Back from NECC 2006

Well, I got back from San Diego around 8 yesterday. That conference was well worth the trip. Everything was great. It seemed like open-source and Web 2.0 were the software trends. There was not really anything hardware-wise I haven't see already. But, the exhibit booths were still worth the effort. It was interesting to see Lenovo there. I think from previewing all the new Tablet PCs. Their product was the best due to its long batter life and 2.5 lbs weight. This is a link to the IBM products. They don't actually have the model I looked at on the floor. The tablets in the link are IBM-rebranded.

The main thought I have is that Moodle is finally here in the US. It has taken awhile, but the competitors better take notice. They need just a couple of added features and more compatibility with vendors that sell auxilary products and it is over. The main things they need (in my mind) are:

1. Enhanced SCORM capability (detailed scoring)


2. Custom grade report creation


3. Embedded whiteboard


4. Universal chat system that works with Windows and non-Windows OSes

Again, they are still better that most. And, I have been using them from Day 1 of their operation and will continue to do so. Moral of this story... Educators cannot afford to miss NECC, regardless of the cost. You can learn too much and expand your field of view (eigenview) over night... See what I mean...