Bicycle: Beta Test Feedback

    VERSION 0.8
    May 2002 * Browser Used for Baseline Testing: Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows

    On this page:

      For Content Developers:
      Content/Overall Organization | Alternate Media

      For Links Programmers:
      HTML Notes | Java Notes | Graphics Notes | Platform/Browser-Specific Problems

    Content/Overall Organization

    General Suggestions/Comments:
    • Overall this was an extremely interesting module. I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing it!
    • There is no use of the concepts, discover, applications, collaborate, and practice links on the top navigation bar. These should definitely be used in some way as they help cover all aspects of a topic. For example, the practice page should example problems and answers so the user can make sure they understand material before moving on. I highly suggest the use of all of these links.
    • Great introductory pages to the module. Is it possible to include a summary?

    Page-Specific Suggestions:

    • There are two mountain biking applets (Click here and here.) One is supposed to be able to see a biker's weight on Earth only, the other applet shows the biker's weight on other planets.
      • Problems:
        • Presently the first applet displays weight on all planets, and the second applet displays weight only on earth.
        • The title of the page with the second applet is "Mountain Biking on Mars", but you can see what different parameters would be while mountain biking on any planet.
        • There are questions underneath both of the applets. The practice page is meant to be used for questions such as these.
      • Solutions:
        • Enable the practice page, and move all questions to this page. Each question should be followed by a link to an answer, with an explanation if needed.
        • Delete the second applet altogether.
        • Change the name of the page with the first applet to read "Mountain Biking in Outer space".
    • Please make Force Equilibrium the discover page of Force Equilibrium and Tire Reactions, and Force Equilibrium and Bicycle Tire Reactions the concepts page of Force Equilibrium and Tire Reactions.
    • Resolving Vectors into Components:
      • Please make Vector Components and Resultants the concepts page of Resolving Vectors into Components, and make the actual page of Resolving Vectors into Components the collaborate page of the Resolving Vectors into Components section.
      • On Vector Components and Resultants, the link to Parallelogram Rule shows this rule. However, the rule should be in the glossary. Please contact whoever is in charge of the glossary to have this entry inserted, and make that the link on Vector Components and Resultants.
    • Frame Geometry I - Tube Lengths:
      • Please make the opening page the discover page of Frame Geometry I - Tube Lengths.
      • Position Vectors:
        • Please make this page the collaboration page of Frame Geometry I - Tube Lengths.
        • The link on this page to The Pythagorean Theorem shows a page with this rule on it. However, the rule should be in the glossary. Please contact whoever is in charge of the glossary to have this entry inserted, and make that the link on Position Vectors.
    • Please make Vector Dot Product the collaboration page of Drawing Tire FBD's, and make Drawing Bicycle Tire FBD's the discover page of Drawing Tire FBD's.
    • Please make Free Body Diagrams the collaboration page of Frame Geometry II - Angles, and make Bicycle Frame Geometry II - Frame Angles the concepts page of Frame Geometry II - Angles.
    • Please make Moment Equilibrium the concepts page of Moment Equilibrium and Tire Reactions, and make Moment Equilibrium and Bicycle Tire Reactions the collaboration page of Moment Equilibrium and Tire Reactions.
    • Tire Reactions: Matrix Formulation of Equilibrium Equations needs some type of textual suggestions on how to get started underneath the applet.
    • Please make Engineering Modeling the applications page of Frame Design and Analysis, and make Bicycle Frame Design the concepts page of Frame Design and Analysis.
    • Theoretical Analysis of Frame Loads:
      • Please make this the concepts page of Theoretical Analysis of Frame Loads.
      • The page that pops up on opening should be the collaboration page of Theoretical Analysis of Frame Loads.

    Use of Alternate Media

    • When activated, I suggest using the application pages to give examples of how the information learned in the module could be used in real-life situations. There should be links to other sites with brief descriptions.

    HTML Programmer Notes

    • None

    Java Programmer Notes

    • Excellent applets on this module! There are many of them, which I also commend. The more interactive applets, the more learning will progress.

    Graphics Notes

    • Nice graphics on Newton's Law of Gravitation!

    Platform/Browser-Specific Problems

    • Netscape Communicator
      • Netscape ran this module very slow.
      • The applet on Theoretical Analysis of Frame Loads does not open.
      • Experimental Analysis of Frame Loads I and II do not open.
    • Internet Explorer: None


    Gabrielle Mahar - Project Links - maharg@rpi.edu