Should I use the HTML or the PowerPoint versions?
We provide the 15 Minute Series training modules in two formats, HTML and Microsoft PowerPoint. These two formats are intended to provide you, the trainer, with both flexibility and portability in a wide variety of training environments.
This document offers a brief review of each format. We suggest ways to use both the HTML and Microsoft PowerPoint versions to help you decide which format might be better suited to your training needs. Also provided is a list of the hardware and software you will need to use the 15 Minute Series training modules. Basic instructions for downloading the modules, along with notes on compression/decompression utilities are provided. We also explain how to work with the HTML modules for those of you who would like to make the HTML versions of the 15 Minute Series modules available via your local web servers.
If you want to extend a module to reflect the specifics of your users' local environment or create a module on a topic of local interest, the section "Extending and creating 15 Minute Series modules" explains how to do this and includes templates which you can download and use to create the necessary slides.
If you have a question or problem that is not addressed here, please feel free to
contact us at 15min@internic.net. We will do our best to help you with your needs,
however, please understand that you may have concerns that are best addressed by your
local technical support staff. If we are unable to resolve your problems, we will do our
best to help you determine where to direct your request for assistance.
SHOULD I USE THE HTML OR MICROSOFT POWERPOINT VERSIONS?
This will depend on your situation. Where are you doing your training? Do you have to "take your show on the road?" Do you want to be able to go to a website during your demo? Do you have a network connection? Is your Internet connection fast? Slow? Depends?
We offer the following suggestions to help you decide whether the HTML or the Microsoft PowerPoint version of a module will be better suited to your training needs. Of course, you may find both formats useful. If you think of other creative ways to use either the HTML or PowerPoint versions of the training modules, we would love to hear about it. Send us information about how you are using the 15 Minute Series at 15min@internic.net.
HTML versions of the modules enable you to:
The Microsoft PowerPoint versions enable you to:
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
In providing HTML and Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the training modules, we have attempted to accomodate training environments with or without Internet access. Both the HTML and Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the 15 Minute Series training modules, however, make certain assumptions about the hardware and software available to Internet trainers. Following are a few notes and a list of the hardware and software you will need to access and use the 15 Minute Series training modules.
To access the 15 Minute Series modules
You will need at least:
In addition, you will need (highly recommended!):
Or, at a minimum:
While a text-only browser, such as Lynx, may be used to access the modules, you may find your encounter with the 15 Minute Series training materials diminished by the lack of a graphical capability.
To use the HTML versions:
The HTML versions of the 15 Minute Series training modules are prepared using HTML 2.0.
To use the Microsoft PowerPoint versions:
ABOUT THE HTML VERSIONS
The HTML modules are intended to serve two major purposes:
1) to allow trainers to make the modules available via their own local web servers, and;
2) to allow trainers to use the web itself as a means of delivering training sessions.
Style differences between HTML and PowerPoint versions:
"Next" and "Previous" buttons
You will find the HTML version of a module identical, as far as textual and graphical content, to the PowerPoint version of the same module. With respect to style, however, you will notice a few differences between the HTML and PowerPoint versions.
Microsoft PowerPoint treats a module as a single file. PowerPoint knows that each of the slides in the file are part of the same module, what order they should be in, and how to move from one slide to the next and back again within a module.
In the hypertext environment, on the other hand, each slide is a separate file. For example, a module that consists of 8 slides actually represents 8 separate HTML files. To create an HTML version of this module, these 8 separate files must be linked together and presented in logical sequence. To accomplish this task, we have added hypertext links to each slide in the HTML versions of the modules that will direct you to either the next slide in the module or the previous slide in the module, as appropriate. The hypertext links that allow you to move from one slide to the next in the HTML versions of the modules appear in each slide as small "arrow" buttons and are labeled either "next" or "previous."
Using the HTML versions of the modules locally
We provide HTML versions of the 15 Minute Series modules so that trainers may use the web as a tool for delivering training sessions. We recognize, however, that using the InterNIC's 15 Minute Series website may not present the most efficient means of access and delivery. Using a server that is closer to home helps to relieve burdens on network bandwidth and may provide faster connections. Also, maintaining copies of the modules locally offers you, as a trainer, greater flexibility and more options in how you organize and present modules for your local audience.
For example, you may wish to create a customized, web-based collection of 15 Minute Series training materials. Or you may want to prepare a webpage for a training session on a particular topic or for a specific group. Trainers who want to maintain the 15 Minute Series modules on their local web server should select the "Download entire module as HTML" option from the index/search results page. The HTML versions of the modules are also available for anonymous ftp from ftp://rs.internic.net/NIC-support/15min/.
There are a few points to keep in mind when using the HTML versions, however. The following information and recommendations should make the task go smoothly.
