Lay2lose Review

After having the unique opportunity to see the software in action, I decided to write this Lay2Lose review to share my experiences. We all know there’s a ton of money to be made “laying horses” on betting exchanges, but can this product really get you a piece of the action? This is the main question I had in mind as I approached Lay2Lose, and in this short review I will answer it for you.

There seem to be a lot of “experts” out there in the world of horse racing who claim to have all of the tips and secrets that can make you rich. Rarely do they ever really work. This is the mentality I approached Lay2Lose with, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with what I found as I looked into the software.

First, the whole program is extremely straight forward. When they you don’t need any experience in betting on horse races, they aren’t kidding. When they say you don’t need to spend a lot of time working on the system, they are serious. Literally, with Lay2Lose you only need a minute a day to set up. Everything is completely automated, so as long as your computer is on it’s working for you.

Lay2Lose will automatically choose losing horses for you (hint for the inexperienced: this program makes you money by betting against horses it thinks will lose) and you can set up parameters so you’ll never bet on a horse that can lose you more money than you’re willing to gamble. The program works so well, you can even try it before you buy it! That’s confidence if I’ve ever seen it.

To say I highly recommend Lay2Lose would be an understatement. I think it’s the best software program out there. It’s compatible with Windows, so if you’ve got a PC it can work for you.

By: Lay2Lose Review

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

If you enjoyed this Lay2Lose review and would like to learn more, visit the official Lay2Lose website today.

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Make Music with your Computer: An Introduction
 by: Calab Coleman

Intro

Well guys, I’ve decided to write a short article on how to make music with your computer. When I started out, I couldn’t find anything to help me. I didn’t know what to buy, or where to start. Hopefully this short article will help you in your quest to making music a fun and productive hobby or future profession.

Loops and SONY ACID Software

When I first started to create music I used SONIC FOUNDRY’S ACID MUSIC 3.0. It’s a piece of software that enables you to create music with loops. Loops are small pieces of music, like a drum line or synth line. These loops are only a few seconds long, but, obviously, they loop. This means that you can draw the loop in for 30 seconds, 60 seconds, whatever length you’d like with no distortion or other strange noises when the loop starts over at the beginning. There are many websites and companies that create loops for production use. A lot of them are Royalty Free; this means that you can use them in commercial (for-profit) songs. Each of the companies that create these loops has their own license, which you’ll want to read if you’re going to release an album. The license is usually just a set of rules or terms that say what you can and can’t do with a loop. Most the time you can use these Royalty Free loops in commercial recordings, but you can’t, for example, resell the loops by themselves. You have to abide by the license.

As far as I know SONIC FOUNDRY was bought out by SONY, so if you’re looking for this software….

- Do a search for ACID PRO, or visit the link at the bottom of the article

- There are different versions of the software; one of the versions is absolutely FREE

The Reason to create

The piece of software I’d like to talk about in this section is PROPELLERHEADS REASON. This piece of software is much different than ACID. REASON is focused less on loops, and more on programming. When I say programming, I mean using individual sounds, for example, a kick drum, snare, or piano sound. You then use the awesome devices to create patterns. REASON includes a powerful list of devices. Some of the more important are the ReDrum Drum Machine, Synthesizers, and all new in 2.5, the mastering devices. I’m not going to get into this too much, because there’s just too much to tell in this article. If you’re interested in using REASON, I recommend that you get the tutorial CD-ROM from M-AUDIO. It will give you a good idea of how to get started with REASON, and if you think that it will be good for you.

Putting it all together

The great thing about the two pieces of software that I talked about in the previous two paragraphs is this:

- You can use ACID for all your loops

- You can use ACID to record vocals and/or guitars if you have the equipment

- You can use ACID to render your final recording to mp3, wav, aiff, and more

- You can use REASON to program patterns for drums, synths, etc.

(Keep in mind that these two programs can do way more than what’s displayed above)

The coolest part of this whole thing is that you can connect these two programs. Using a technology named “REWIRE”, created by PROPELLERHEADS you can have both of these applications synchronized. Add a loop in ACID, make a pattern in REASON, and have them play back together. When you’re done, you can render in ACID to have the synchronized music as one file, or track.

Wait! I have no sound

Okay, so now you have the software to start creating some awesome music. So the thing you’re missing is sound, speakers, headphones, etc. I use an external sound card by M-AUDIO, called OMISTUDIO USB. This thing connects to my pc with the USB port. It has two headphone connections and two instrument/mic connections with preamp power. It also contains several speaker connections, as well as other connections for mixers, etc.

