15 Minutes Series - Instructions for Use 1. Should I use the HTML or the PowerPoint versions? 2. Hardware and software requirements 3. About the HTML versions - recommendations and technical tips 4. About the PowerPoint versions - downloading and compression 5. Extending the 15 Minute Series modules 6. Copyright notice and disclaimer The 15 Minute Series training modules are made available in two formats, HTML and Microsoft PowerPoint. These two formats are intended to provide both flexibility and portability for trainers in a wide variety of environments. This document offers a brief review of each format to help trainers decide when the HTML or Microsoft PowerPoint version of a module might be better suited to their needs. Also provided is a list of the hardware and software needed to use the 15 Minute Series training modules, basic instructions for downloading the Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the modules, and a note on compressed modules. Recommendations and technical tips are also provided for trainers who would like to use the HTML versions of the 15 Minute Series via their local web servers. For trainers who would like to extend a module to reflect the specifics of their users' local environment, the section "Extending the 15 Minute Series modules" provides both an explanation of how to do this. Templates which may be downloaded and used to create the necessary additional slides. If you have a question or problem that is not addressed here, please feel free to contact us at 15min@internic.net. While 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. 1. SHOULD I USE THE HTML OR MICROSOFT POWERPOINT VERSIONS? The following points are provided to help you decide whether the HTML or the Microsoft PowerPoint version of a module is better suited to your training needs. Of course, you may find both formats useful in various situations. If you find other creative ways to use either the HTML or PowerPoint versions of the 15 Minute Series training modules, we would love to hear about it. Send us information about your experiences and innovations at 15min@internic.net. HTML versions of the modules are provided so that trainers will be able to: * Review the actual modules while online. This option, in addition to the abstract provided in the index, will help trainers decide prior to downloading which modules are appropriate for his/her needs and audience. * Use the web as delivery tool for the 15 Minute Series training modules. * Create a local "training" web page that organizes selected modules for a web-based training session or training materials collection. * Easily incorporate the 15 Minute Series training modules into existing, local collections of web-based training materials that are already in use. * Use the training materials as a ready reference tool by adding them to a bookmark file or hotlist. * Integrate the 15 Minute Series training modules into "live" demonstrations of web-based resources. * Use a number of commercial presentation software packages to capture the HTML version (the ability to do this, and the steps you follow, will depend on your operating system and the particular presentation software package that you are using). The Microsoft PowerPoint versions are provided so that trainers will be able to: * Make use of the training materials in situations that do not include network access and high-speed connections. * Easily convert to other presentation software applications that represent the standard or preferred tools for training within their organizations. * Offer complete presentations in a portable format. * Make use of the standard features available in most presentation software packages to create, modify, or extend the 15 Minute Series training modules to better meet the needs of a particular audience or environment. 2. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS In providing HTML and Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the training modules, we have attempted to accommodate training environments with or without Internet access. Both the HTML and Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the 15 Minute Series training modules, however, employ 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 make use of the 15 Minute Series training modules. To use the HTML versions: * A IBM compatible PC with a 386 microprocessor or better, running Microsoft Windows 3.x or better, or; * A Macintosh running System 6.0 or better; * At least 8MB of RAM; * TCP/IP software installed on your machine; * A dedicated, SLIP, or PPP connection to the Internet; * A graphical web browser installed on your machine. The HTML versions of the 15 Minute Series training modules are prepared using HTML 2.0. To use the Microsoft PowerPoint versions: * A IBM compatible PC with a 386 microprocessor or better, running Microsoft Windows 3.x or better; * A Macintosh running System 6.0 or better; * At least 8MB of RAM; * Microsoft PowerPoint v. 4.0 through Microsoft PowerPoint 95; * Decompression software. 3. ABOUT THE HTML VERSIONS-RECOMMENDATIONS AND TECHNICAL TIPS The HTML modules are intended to serve two major purposes: 1) to provide trainers with an opportunity to view the modules while online and to help them decide which modules meet their needs, 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", "Previous", and "Index" buttons You will find that the HTML version of a module is 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 the 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 eight slides actually represents eight separate HTML files. To create an HTML version of this module, these eight separate files must be linked together and presented in logical sequence. To accomplish this task, hypertext links are added to each slide that direct the trainer to either the next slide in the module or the previous slide in the module, as appropriate. The hypertext links that allow trainers 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." In addition to the "next" and "previous" buttons, there are several other navigational links included in the HTML versions of the modules. One of these is the "index" button. We anticipate that a