[seul-edu] WIMS Update

["Prevett, Larry" <Prevettl@cochise.edu>]

I wanted to post an update on WIMS. The newest versions of WIMS
include a document writer and other features for online course
materials in mathematics and science. I've used it this past
semester and it is really fantastic.

homepage: http://wims.unice.fr/wims/wims.cgi

download: http://wims.unice.fr/download/

The installation now includes rpms for RedHat 7.1, 7.2, that make it
very easy to install WIMS. Just install and configure Apache, then
type sh installrpm.sh. The install script will even install gnuplot,
gcl, maxima, pari, gap, mcaulay, and all the other great math
programs that run on the backend of WIMS. (You may also need to
install readline41 before running the install script.)

I hope that other schools will soon become interested in running
mirror sites for WIMS. We have maintained one for a couple of years
now and it has just created all kinds of opportunities for our
students that wouldn't have been there otherwise. For instance, it
has created an opportunity for us to collaborate with high schools
in the area who wanted to adapt he wording of some of the materials
to make it more appropriate for their use.  And one of our language
majors used the WIMS materials to do some French translations of a
few exercises for an honors project.

L. Prevett
Mathematics Instructor
Cochise College, Sierra Vista, AZ, US
prevettl@cochise.edu