There are several different types of these external sound machines. Most of them are either USB or FireWire. Most have headphone, speaker, and mic connections and come with the necessary drivers for your computer.

It’s all over

I hope that this short article gave you some ideas to start making music. I plan on writing more articles as time permits. See ya soon!

Links

ACID PRO and other SONY Software – http://www.sony.com/mediasoftware

PROPELLERHEADS REASON – http://www.propellerheads.se

M-AUDIO Products – http://www.m-audio.com

About The Author

Calab Coleman

Liquidesert is an electronica artist, and has been creating music since 2001. You can learn more about Liquidesert at http://Liquidesert.com – You can also find Free Loops and Beats by Liquidesert at http://www.BeatStorm.com.

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Pc Satellite Tv Review: Learn How To Ignite The Multimedia Hidden Inside Of Your Computer!

The facts are now apparent but not alarming as the number of Internet video/TV watchers continue to rise. Although the number of home video/television watchers remain on top by a large margin, a continue rise in Internet video and TV watchers could make a significant gain in the very near future. If the thought of downloading a Satellite TV to PC software to watch tons of videos and channels never made an impression, perhaps now is the right time to consider it seriously

To do so will mean avoiding the duds and scams by sticking with a top software service. To watch Satellite TV on your PC will means receiving free Internet television entertainment. It needs to be simple as possible while providing legal access and a risk-free, scam-free environment when delivering on a promise made to consumers. As a result, looking over your shoulders, worrying about spyware/adware/viruses, and skepticism are eliminated. To avoid making crucial mistakes, the best way to learn how to use software to watch computer Internet TV is knowing what it can and can’t do.

So what are some of the things that are not being revealed?

Firstly, understand the Satellite TV on your computer myth. Although a top TV on PC software will provide an instant gateway to free Internet TV/Radio/Music/VOD on a PC, it doesn’t offer Satellite or Cable TV programming. Without question, it provides the next best thing through Internet TV which offers more TV savings, variety, freedom, flexibility, and mobility than Satellite and Cable networks. Therefore, the least of your worries will be a software that decodes or descrambles paid-TV signals and channels–it simple doesn’t.

Secondly, even a top Satellite TV to PC software have flaws which is generally overlooked when hype clouds better judgment. Or when there is not enough information to make a well informed decision prior to paying the small one-time fee. When something sounds too good to be true it’s because the writer, reviewer, or seller are not revealing the flaws. Besides knowing an Internet broadband connection is needed in order for a Satellite TV on your PC software to work on a Wind
1000
ows or Vista desktop/laptop computer, generally speaking more understanding is needed.

Does the software work 100% of the time when downloading it to a computer?

There is a 20% (+/-) chance of failure. Why? Because of the pre-installed hardware and software already in the user’s computer. Remember this is very rare, as 80% (+/-) of the time it works very well. There are solutions to these issues, but they are generally left out before making a purchase. Meanwhile, there is a little secret that one can use to test out a top Satellite TV on your computer software that offers no free-trial.

Thirdly, what brings more trust to potential customers is product awareness that eliminates the feeling that something is too good to be true. This is where an unbiased customer review comes into play. Relying on information from a merchant’s website only will mean a mistake is bound to happen, whereas finding information outside the merchant is best. In addition, one of the few misconceptions is thinking that all merchants handle their own sales/refunds transactions. Knowing precising who handles and processes all sales/refunds is key to getting a refund quicker.

Generally speaking, many of the top and wiser Satellite TV on your computer merchants don’t want to handle this work–since they don’t have the man power or skill to do so. Consequently, many merchants today usually outsource this work to a highly reputable source such as Plimus, ClickBank, or PayPal. This is more information that needs to be covered to bring more awareness. So reading a good customer review that provides the pros and cons is key to a getting the right software package and service.

What makes a great TV doesn’t mean it has to be paid for or doing anything illegal to get it. When having Satellite TV on your computer through software, it makes accessing tons of free Internet TV/Radio/Music/VOD easier and faster as oppose to doing everything yourself. Newbies receive an easy path to discovering the power of the Internet and all (not some) of its unlimited free media via a computer Internet tV setup, along with the perks for more enjoyment.