The HTML versions of the modules are available as compressed archive files. When you download the HTML version of a module, you will get a file with the file extension .tar.gz. The .tar part of the extension means that a group of files (in this case, all of the HTML slide files and all of the image files needed to complete the module) have been "packed" into a single file. The .gz part of the extension indicates that the resulting .tar file has been compressed for easier storage and faster transmission.
You will need decompression software utilities that can handle the .tar.gz file extension. As we mentioned in the Hardware and Software Requirements section, WinZip for the PC and UnStuffit with DropStuff Expander Enhancer for the Mac are examples of decompression utilities that can handle the .tar.gz files. Shareware.com is one spot you can visit for information on obtaining decompression software for Macintosh or PCs.
Once the file is downloaded, properly decompressed, and "unpacked" a directory and file structure is automatically created for you that contains all of the individual HTML files and image files that comprise the module. For example, downloading, decompressing, and unpacking the "What is a Browser?" module will create something similar to the following directories and files on your hard drive (or wherever you put the downloaded HTML .tar.gz file):
c:\browser\sld01.html
c:\browser\sld02.html
c:\browser\sld03.html
c:\browser\sld04.html
c:\browser\sld05.html
c:\browser\sld06.html
c:\browser\sld07.html
c:\browser\sld08.html
c:\browser\images\redsq.gif
c:\browser\images\leftarrow.gif
c:\browser\images\rightarrow.gif
c:\browser\images\15minibar.gif
As you can see, a directory called "browser" is created and it contains the HTML source files for each slide in the module. The name for this directory is also created for you, and is taken from a keyword(s) in the title of the module. In addition, another directory called "images" is created within the "browser" directory and all of the image files required for the module are automatically placed in this directory.
The source code in the HTML files uses relative links. In other words, all links in the module point to files that are within the directory structure of the module (in this case, in the browser directory), and refer to these files by the directory and filenames provided. What this means for you is that the directory and file structure should be left intact and the directory and filenames should not be changed. As long as you leave the slide files in the module directory (in the example this would be the "browser" directory), the image files in the "images" subdirectory, and use the directory and filenames provided, the module will work on your server or hard drive as intended. If you change the names of the directories or files, or move files outside of the directory and file structure provided, you will also need to modify the HTML source code to reflect the new directories and filenames.
In the example above, the "browser" directory and all of its contents,
including the "images" subdirectory and its contents, can now be moved to your
local web server or opened on your desktop machine's hard drive from within your browser.
ABOUT THE MICROSOFT POWERPOINT MODULES
The Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the training modules offer you a portable training resource that can be used in training situations that are without network access or high-speed connections. If you do not have PowerPoint, we suggest you visit Microsoft's web or ftp site for information about obtaining a copy of their free PowerPoint viewer. The PowerPoint viewer will allow you to to use the modules, but remember that without the full PowerPoint application you will be unable to extend or create PowerPoint modules.
Unlike the HTML versions of the modules, Microsoft PowerPoint treats each module as a single file. In the PowerPoint version of a module, all the slides are part of the same file and PowerPoint "knows" what order they should be in and how to move from one slide to the next and back again. Therefore, the need for the "next/previous" buttons is eliminated.
If you want to use the Microsoft PowerPoint version of a module, you should select the option "Download entire module as PowerPoint" from the index/search results page. What you will get is the complete module, all slides and graphics included, as a single compressed PowerPoint file. The Microsoft PowerPoint modules are also available via anonymous ftp for trainers without web access from ftp://rs.internic.net/ NIC-support/15min/.
Why are the PowerPoint versions compressed?
The 15 Minute Series training modules use graphics to help convey complex technological concepts and get the point across to the user. While graphics represent extremely useful tools for training, they also can considerably increase the size of a file. Consequently, the Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the modules often result in large files. To reduce the storage and transmission burdens associated with large, graphic-intensive files, we have compressed the Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the modules. You will need to "unzip" (decompress) the files using decompression software before using the Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the modules. Shareware.com is one spot you can visit for information on obtaining decompression software for Macintosh or PCs.
DOWNLOADING THE MODULES
You can download both the HTML and Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the training modules directly from the 15 Minute Series website or via an anonymous ftp session. We make the modules available via anonymous ftp to provide an alternative means of access for trainers who do not have easy access to a web browser.
Downloading the modules via the 15 Minute Series website is easy. Simply:
To download the modules from the InterNIC's anonymous ftp site:
NOTE - these instructions are not client specific; use whatever commands or actions that are required or appropriate for your local ftp client and session.
A read-me file and a table of contents file are provided for the "15min"
directory and each of the category directories.
PREVIEWING A MODULE ONLINE
In addition to the HTML and PowerPoint versions of the modules, we provide you with a chance to preview the module via the web. This option allows you to take a look at the actual module before investing your time and resources in downloading. We hope this feature will help you decide whether a particular module fits with your training needs.
The textual and graphical content of the "Preview" versions is identical to that of the actual module. You will notice, however, a few additional navigational links in the "Preview" versions of the modules. These navigational aids have been included to help you move easily between the "Preview" version of a module, the index or search results list that you requested, and other parts of the 15 Minute Series website.