trainer using the HTML version to preview a module will want to be able to return to the spot in the index from which they selected the module, so that they can either download the PowerPoint version or browse the index for other modules. To facilitate this function we have added an "index" button to the slides in the HTML versions of the modules. This "index" button will link trainers back to the exact spot in the index from which they selected the module they are currently viewing. It is important to note that the "index" button is designed to work in conjunction with the 15 Minute Series' indexing and search mechanisms. When a trainer requests a particular type of index (alphabetical by author, alphabetical by title, or chronological by date added) or enters certain search criteria, the resulting list of modules is created dynamically - "on the fly" - in response to the trainer's request. The index or search results that are displayed will differ, depending on what type of index was requested or what search criteria were used. For the "index" button that appears in the HTML slides to work, the button needs to know which index the module came from and exactly where in that index the module appeared. In other words, the "index" button must be able to refer the trainer back to the index or search results list that the trainer created with a particular request. 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 HTML modules. The index button always refers to the specific index or search results list 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 to refer to, and where in that list the module came from. Because the index button is part of the same process that generates the 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. If you view a module by going directly to the URL for one of its slides - for example, your colleague gives you the URL for slide one of the "What is the Internet?" module, you will find that no index button appears, as no index was generated. "Next/previous" buttons will appear, and will work correctly, but the index button will only appear as part of the HTML versions of the slides if the HTML module is selected from an index that was generated by the trainer using the 15 Minute Series indexing or search mechanism. So how can you leave the module or view other modules if you use the URL? There are several other navigational links in the HTML slides, including 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 view the module again). Using the HTML versions of the modules locally One of reasons we have provided the HTML versions of the modules is to enable trainers to use the web as a tool for delivering training sessions when using the 15 Minute Series. We recognize, however, that using the 15 Minute Series website may not present the most efficient means of access and delivery for a number of reasons. Using a server that is closer to home helps to relieve the burdens on network bandwidth and can provide faster connections. Also, maintaining copies of the modules locally offers trainers greater flexibility in how the modules are organized and presented to their local audiences. For example, a trainer may wish to create a customized web-based collection of 15 Minute Series training materials, or prepare a webpage for a session on a particular topic or for a specific group. Trainers who prefer to provide access to the 15 Minute Series modules or use the modules via their local web server are welcome to save the HTML versions of the modules (and the graphics that accompany them) and load them onto their local web server. There are a few points to keep in mind when doing so, however, and following are some recommendations to make the task a little easier: * The source code for the HTML versions of the 15 Minute Series modules is based on the InterNIC web server's file structure; consequently, the source code for each slide in each module will need to be edited to reflect the file structure of your local web server. We recommend strongly that you create a directory for each module and place the individual files for each slide in the module in this directory. We also recommend that you do not change the name of the files as you save them. This should reduce the amount of editing necessary. * You will need to save a copy of each of the graphics found in the HTML versions of the modules, including the "next/previous" buttons. You may do this by simply clicking on the graphic with your right mouse button and selecting "Save this image as..." from the following menu. We strongly recommend that you create a sub-directory called "images" in the directory you have created for each module, and that you place the graphics used in the module in this sub-directory. Further, we strongly recommend that you do not change the filenames for the graphics. Again, this will almost eliminate the need to edit the source code for the graphics links. * The "index" button found in modules at the 15 Minute Series website will not work in your local environment. If you wish to include a way to return to an index of modules that you have created, you will need to develop scripts for this task which will work in your local environment. * The copyright notice must be retained on all slides that are found at the 15 Minute Series website, although it is not necessary for it to appear on any slides that you create yourself to extend the modules. 