When watching regular home TV channels becomes boring, sharing a TV-set with other people is annoying, living without paid-TV, or traveling near and afar means no television to pass the time away, a top Satellite TV to PC software offers plenty of advantages–not just one.

By: pbsbluejay

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Philip Sumpter offers his insight and experience both as a tester and user of Satellite TV to PC software. He has helped 1000s of people Worldwide watch computer Internet TV. Would you like to cut through the red tape to enjoying more entertainment? To learn the safe, legit, and legal way that also offers a risk-free and scam-free environment, go to Premium TV for PC

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I recently downloaded and installed (after paying for a license) Spy Hunter v3, which was recommended to remove a stubborn malware called 'Virus 2009'. Spy Hunter detected and removed Virus 2009 no problem, but now my computer just isn't quite right! I already had Spybot Search & Destroy on the computer and this is now telling me that Spy Hunter is a recognised malicious malware, and asks if I want to remove it? Whenever I turn the computer on I also get an error message of some sort telling me about a Tea Timer that couldn't be installed. What exactly is a Tea Timer?

Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Gareth

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Ok so you might find the next few links interesting. These are from around the web, just random snippets that I’ve picked up in my reading, but I found some very cool information in them. You might too. Here goes…

REVIEW: Sophos Endpoint Security and Data Protection 9 Suite Is Full-Featured …

Installation went smoother than usual for an enterprise security software product. When Sophos Enterprise Console launches, it displays a Dashboard …   Read More…

Seapine Software Helps Ziosoft Manage System Requirements Across Two …

This helps us to better track quality issues and perform a traceability review for internal and external regulatory audits.” Project management at Ziosoft …   Read More…

Week in review: Getting real with Google, Yahoo

Your destination for the latest news on enterprise-level information technology, from chip research and server design to software issues including …   Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

The M3 Forex Navigator software which is part of the Forex Mastery system is a newly released trading program. This is a program which works with the Bias and Key numbers of the ForexMastery system, proprietary support and resistance levels which are calculated with 8 technical indicators and 4 separate applications which work in the background.

This concept of Bias and Key numbers is explained in detail in the course section of the Forex Mastery system which the M3 Forex Navigator is a part of. What the Navigator does is help turn this concept into a visual picture which traders can work with more easily.

The Navigator can create a clear representation of how the market is behaving and display the Bias and Key numbers on easy to read charts. This allows traders to clearly see when they have a high probabilty trade coming up. You can view the market in any time frame and even place a few different time frames side to side to get an even clearer picture right in front of you.

The key is that the M3 Forex Navigator is not a stand alone program. It will not help any trader who doesn’t have the complete ForexMastery system.

It is also important to note that this is not an automatic trading program. It doesn’t make you money on its own. It simply helps you to work better with the trading method taught in ForexMastery. Therefore, don’t expect miracles of the Navigator. It won’t deliver them. However, it is still a very useful tool to accelerate the trading process and to simplify it. That’s all.

2024

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Yahoo! 404 – Page Not Found

Use the Escape key to return to the search box. Use the right arrow key to explore related concepts.

Use the Escape key to return to the search box. Use the left arrow key to return to the search suggestions. Use the up and down arrow keys to select concepts related to your query.

DNS is the best for Speech-to-Text.

Whos the dictator by the way? You or the PC?

Coz it may even mean Text-to-Speech.

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Ok so 3 more posts today that I’ve dug up – I’m an information JUNKIE on this stuff lately. Give em a browse and let me know what ya reckon. They’re just from a few different sites I’ve been surfing lately that are generally good for information like this…

Federal Courts Rule Schools May Not Punish Cyberbullies; PC Pandora Says …

PC Pandora computer monitoring software will let you know if your child is engaging in or a victim of cyberbullying. San Marcos CA (PRWEB) December 16, …   Read More…

Facebook's new policy makes users think about privacy

But most significant about the new settings, I think, is that they require every one of Facebook's 350 million users to run a "transition tool" to review …   Read More…

Apple ipod touch (3rd Generation) 32GB Review

The versatile iPhone 3.1 Software is already installed on iPod touch, meaning that more applications than ever can be used immediately, including work/play …   Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

It is your right to apply for grant funding from the government or private organizations if you think that you qualify. You can apply for a grant if you need to get our of debt, start your business, buy your house or renovate it, pay for your education, pay general expenses, purchase real estate, buy necessary items, cover your medical expenses, and for many other purposes.

