With recent advances in browser technology and the introduction of HTML5, many things are now possible on modern browsers. Just a few years ago, all videos had to be Flash, applications were either Flash or Java, and Javascript was seen only as a browser language that did only simple validation functions. HTML5 has changed all this and added hundreds of amazing features which remove the need for these third-party plugins.

We have been watching these advancements more recently with increased interest due to some of the issues Java has been having. Finally, this past December, we pulled the trigger to start development on an HTML5 version of Keyboarding Online! We have been working steadily at rewriting and redesigning the entire program so that it will be in your browser and not require Flash, Java, or any other plugin. It will provide the same functionality, the same feel, and the same features you are already used to, but without the problems associated with third-party plugins.

When? When? When?

We have been traveling a ton these past couple months to several conventions across the US, and we get this question all the time. We are on schedule to have a demo version of our programs released in May, and a “beta” version of the programs are planned for release in August. The demo version will be very simple, showcasing just the feel of the program, but will not actually handle data or transactions to the server. Beta means that it will be working, but there could be bugs that may affect how the program runs. These versions are a testing phase for us to make sure that the program and our servers are ready to withstand the 40,000 daily users we plan on serving. Once these release deadlines near, expect another newsletter with links to get started using the program.

Video Contest deadline is April 30^th!

Just like last year, we are running another video contest to see what awesome videos schools, classes, and students can come up with. Just like last year, we are offering several prizes to the top 3 videos. The official link is here: http://www.keyboardingonline.com/contest.php with all the contest rules and prizes. To view last year’s submissions and winners, check out http://www.keyboardingonline.com/contest_results.php and see what they came up with. Good luck to everyone and we can’t wait to see what you come up with!

The 'Importance of Keyboarding' presentation can be downloaded as a PowerPoint 2010 file or in PDF format.

PowerPoint file:
http://www.keyboardingonline.com/Articles/ImportanceOfKeyboarding.pptx

PDF:
http://www.keyboardingonline.com/Articles/ImportanceOfKeyboarding.pdf

Before we dive into the solution, let me explain a little about the problem.  These security exploits are incredibly dangerous, BUT only if you are visiting sites with threats on them.  One analogy that fits this perfectly is food poisoning at a restaurant.  Food poisoning (salmonella or e.coli) is very dangerous, but also very avoidable.  If we wash our hands and food properly, the chances of infection is remote.  If we start visiting restaurants, we increase the risk.  The dirtier and cheaper the restaurant, the higher the possibility of infection.  If we visit a dirty restaurant and consume undercooked food prepared by a minimum wage employee who doesn't wash his hands, the chances of infection are very high.

This is the same scenario for the plugin.  You are safe having outdated, insecure plugins if you never visit the internet or are very limited in what you do.  The more you surf the internet and the worse the sites are, the higher the chance of some hacker who has a malicious program that invades your computer.  If you stick to bigger sites, trusted sites, and recommended sites, there is almost no way a hacker could install the malicious software on those servers to infect your computer.

So are you safe using an old version of Java?  Yes... but only if you heavily monitor your internet habits and avoid sites and searches that have the potential to throw viruses onto your computer. 

Now for the fix.  To fix it, simply visit our program.  When the program doesn't open, look for the red "Lego" piece on the URL bar.  Click that red icon, and click "Activate" next to the disabled Java Plugin.  The program will launch automatically from there.  We have created a video demonstrating this and posted it here http://youtu.be/LRHHDrnCMNI
For other tutorials or troubleshooting videos, visit our video tutorials page.

Annual Video Contest Announcement!

We are starting the annual video contest again.  Last year’s contest was a huge success, with over a dozen entries from different schools.  We saw how much effort several schools put in and really enjoyed seeing students and classes talk about keyboarding and Keyboarding Online. 

This year we are repeating the contest.  We are now open for video submissions until April 30^th.  Winners will be announced the first week in May.  We are looking for short videos explaining or dramatizing aspects of keyboarding and/or Keyboarding Online.  They can be instructional, advertisements, humorous, or even action-packed.  For the full list of requirements, please visit http://www.keyboardingonline.com/contest.php.   For any additional questions, please contact us.  Completed videos can be submitted on our website at http://www.keyboardingonline.com/contestsubmission.php.

The big question regarding this is of course, prizes.  We are offering the first place school $300 off their next purchase, and the student/class who produced it will receive a $50 gift card.  Second and third places will also receive prizes.  Last years’ winners can be seen at http://www.keyboardingonline.com/contest_results.php.  Good luck with the contest, and we look forward to seeing those videos.

Teacher Manager Messaging

Inside the Teacher Manager, you can now send messages in the reports window.  Previously, you had to specifically visit the Message Center and select the class and student to message.  We simplified this by adding a button in all individual and class reports that enables you to send the message directly to the student or class you are viewing.   We hope this makes messaging a little easier for you and your class.

Ten Key Mastery Font Adjustments

A newly released feature to the Ten Key Mastery program is the adjustable font and input scheme.  You can now use the slider to increase or decrease font size to accommodate those who need a larger font size.  We also had a few reports of the “white on blue” text causing eye strain.  To remedy this, we added a drop down menu where the students can select which color they would like to use to make it easier on their eyes.

Java 7 Update 11 Released

Java has been in the news lately because of a security vulnerability in Update 10.  Many browsers automatically disabled it, which caused our program not to function properly.  Users are able to go in and manually allow the Java Plugin to run on our site or all sites and Keyboarding Online programs will function perfectly.  While re-enabling Java works, we do recommend upgrading Java to Update 11 which was released today (1/14).  This update patches those security risks and should automatically re-enable Java in your web browser.

Updates for Mac Operating Systems

We improved the program to improve the user experience on Mac operating systems.  The changes cause buttons and links within the program to look crisper and more dynamic.  We are sure the Mac users out there will enjoy the cleaner look these updates offer!

Expanded Lesson View

In response to the suggestions from some of our users we have facilitated scrolling for longer timings with the ‘Expanded Lesson View’.  Just above the ‘How to Scroll’ icon to the right of the text box there is an icon with four arrows that expands the text box when clicked.  In most cases using this feature completely eliminates the need to scroll during a timing.  We know some of you will be rather excited about this new feature!

Thank you for using Keyboarding Online and for your suggestions that have made many of these program upgrades possible.  We appreciate your feedback and thank you for using the #1 keyboarding program in America!