4. ABOUT THE MICROSOFT POWERPOINT MODULES - DOWNLOADING AND COMPRESSION The Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the training modules are provided to offer trainers 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 website or ftp site to download a copy of their freely available PowerPoint viewer for use with PowerPoint files. Microsoft's website http://www.microsoft.com/ Microsoft's ftp site ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/ Microsoft PowerPoint treats each module as a single file. Unlike the HTML version of the module, there is no need to save each slide or save the graphics separately. Microsoft PowerPoint also eliminates the need for "next/previous" buttons; all the slides in a module 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. By selecting the option "Download PowerPoint version" from the web index entry for a module, you will automatically initate a file transfer to your machine. What you will get is the complete module, all slides and graphics included. The Microsoft PowerPoint files are also available via anonymous ftp for trainers without web access. All of the Microsoft PowerPoint files are available at this ftp site. Please consult the file "table-of- contents.txt" to help you determine which subdirectory contains the module(s) you are interested in. Each of the subdirectories also contains a "table-of-contents.txt" file, which provides an index and description of all of the modules found in that subdirectory. Why are the PowerPoint versions compressed? The 15 Minute Series training modules often use graphics to convey complex technological concepts and to help get the point across to the user. While graphics represent extremely useful tools for training, they also can considerably increase the size of the PowerPoint files. 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 using the WinZip 32 compression software. Trainers will need to "unzip" (decompress) the files using decompression software before using the Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the modules. You may visit www.shareware.com for information on obtaining decompression software for Macintosh or PCs. Downloading the PowerPoint versions The Microsoft PowerPoint versions of the training modules may be downloaded either directly from the 15 Minute Series website or via an independent, anonymous ftp session. The modules are made available via anonymous ftp to provide an alternative means of access for trainers who do not have easy access to a web browser. From the 15 Minute Series website: * Using either the search function or the indexes, locate the module you want to download. * When you are looking at the index entry for the module you want, select the option "Download Microsoft PowerPoint version"; this will automatically initiate a file transfer to your local machine. * The result will depend on whether your browser is configured to invoke PowerPoint on your local machine and display the module, or whether your browser is configured to save the file to disk. From the InterNIC's anonymous ftp site: * connect to ftp://rs.internic.net/ * login as "anonymous"; * enter your email address as your password; * change the directory to /NIC-support/15min/ * change to the directory for the category that contains the module you wish to download; * set transfer mode to binary * transfer the file Note that 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 subdirectories (which correspond to the training categories found at the 15 Minute Series website). EXTENDING THE 15 MINUTE SERIES MODULES Trainers may wish to extend a given module to include specifics on their users' local environment. The steps for extending a module will vary slightly, depending on whether or not you are extending the HTML version of the module or the PowerPoint version. To extend the HTML version of a module: * Select the HTML template link below; * From the file menu on your browser, select "Save as"; * Give the template file a name, or simply use the one provided; * Return to the HTML template file; using your right mouse button, click on the image of the 15 Minute Series miniature logo; * From the menu provided, select "Save this image as"; * It is strongly recommended that you do not change the filename of the images when saving them; * Save the rest of the images from the template (the right arrow button, the left arrow button, and the up arrow button) to your local machine using the same steps; * Use a text editor to open the template file; * Insert the text and/or graphics that you want to include where indicated, using the appropriate HTML tags; * Edit the HTML source code as needed in the template file (as well as the rest of the files in the module that you are extending) to reflect the correct location of the images and the order of the slides after adding the new slides to the module. Note: The "next", "previous", and "index" buttons in the HTML versions of the modules are designed to work in conjunction with the 15 Minute Series indexing and search mechanisms and are based on the InterNIC's web server file structure. It will be necessary to edit the HTML source code for the all of the slides in a given module - both existing slides and those you create for local use - to reflect your local file structure, the location and directory in which you place the HTML and image files, and the order of the slides within the module as well as their relationship to one another after you have added your new slides. It is our strong recommendation that you create a directory labeled "images" to store the image files from the HTML template and that you do not change the filenames of the images when saving them from the template. Following these two simple suggestions will considerably reduce the amount of editing you will need to do before using the extended HTML versions of the modules in your local setting. To extend the PowerPoint version of a module: * Select the Download PowerPoint template link below; this will initiate a file transfer automatically; * Using Microsoft PowerPoint 4.0 or better, open the PowerPoint template file; * Edit the PowerPoint template, adding the text and/or graphics that you want to include; * While still in PowerPoint, open the file that contains the module you want to extend; * From the Insert menu in PowerPoint choose "Slides from file..."; * Select the file that contains the new slide you've created from the template; * Add the new slide to the existing module in the location you want; * Save the existing module with the new slide; 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 use the up/right/left arrow combination, as it is not essential for moving from one slide to the next in the PowerPoint environment. COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER Copyright 1996 Network Solutions, Inc. 505 Huntmar Park Drive, Herndon, Virginia 22070. 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.