However, the government will only approve professional, fully prepared grant applications, and most of us have never learned how to apply for a grant so we could be turned down just for making simple mistakes. In addition, there is a lot of competition for grant funding. This is where Success Grants Complete enters the picture.

This service will provide you with the information you need in order to write and submit professional quality grant applications so that you have the best chance of qualifying for a grant possible. It is one of the many websites out there which offer an up to date list of current grants and which still have available funds. It will show you step by step exactly what you need to do to prepare a professional grant application. Keep in mind that it is not a grant agency. But instead, it will teach you tips, tricks, and secrets about the grant application process so that you can write a grant like a professional.

A grant is an award of financial assistance in the form of money by the federal government to an eligible grantee with no expectation that the funds will be paid back. It is a free gift from the government to the Americans who need help.

In order to improve your chances of standing out from the crowd and qualifying for funding, let Success Grants Complete help you out.

2026

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If you want to know the real truth about IvyBot forex trading software then you have come to the right place. IvyBot is 100% automatic trading software which is predicted to be the next big thing in the field of Forex trading. This robot has already gained tremendous popularity among the traders and every trader is excited about this genius. Here is a detailed review on IvyBot robot, explaining what makes it so special and what it means to Forex traders.

First of all, the robot is named IvyBot because the program used by it internally was created by a group of Ivy League graduates. Most people are not bothered about who wrote the software, but how it works. However, it becomes special in this case because the software was written by a bunch of very smart people and hence it is supposed to be smart too.

Forex market is a continually changing environment and so you need a robot which changes accordingly. A robot which works on static data is of no use for Forex trading as its outcome may not be consistent across different market conditions. Artificial Intelligence is a technology which works on predictions and assumptions and also risky for an unpredictable market like Forex.

Considering all these difficulties, the people who created IvyBot came up with the optimal solution of updating its data regularly. A group of Forex market experts update IvyBot on a weekly basis who constantly monitor the shifting behavior of the market.

IvyBot is not the software which promises updates-free operation, but one which promises excellent results because of the regular updates. Once updated, it works with minimum participation from user, as it is 100% automatic in nature. It is a very feasible and intelligent trading tool for every trader who wants to gain maximum profits in minimum investment.

Screencast

Screencast is a digital recording of computer screens, full screens or screen regions and usually comes with an audio narration to describe the on-screen actions. The term screencast dates back to 2004 with an interesting story.

In 2004, a columnist Jon Udell invited readers of his blog to propose names for the emerging genre. In all the suggested terms, Udell selected screencast, which was proposed by both Joseph McDonald and Deeje Cooley. His “Heavy metal umlaut” screencast is a well-known example – which explains how Wikipedia works.

http://weblog.infoworld.com/udell/gems/umlaut.html

Since then, the term screen has be known by more people and the use of screencasts has itself become more popular. Currently the new trend of screencast is documentary filmmaking of software-based social networking services like Wikipedia, del.icio.us. or digg.

In This Article

1. Screencast Types

2. Screencasting Tools

3. Guide Lines of making a screencast

Screencast Types

Product Tutorials: The screencast tells users how to use a software application or service by showing screen introductions. Usually, there is a recorded voice over to walk through the steps.

See examples below

Cracking WEB in 10 Minutes

http://userportal.iha.dk/~02882/Whoppix-wepcrack.swf

Short How-to: This kind of screencast usually is often short and demonstrate a simple guide or gives tips and tricks to solve a small problem or dig into a product feature.

See example below

Better use of Window ‘s Search Feature

http://weblog.infoworld.com/udell/2005/01/25.html#a1157

Conversational Demos:

Conversational demos has more focus on the conversion rather than the screens. Usually, there are two voices for the screen. Often one is asking question about the screen and another gives the answer.

Software review:

If you are asked for writing a software review , you can always make a screencast to highlight some features.

User produced demo:

Some software applications are difficult to use and you sometimes have some unexpected troubles. Making a screencast to explain will help you a lot when you are talking to the technical support. You can even make you troubleshooting demo to share with your friends and families.

Of course, there are more types has not yet included in this article.

Screencasting Tools

For Window Users

Windows Media Encoder – Free but with high system requirements

http://www.videohelp.com/tools/Windows_Media_Encoder

Wondershare DemoCreator – Flash-based Screen Recorder

http://www.sameshow.com/demo-creator.html

For Mac Users

Snapz Pro X

http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/snapzprox/

Guide Lines of making a screencast

1. Know what you want to present

First and foremost, You’ll need to have an idea about what you’ll present, and you’ll need to figure out which platform to use. Knowing your purposes of making a screecast is the first to come.

