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<h3>Advantage of wims versus locally installed softwares</h3>
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<h3>Advantage of WIMS versus locally installed softwares</h3>
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<ol>
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<ol>
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  $tit No need of software installation and/or update by users.$titend
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  $tit No need of software installation and/or update by users.$titend
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     All installation and/or update of background software is done on the
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     All installation and/or update of background software is done on the
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     server side, which can be anywhere on the internet. On the client
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     server side, which can be anywhere on the internet. On the client
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     machine, only a common web browser is required (which needs not to be
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     machine, only a common web browser is required (which needs not to be
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     very up to date).
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     very up to date).
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  </li>
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  </li>
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  $tit No need to learn the usage and the syntax of a particular software package.$titend
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  $tit No need to learn the usage and the syntax of a particular software package.$titend
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     As wims uses the html standard for user interface, a user, in particular
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     As WIMS uses the html standard for user interface, a user, in particular
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     a student, has only to use his usual knowledge of html browsing (which
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     a student, has only to use his usual knowledge of html browsing (which
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     is now a common knowledge), in order to work on wims applications. <br>
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     is now a common knowledge), in order to work on WIMS applications. <br>
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     This is not the case for any of current mathematics softwares; all of
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     This is not the case for any of current mathematics softwares; all of
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     them require a training period before the user can work on it. This
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     them require a training period before the user can work on it. This
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     training period may be more or less lengthy, but we remark that the
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     training period may be more or less lengthy, but we remark that the
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     knowledge of using a particular software is not a universal knowledge,
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     knowledge of using a particular software is not a universal knowledge,
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     and such a knowledge usually has a short lifespan.
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     and such a knowledge usually has a short lifespan.
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     with the principle of commercial neutrality of a public education
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     with the principle of commercial neutrality of a public education
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     institution.
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     institution.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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  $tit It provides a means to collect the knowledge and experience
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  $tit It provides a means to collect the knowledge and experience
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     of the whole educational community.$titend
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     of the whole educational community.$titend
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     Wims is a modular system, where each application is a separated module
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     WIMS is a modular system, where each application is a separated module
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     whose links with other modules are done in the usual html way.
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     whose links with other modules are done in the usual html way.
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     This allows modules
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     This allows modules
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     to be developped independently and remotely. It is our hope that as many
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     to be developped independently and remotely. It is our hope that as many
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     educators as possible will add their knowledge and experience to the
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     educators as possible will add their knowledge and experience to the
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     system by contributions in the form of new modules or improvements of
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     system by contributions in the form of new modules or improvements of
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     existing ones.
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     existing ones.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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  $tit It allows student - teacher interactions in several ways.$titend
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  $tit It allows student - teacher interactions in several ways.$titend
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     Organized under the structure of
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     Organized under the structure of
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     $(ref1)class$(ref2)class">classes</a>,
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     $(ref1)class$(ref2)class">classes</a>,
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     a wims system allows teacher
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     a WIMS system allows teacher
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     to assign works for his students, and get reliable informations about
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     to assign works for his students, and get reliable informations about
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     the progress (and/or difficulty) of the student in real time. This may
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     the progress (and/or difficulty) of the student in real time. This may
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     allow the teacher to give more personalised guide to the student.
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     allow the teacher to give more personalised guide to the student.
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     The big advantage of such a system based on internet is that there is
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     The big advantage of such a system based on internet is that there is
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     no site restriction: any work done from any site (local or remote) is
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     no site restriction: any work done from any site (local or remote) is
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     valid, and is taken into account.
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     valid, and is taken into account.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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  $tit It provides a dynamic interaction between different components, e.g.
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  $tit It provides a dynamic interaction between different components, e.g.
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     between exercises and computing tools.$titend
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     between exercises and computing tools.$titend
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     For example, practically no software dedicated to exercises can
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     For example, practically no software dedicated to exercises can
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     interface a computational tool as easily as wims does.
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     interface a computational tool as easily as WIMS does.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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  $tit It can be more powerful than any given software for certain works.$titend
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  $tit It can be more powerful than any given software for certain works.$titend
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     Because wims can use different (dedicated) software as backend engine,
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     Because WIMS can use different (dedicated) software as backend engine,
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     even several softwares for one application or one request.
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     even several softwares for one application or one request.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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</ol>
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</ol>
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<h3>Disadvantage of wims versus locally installed softwares</h3>
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<h3>Disadvantage of WIMS versus locally installed softwares</h3>
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<ol>
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<ol>
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  $tit Low speed of reaction.$titend
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  $tit Low speed of reaction.$titend
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     Because usually every wims response has to travel through internet.
