SCLS Technology News

Firefox: from 3 to 10

As you know, the Technology Team has finished the major Firefox update on all SCLS Network PCs, moving from version 3 to version 10.  Though the upgrade process was not without some challenges, all of the problems we faced helped us to understand how to make our next update (planning for Firefox 12) even better.

Here are a couple of things we learned:

Things go better when PCs are left on and logged off

We can't stress this enough:  when PCs are left on and logged off during any software update, the process goes much smoother for both SCLS and our member libraries.  As we attempt to rapidly increase the number of software programs installed on your staff and patron PCs, this becomes less of a recommendation and more of a requirement.  For every PC shut off or "locked," SCLS Staff has to reconfigure our software update scheduler.  The more PCs we can do in a given night means more time to upgrade other software products.

 

We think going from 10 to 12 will be even better

Many of the challenges faced were in the fundamental way Firefox handled printer configurations in version 3 when compared to version 10.  Since printer configurations and profiles are key to a successful Koha staff experience, getting this right was imperative.  Our initial testing is revealing that the changes experienced last time most likely do not apply going to 12.  We're hoping for a better transition next time around.

Add-ons will continue to break

Library staff love Firefox add-ons!  That much we did learn.  However, the sad fact is that third party add-ons just can't keep up with this rapid update schedule.  Every time we upgrade Firefox you should assume that one or more add-ons you have installed will not work until the developers fix their code to match the new Firefox.  It's unfortunate (and us here at SCLS HQ are suffering right along with you!) but hopefully new tools like HTML 5 will give developers other ways of enhancing the Firefox experience.

How did you feel about our last upgrade?  Leave your comments below or contact Jon Mark directly.

 

Browser update information

Here is some information on several web browser updates the SCLS Technology Team is working on:

Internet Explorer 8

(SCLS Network PCs) We have nearly completed the testing and packaging of Internet Explorer 8.  There are some significant changes to several key components of the browser compared to IE 7, requiring us to thoroughly test all aspects and plug any security holes we find.  In the next couple of weeks, we hope to have all of the testing completed and will then begin to roll out IE 8--first at several pilot locations and then on every SCLS-networked PC throughout the system.

(SCLS non-Network Patron PCs)  Dan has completed creating an installation package that contains IE 8 as well as several other upgrades (Flash, Silverlight, Java, Reader, etc.).  In the past, Dan alone has been responsible for visiting each library and installing any software updates on "his" machines.  This time around we are going to attempt to enlist the help of as manyTechnology team members as possible, and will try to get the installs done in a relatively short amount of time.  This will require some cross training and documentation, which should happen by the end of the month.  When we have a schedule in place, we'll be notifying each library so that they can be prepared for a short period of downtime.  We'll also be coordinating any Library Online PCs so that patrons won't be reserving PCs down for maintenance.

Why Internet Explorer 8 and not IE 9?

Though Microsoft has released Internet Explorer 9, they chose to restrict its usage to PCs running Windows 7.  When SCLS rolls out Windows 7, we will be including the latest Microsoft browser with the install package.

Firefox

Preliminary planning and testing has started for deployment of Firefox version 10.  On January 31, 2012, Firefox 10 is scheduled to be released.  After release, SCLS will be putting the final version though a series of tests, making sure that the release is stable, secure, reliable, and does not cause significant incompatibility issues with other products and services.  We will be posting more information on scheduling here on the Technology News blog, as well as e-mailing any announcements as they arise.

 

Drupal Project (Tentative) Timeline

Since August, we've been investigating Drupal for library websites, and we've put together a Drupal Project page on the SCLS website that includes some background information. We thought you might be interested to know that it includes this timeline for the next few months:

Tentative timeline

The following is a very rough timeline for the project. This timeline assumes we don't hit any major snags.

Aug - create sandbox, set up access for SCLS staff (done!)

Sep - experiment, figure out settings, modules, configuration (lots of this has been done and will be ongoing)

Oct - put together a site for "proof of concept" that incorporates the types of content that member libraries will use (calendar, blog posts, forms, image galleries, video, etc)

Nov - figure out how to scale it for member libraries, develop policies and procedures

Dec - write internal and external documentation, finalize plan for updates and backups

Jan - pilot test with 1st library

Feb - open it up to additional libraries (access to demo site, webinar, sign-up, configuration, training)

Library Websites and Drupal

Over the past year, many librarians and directors have contacted me about finding different software to maintain their library websites. For a variety of reasons, the tools we currently support (Contribute, Dreamweaver, and TypePad) are not always a good fit for member libraries. To meet these web service needs, we are exploring a tool called Drupal.

We cannot currently provide a timeline for when Drupal will be available for member library use, and I apologize for the disappointment that this may cause. I can, however, tell you what we are doing to move the project forward.

We began the project with a "sandbox" installation of Drupal 6, and, shortly thereafter, Drupal 7 (the latest version) was released with many enhancements. Then the Koha migration happened, and Drupal was temporarily set aside. This summer we abandoned Drupal 6 and made the decision to focus on Drupal 7. We now have a new "sandbox" installation, and our plan is to evaluate whether it is feasible to offer it for member library use and then develop recommendations for policies, workflows, settings, and modules. Greg Barniskis and Kerri Hilbelink deserve recognition for their work on planning and preparing these test environments.

We are investigating Drupal because it is a powerful tool that is likely to meet many libraries' needs. Here are some features that we are excited about:

• It is web-based. There is no software to install, and it can be accessed from any computer with Internet access.
• It has a fine-grained permission system that could make it possible to grant library staff total control over a website.
• It is highly configurable, with lots of add-on modules to provide modern website features (e.g. slideshows, image galleries, calendars, web forms, RSS feeds, etc.).
• It has a strong user community, including many libraries.

We are committed to providing easy-to-use tools to help you achieve your website goals. If Contribute, Dreamweaver, or TypePad still meet your needs and you want to continue using them, we will continue to support these tools for the forseeable future. All the planning, testing, and preparing that we do with Drupal is intended to improve the service we provide member libraries, and we look forward to sharing the results with you in the future.