2. Make it real

Always to make a screencast in real and substantial scene. For example, it is for software demonstration or a network monitor, then work with the software or live network.

Of course , for reasons of logistics or security, this isn’t always possible. But the more real we can make it, the better.

3. Interactivity is important

Interactivity engages viewers through the demo. If your screecast is just screen by screen, your viewers will leave soon. You can and I’d argue you should record narration or insert background music to the screencast. Usually, some screencasting tools like DemoCreator enable you to add some visual aids to the captured screens like callouts, shapes, annotation buttons and animated images. Note that when a screencast is interactive it will engage the viewers in a conversation that steers it into unexpected areas.

About The Author

KingMarsh is tech writer in the filed of integrating technology in training and learning. He write at this site http://www.sameshow.com where you will find free trial of PowerPoint to flash conversion tools and e-learning content development tools, free PowerPoint templates, useful PowerPoint techniques and PowerPoint resources.

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http://free.avg.com/fr-en/homepage
you can take the free version
but after take the internet security version

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I'm sick of windows movie maker – Suggestions for Movie Making Program?

I am so fed up with Windows Movie Maker screwing up all the time, and wasting hours of hard work! I am so ready to buy something that ACTUALLY WORKS and wondering if anyone has suggestions?

I would just be using it to edit home movies, and the occasional youtube video – so nothing TOO pricey (max 130AUD), easy to use but with a reasonably amount of effects etc.

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Grammar software – can it help us on better achieving our writing goals? The English language is widely used by most of us when communicating with others, especially via the Internet. Find out how to transform your writing correct and appealing.

Getting some basics

Grammar software automatically checks and corrects given text for any spelling or grammatical errors to ensure that our writing becomes correct and impressive. By simulating the human mind, these solutions scan your text by comparing it to their massive DB which contains ‘correct’ variations of your sentences. This advanced technology offer the following: grammar check, misspelling and typos correction, and suggesting proper punctuation.

Advantages

Now that we understand how it works, we need to know the main benefits:

- Improving our basic-intermediate grammar writing level.

- Transforming our natural writing clear and professional.

- Helping people who use writing as their main working tool, whether at home or in the office.

Looking closer on this technology, we could easily find other advantages that were not added into this quick list, as this advanced tool constantly changes, bringing us new improvements that help us on improving our Writing skills.

Summary

Grammar software review solutions transform our writing assignments better and effective. Correct grammar and proofreading is matter of practice, this technology won’t teach us correct grammar directly, but indirectly. Although it brings many challenges to software developers, we can expect this advanced tool to further develop itself, for a single reason: writing is one of the most important tools that help us with many of our day-to-day assignments, whether at home, at school, or in the office.

Tips for Searching Google Maps

The Google Maps team has put together 31 tips for better using the popular mapping software. Why do this now? It's the holiday season, and Google is trying …   Read More…

CSI: Miami – “Delko for the Defense” – Review

They isolated the location and arrested Justin Porter, a software support person. Both the victim and Ellen called for tech support and Justin answered …   Read More…

FlipShare TV review

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That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

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Satellite Tv On My Pc – Why Watch Satellite Tv For Pc Or Laptop?

First off – why should you watch Satellite television on your PC? Well it’s important that you know the specific reasons why it’s important that you make the decision when it comes to watching television.

We are going to discuss what your options for watching Satellite TV on your PC or Laptop are, why each of them are good and bad and each of their own ways, and which choice will offer you a wide “variety” of options.

First off let’s start off with why you should start watching Satellite TV on your Pc. Let’s be honest, the internet and computers are quickly becoming multi-media platforms. In the “non-online” world, you have newspapers, television, and you have radio; however on the internet – you have all three in one spot.

There are many instances where you can go to a website and they’ll have radio, newspaper, and television/video coverage on a certain event – even on the same page! Do you see the possibilities? With watching Satellite TV on your PC; you’ll have access to literally unlimited sources of media, it’s great that you start today!

What are My Options for Installing Satellite TV for PC
You have a wide variety of options when it comes to installing Satellite television on your PC. You can decide to download it from a website, put it through a tv card, or even try the “sling-box” method. Each way has it’s benefits and disadvantages and you should explore each thoroughly before making a decision.

