and to streamline updating. The new system will also allow us to make it possible for people to view their schedules by week, workweek, or month.
Timezones - We've made several changes dealing with timezones. Previously, everything had to be handled in the server's timezone (US Eastern, GMT -5 in winter and GMT -4 during the summer.) Now everything can be done in the user's local time. That means if you set your timezone in your profile, tutors can deal with their schedule in their own timezone, and students can see your schedule in theirs. (Pretty important when you consider most of our tutors are in China and most of our students in the US!)
Tutorial video - We've created a tutorial for new tutors. It's even in Chinese, since most of our "documentation" was in English. Thanks to Tianyi for doing this.
That's all for now. Keep coming back for more updates!
-James
We encourage tutors and students alike to subscribe to our blog feed, to keep up on the latest changes.
Remember, CIMSU OTS is currently a beta product, and that means changes can be frequent and drastic.
Previous Changes
Calendars - Our oldest users may already have noticed some changes on the site. We recently revamped the look and feel of our calendar system to make it more uniform across the site and to streamline updating. The new system will also allow us to make it possible for people to view their schedules by week, workweek, or month.
Timezones - We've made several changes dealing with timezones. Previously, everything had to be handled in the server's timezone (US Eastern, GMT -5 in winter and GMT -4 during the summer.) Now everything can be done in the user's local time. That means if you set your timezone in your profile, tutors can deal with their schedule in their own timezone, and students can see your schedule in theirs. (Pretty important when you consider most of our tutors are in China and most of our students in the US!)
Tutorial video - We've created a tutorial for new tutors. It's even in Chinese, since most of our "documentation" was in English. Thanks to Tianyi for doing this.
That's all for now. Keep coming back for more updates!
-James
Labels: New Interface, New Look