The "index" button
In addition to the "next" and "previous" buttons, you will see an "index" button on each slide in the "Preview" versions of the modules. We assume that if you are previewing a module you will want to be able to return to the same spot in the list from which you selected the module, so that you can download the PowerPoint or HTML version or browse the list for other modules. To enable this function, we have added an "index" button to each slide in the "Preview" versions of the modules. The "index" button will take you back to the exact spot in the list from which you selected the module you are currently previewing. You will then be able to either download the module in HTML or PowerPoint or continue to browse the list for other modules.
It is important to note that the "index" button is designed to work in conjunction with the 15 Minute Series' browsing and search mechanisms. When you request a particular type of index (alphabetical by author, alphabetical by title, or chronological by date added) or enter certain search criteria, the resulting list of modules is created dynamically - "on the fly" - in response to your request. The list of modules that is displayed will differ, depending on the type of index you requested or the search criteria you used. For the "index" button that appears in the "Preview" modules to work, the button needs to refer you back to the same list the module came from and to the exact spot in that list where the module appeared. In other words, the "index" button must know what type of index you requested or what search criteria you used, remember the list of modules that was created in response to your request, and know exactly where the module appeared in that list.
To handle this requirement, the "index" button is also created dynamically at the same time as the index or search results list and is inserted into the slides of the "Preview" modules. The index button always refers to the specific list of modules that the trainer, by requesting an index or typing in a search, just created. The result is that the index button then knows which index or search results list the module came from and where in that list the module appeared. Because the index button is part of the same process that generates an index or list of search results, an index button cannot exist, and therefore will not appear in the slides, unless an index or search is first requested by the trainer.
The "index" button does not appear in the actual HTML or PowerPoint versions of the modules.
Other navigational links in the "Preview" slides include a pointer to the 15 Minute Series homepage, a pointer to the 15 Minute Series search engine, and the option to "return to the first slide" (if you would like to view the module again).
You will notice that none of these navigational links appear in the actual HTML or PowerPoint versions of the modules either.
NOTE - While it is possible to use the "save as..." and
"save this image as..." commands in your browser to download the
"Preview" versions of the modules to your local machine, we strongly advise
against this course of action. The "Preview" versions of the modules are
designed to work with our searching and browsing mechanisms. Although the
"Preview" versions of the modules are prepared in HTML, they are not easily
adapted for use via your local server or on your local machine, and you will find
extensive editing is necessary for the HTML source code to work. We recommend that instead
you use the downloadable HTML versions of the modules for use on your local server or on
your hard drive.
EXTENDING AND CREATING 15 MINUTE SERIES MODULES
You may want to extend a particular module to include information specific to your users' local environment. For example, you may want to use the "What is email?" module, which consists of 8 slides, to introduce the topic of email, and then add 4 additional slides that describe how to get an email account at your institution. Or you may want to create a new module to complement the 15 Minute Series modules you are already using, with the same look and feel of 15 Minute Series modules. The steps for extending or creating a module will vary slightly, depending on whether or not you are working with the HTML or PowerPoint version of the module.
To add slides to an HTML module:
NOTE - you do not need to save the images that appear in the template file. If you are extending one of the HTML modules, you already have the images that appear in the template. These images are part of the HTML modules. If you recall, when the HTML file is downloaded, decompressed, and "unpacked" a file structure is automatically created that contains all of the individual HTML files and image files that comprise the module. It is also not necessary to edit the HTML source code for the images. The source code used for images in the template file will work as is once you transfer the new slide file to the module's directory.
To create an HTML module:
You do not need to edit the source code for the images supplied in the template (the 15 Minute Series icon, right arrow, left arrow, and square red bullet). As long as you follow the instructions above, the source code for images in the template will correctly reflect the location and filenames of these images.
HTML template
To add slides to a PowerPoint module:
To create a PowerPoint module:
You now have a PowerPoint template file that can be used as a master to create new presentations with the look and feel of the 15 Minute Series. The steps outlined above may vary slightly with different versions and releases of PowerPoint; please consult your manual or help files for more specific instructions.
Note:The graphics that are used in the PowerPoint template are part of the file and do not have to be downloaded separately. Also, the PowerPoint template does not include the right/left arrow images, as they are not essential for moving from one slide to the next in the PowerPoint environment.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER
Copyright 1996, 1997 Network Solutions, Inc. 505 Huntmar Park Drive, Herndon, Virginia 20170. Permission is granted to quote, copy, or otherwise reproduce the materials in the 15 Minute Series, provided that appropriate credit is given and the copyright notice is retained. The 15 Minute Series modules and their contents may not be sold for profit or incorporated without the written permission of the copyright holder.
This material is based on work sponsored by the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement No. NCR-9218749. The Government has certain rights in this material. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation, Network Solutions, Inc., or AT&T.
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