Let’s talk about the PCTV Card You’ll be able to either buy and install a PCI card or a USB card. Both are great and viable options; however, the USB card may be easier to install. With a PCi card, you actually have to open up your PC.

You will not have access to tons of channels, but you should be able to get some main channels, especially if you have a digital card, as most countries are set to go from analog to digital in the upcoming years.

SlingBox & Direct TV or Dishnetwork Combination
This is a popular combination that many people all around the world are doing, you simply want to make sure that you’re already subscribing to dishnetwork or Direct TV services and you want to use the sling
1000
-box to “sling” your current television provider to your PC or laptop and watch it on there. It’s a great service, an you should definitely consider going to the website for more information.

Satellite TV for PC Software
Satellite TV for PC software is also a viable option for those people who do not want to pay a monthly fee or have complicated installation on or inside their house. All you have to do is simply go to a distributor and download the software and you’ll have instant access to literally thousands of channels all around the world.

It’s a great alternative for those who want Satellite TV but are unable or do not desire to get the Dish, or pay a monthly fee.

Do your research to find the best solutions for your entertainment needs!

By: richealmy

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Read the author’s review of the

Top Satellite TV software on the market now at www.squidoo.com/watchonlinetvforfree first ! The author is currently using a Satellite TV for PC software to watch over 33,000 channels on his computer for free, CLICK HERE to learn more about it!

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Captain Your Own Computer Technology Needs

What actually is SCORM? SCORM, Shareable Content Object Reference Model, is a standard for web-based e-learning that has been developed to define communication between client-side content and a runtime environment. In the context of this article, the client-side content would be the course launched by a student and the runtime environment would be a Learning Management System. The SCORM standard has undergone several version releases from SCORM v1.0 in 1999 to the SCORM 2004 3rd Edition in 2006. The purpose of this article is to look in a little more detail at the communication flow between the LMS and a course that is SCORM v2.1 compliant. The intention is not to review every possible communication but just the main calls. We will look at SCORM in the context of a SCORM course, i.e. a course that has been developed and built to communicate with a Learning Management System using the SCORM standard.

First of all, let me define a few terms that I will use and that you may hear in reference to SCORM courses:

• API (Application Programming Interface)

The SCORM standard has a defined API. The term API is not unique to SCORM but is a well known term in application development. The SCORM API is a documented set of messages that are sent between the course and the LMS. The message may require a response so that the sender of the message is guaranteed that the message has been received and processed appropriately.

• Manifest

The manifest is the master file for the SCORM course that contains references to all other files that make up the complete content of the course.

• Single SCO

A single SCO is the most basic and most common form of a SCORM course. All files that make up the course, regardless of the number of lessons in the course, are packaged as one SCO unit. When the course is launched within the Learning Management System, it communicates with the SCO.

• Multiple SCO

A multiple SCO is where a group of files within the course can be treated as an individual SCO but packaged together with other SCOs to comprise one course. For example, the files that comprise each lesson of a SCORM course can be grouped together so that each lesson is a SCO in its own right and all the SCOs will comprise the one course.

Course Installation

For the course to be available in the Learning Management System, the SCORM package needs to be installed on the system. The method of installation will vary from LMS to LMS but will typically go through the following steps:

1. The manifest file will be located and interpreted.

2. The course identified in the manifest will be created in the Learning Management System and the course properties will be populated with the values defined in the manifest. These properties may include course name, creator, etc.

3. The lessons of the course will be created in the LMS and the lesson properties will be populated with the values defined in the manifest. Lesson properties would include information such as the path to the lesson file, passing grade, etc.

The Learning Management System should provide a facility to overwrite an already existing SCORM course so that if updates are made to the existing course, an installation will deploy those changes.

Course Communication

Initialization

When the course is launched within its run time environment, which for our purposes is the LMS, it will detect the existence of the API and attempt to make initial communication with the Learning Management System. This is a one-time handshake to ensure that communication has been established. The SCORM course is responsible for locating the API in the child browser session that it has launched in from the parent. The API is typically deployed using JavaScript. The API call that the course uses to do this is the LMSInitialize call. When the Learning Management System receives this API message call from the course, the LMS will initialize and respond to inform the course that communication has been established. An object model has been created in memory and the properties have been initialized to default values.