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     Because usually every WIMS response has to travel through internet.
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     This will improve when internet speed improves.
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     This will improve when internet speed improves.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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  $tit Limited computational power and programming capability.$titend
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  $tit Limited computational power and programming capability.$titend
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     If a user has a heavy computational job and/or has to design a complicated
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     If a user has a heavy computational job and/or has to design a complicated
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     script to get his job done, he should work directly on the appropriate
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     script to get his job done, he should work directly on the appropriate
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     software. It is not at all the intention of wims to interface such
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     software. It is not at all the intention of WIMS to interface such
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     activities.
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     activities.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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  $tit Limited capability of the graphical interface.$titend
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  $tit Limited capability of the graphical interface.$titend
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     The html graphical user interface is not very suited for interactive
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     The html graphical user interface is not very suited for interactive
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     works.
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     works.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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</ol>
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</ol>
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<h3>Advantage of wims versus hand calculators</h3>
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<h3>Advantage of WIMS versus hand calculators</h3>
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<ol>
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<ol>
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  $tit Easier to use.$titend
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  $tit Easier to use.$titend
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     A html page used by wims for user interface is much more comprehensible
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     A html page used by WIMS for user interface is much more comprehensible
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     than any hand calculator.
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     than any hand calculator.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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  $tit (Much) more powerful. $titend
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  $tit (Much) more powerful. $titend
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  </li>
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  </li>
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</ol>
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</ol>
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<h3>Disadvantage of wims versus hand calculators</h3>
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<h3>Disadvantage of WIMS versus hand calculators</h3>
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<ol>
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<ol>
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  $tit Non-portability.$titend
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  $tit Non-portability.$titend
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     Wims is accessible only to computers connected to internet.
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     WIMS is accessible only to computers connected to internet.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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</ol>
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</ol>
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<h3>Advantage of wims versus interactive web applications based
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<h3>Advantage of WIMS versus interactive web applications based
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only on java or javascript</h3>
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only on java or javascript</h3>
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<ol>
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<ol>
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  $tit More powerful and more versatile.$titend
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  $tit More powerful and more versatile.$titend
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     As wims can embed java or javascript programs in its applications, a
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     As WIMS can embed java or javascript programs in its applications, a
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     wisely designed wims application just extends the capability of java or
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     wisely designed WIMS application just extends the capability of java or
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     javascript. <br>
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     javascript. <br>
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     And wims can really do more:
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     And WIMS can really do more:
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     even if it is theoretically possible to develop java applications which
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     even if it is theoretically possible to develop java applications which
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     has the same power as a software used as a backend engine for wims, it
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     has the same power as a software used as a backend engine for WIMS, it
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     would take too much effort to develop (is it reasonable to re-write TeX
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     would take too much effort to develop (is it reasonable to re-write TeX
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     in java?), and would be so big that it would take forever for an http
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     in java?), and would be so big that it would take forever for an http
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     query to load.
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     query to load.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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  $tit Easier to develop.$titend
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  $tit Easier to develop.$titend
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     Because wims language is first based on html (easy to learn), with an
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     Because WIMS language is first based on html (easy to learn), with an
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     extension specifically designed for this purpose.
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     extension specifically designed for this purpose.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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  $tit Allows student-supervisor interaction.$titend
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  $tit Allows student-supervisor interaction.$titend
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     The design of server-based interactivity for users allows the back-end
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     The design of server-based interactivity for users allows the back-end
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     communication with supervisors, and much more (performance analysis,
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     communication with supervisors, and much more (performance analysis,
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     automatic intervention from supervisors, etc).
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     automatic intervention from supervisors, etc).
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  </li>
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  </li>
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</ol>
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</ol>
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<h3>Disadvantage of wims versus interactive web applications based
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<h3>Disadvantage of WIMS versus interactive web applications based
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on java or javascript</h3>
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on java or javascript</h3>
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<ol>
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<ol>
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  $tit Lower speed of reaction.$titend
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  $tit Lower speed of reaction.$titend
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     Because usually every wims response has to travel through internet.
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     Because usually every WIMS response has to travel through internet.
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     This will improve when internet speed improves. One can also use
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     This will improve when internet speed improves. One can also use
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     embedded javascript or java in a wims application, in places where
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     embedded javascript or java in a WIMS application, in places where
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     response speed is important.
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     response speed is important.
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  </li>
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  </li>
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</ol>
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</ol>