Alpha Test Feedback
Constrained Optimization: Alpha Test Feedback
June 1999 * Browser Used for Baseline Testing: Internet Explorer
4.0 for Windows
On this page:
Content/Overall Organization | Alternate
Media
For Links Programmers:
HTML Notes | Java Notes | Graphics
Notes | Platform/Browser-Specific Problems
Content/Overall Organization
The linear (using the previous and next buttons) organization of this module
is excellent. Reviewing the module was a lot of fun.
Some General Suggestions/Comments:
- Most important: There are some odd choices of links made
available in the sidenav bar. Links on the sidenav bar are supposed to link
exclusively to "concept" pages. (See the
Links Navigation Scheme standard for guidance.) It is my understanding
that erstwhile interface designer Ann Navin has brought this to the attention
of the content developers, and that a review of the organization (in regards
to the top navigation bar) is in progress.
- What is the standard being used for introduction of new terms? In prerequisites.html,
new terms are highlighted in red (a plausible technique), but elsewhere
(notably in objectives.html), new terms are
not highlighted in this fashion. The content developers should scan the
module for introduction of new terms not only for the visual consistency
problem I'm mentioning, but also for addition to the module's glossary (library
page).
- The titles of each page (bold text at top of each) should help the user
know where in the module she currently is. For example, there are many pages
titled "Activities" or "Analytical Formulation" throughout the module. These
should perhaps be subtitles (H2), with main titles like "Optimal Navigation",
"Optimal Production", and "Multiple-Constraint Optimization" to give the
user an idea of his/her current position in the module.
Page-Specific Suggestions:
- Optimal Navigation/Analytical Formulation Page (lesson1_theory.html):
"... you found that a tangency condition is satisfied at the optimal
point."
Perhaps this could be stated more specifically - although a student should,
after participating in the preceding activities, understand what is going
on geometrically, "tangency condition" might come across as an overly general
phrase.
- Empty pages: crib sheet, library
page.
Use of Alternate Media
- The text of the start page really does a great job of drawing the reader
in. It would be even better with some sort of supporting
graphic or animation (see the opening page of the drag
forces module for an example).
- The supporting applets and animations are well-chosen and timely, and
really do a great job of enhancing the presentation. There are a few technical
problems; these will be brought to the attention of the Links Project programmers.
HTML Programmer Notes
- intro_theory.html should be renamed "start.html" for conformity with Links
standard. ( DONE - JJK 6/24/99 )
- Throughout, page headers are *centered*. The CENTER tags should be removed
- all text surrounded by Hx tags should be flush left.
- lesson1_theory.html - Text is flush
left to the sidenav bar. ( DONE - JJK 6/24/99 )
- activity1.html (best accessed via "pop-up"
from lesson1_preworkshop.html) -
The "Close" button in "Activity I" does not work (IE4 Windows). The same
is true for all such pop-up windows (activity2.html, movie1.html, movie2.html,
movie3.html). Furthermore, these pop-up windows are sized at (1000x700)
- a major problem when viewing them on lower-resolution
monitors.
- lesson1_exer.html - The bluish "Problem
Statement" and "Remark" headers should be replaced with something nicer-looking
and more to Links standards (such as one of the tags H1-H3). (Similar changes
will have to be made on lesson1_exer2.html
and lesson2_theory.html). Also, there
should probably be a little space before the question at the bottom of the
page.
- Equation handling: it doesn't look like WebEQ is used anywhere in this
module. This isn't always a problem, but there are a couple of annoyances:
1) the nablas (upside-down deltas) are .gif files, 2) the vector variables
don't look like vectors (they don't have a 'swoosh' over them). WebEQ can
create vector variables using '\\vec{}'.
See pages:
- Think boxes: throughout the module, questions should be highlighted via
the inclusion of "think.gif" (the question-mark graphic), as in other modules.
Java Programmer Notes
- First-time loading of the "Production" applet
is (intolerably) slow, due to the download of "swingall.jar" (nearly 90
seconds in the Links lab).
This issue will have to be addressed across the Links site.
- The 'alpha' and 'beta' characters in the "Production"
applet do not always show up.
Graphics Notes
Platform/Browser-Specific Problems
- Netscape Communicator 4.5 for Windows
- The frame layout on the pop-up pages (containing activities 1 & 2
and movies 1-3) looks pretty bad. The "header frame" is cut off, making
the top text impossible to read.
- The applets on these pages (activities 1 & 2) do not show up in Netscape
(NullPointerException is thrown).
- Netscape Navigator 4.0 for Macintosh
- Has the problems mentioned above for Windows Netscape. Additionally,
the Production applet also does not load, yielding the error message:
"class links.applet.consopt.Production not found".
- Explorer 4.5 for Macintosh
- For some reason, this environment was the only one tested in which
the 'close' buttons in the pop-up windows actually worked. However,
pressing the button in the "movie1" window (accessed
via lesson3_exper.html) to go to "movie2" or "movie3" crashes this
browser every time.
Jan Joseph Kratky - Project Links - kratkj@cs.rpi.edu