Intermediary Course Communication

Once the course has been launched and initialized with the LMS, the interaction between the two is determined by the course. It will use LMSGetValue and LMSSetValue API message calls to retrieve or populate data in the object model. Bear in mind that the object model exists in memory and has not been sent to the Learning Management System.

When the course needs to write the data so it exists in the database, it will send the API message LMSCommit. The LMSCommit will be received by the Learning Management System and the data stored to the LMS. The course developer will determine when an LMSCommit is required and it will be sent to the LMS when the event is activated. This could be at the end of each lesson or it could be at the end of the course.

The LMSCommit is an optional message and does not require a response from the Learning Management System.

Finalization

When the course is completed, it will send an LMSFinish API message to the LMS. This may be triggered by an event in the course that activates the LMSFinish or it may be on the Unload event of the HTML page when the user closes the browser. The LMSFinish indicates to the LMS that the user has ended the course and any further communication between the two will be rejected. The LMSFinish also initiates the Learning Management System to store any data that has been populated in the object model and complete the unloading of the course.

The key difference between the LMSCommit and LMSFinish API message calls is that the latter will prevent further communication with the course.

The LMSFinish is a mandatory message and does not require a response from the LMS.

Learning Management System Considerations

When the LMSFinish is received by the LMS, there are several scenarios that may need to be taken into account. Some of these may be the product of errors in course development but are scenarios that have been experienced in interfacing with a SCORM compliant course:

1. The SCORM course may indicate the student has failed a lesson but the score passed from the SCO may be greater than the lesson passing grade that was installed from the manifest.

2. The SCORM course may indicate a lesson status for the user and pass the score of the lesson but there has been no passing grade defined for the lesson.

3. It would be advantageous for the Learning Management System to provide API message logging so that a communication history may be recreated for debugging or historical purposes. Consideration should be given to the following:

a. Method of storage, whether it is stored in a database or out to a file.

b. Is logging on all the time or is there a switch to turn logging on or off? (There will be some overhead when logging is switched on, as opposed to being off.)

c. If logging is to file, is there a log file for each course, each user, or one large SCORM log file?

d. How is log data purged? When logging is stored in the database, how often is the table purged? Can the data be deleted or does it need to be archived? If logging is to a file, does the file build in size until it is manually renewed or does the logging mechanism have a trigger that automatically generates a new file? (If the file is left to grow too big, it becomes very impractical to open it in a text editor.)

Conclusions

SCORM has a proven track record in the web based e-learning world and is the accepted standard in the industry. Reputable LMS vendors should support your SCORM course out of the box. The SCORM 2004 version has added much more control and sequencing at a more granular level than SCORM v1.2 however those differences are significant enough to cause the user base to be slower in adopting the SCORM 2004 version.

About The Author

Stuart Campbell is Director of Software Development for SyberWorks, Inc. (http://www.syberworks.com), a privately-held supplier of e-Learning software and training. A native of the United Kingdom, he had previously served as a Principle Software Engineer, Senior Consultant, Senior Software Engineer, and Development Specialist for companies such as Brooks Automation Inc., Digital Equipment, and Honeywell Control Systems. His areas of expertise include Visual Studio.NET, C#, VB.NET, VB6, VBScript, XML, COBOL, WindowsXP, Windows2000, WindowsNT, VAX/VMS, UNIX, Oracle, SQLServer, Oracle Rdb, Oracle DBMS, and Agile Modeling Methodology.

The SyberWorks Learning Management System/Learning Content Management System

SyberWorks Training Center (STC) is a Web-based Learning Management System (LMS)/Learning Content Management System (LCMS) that provides complete solutions for managing and tracking all types of training at your organization — from e-Learning courses to traditional classroom training and self-paced study programs. The STC includes extensive testing and assessment tools, reporting, management, communication and collaboration tools, and quality control capabilities — all in one integrated database application that is highly scalable to precisely meet your organization’s needs. The SyberWorks Training Center LMS/LCMS can be purchased as an enterprise license or hosted application.

About SyberWorks, Inc.

SyberWorks, Inc. (http://www.syberworks.com) is a leader in the custom e-Learning Solutions and Learning Management System/Learning Content Management System (LMS/LCMS) industries for Fortune 1000 corporations, law enforcement, healthcare, and other industries. Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, the company serves the multi-billion-dollar e-Learning market. Since 1995, SyberWorks has developed and delivered unique and economical solutions to create, manage, measure, and improve e-Learning programs at companies and organizations in the United States, Canada, Europe, and around the world.

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