Furryelephant is the new, exciting way for students to learn about physics the right way. A former physics teacher invested a huge amount of time in creating the perfect digital learning resource, and then we created the perfect delivery system.
To get the obvious question out of the way first, 'furryelephant' was born out of a radio programme about a scheme to encourage blind people to visit the zoo. They were allowed to feel the animals that they had only up to that point been able to imagine, to let them get a clearer idea of what they were really like.
One man was interested in elephants, and after touching one he revealed that they were exactly as he'd expected except that he'd always thought they would be covered in thick fur, like a bear. Without actually ever seeing an elephant, the man had created a mental image of what they looked like based on the descriptions others has given him. No-one had ever told him anything about their skin, so he'd filled the gap with his own ideas.
In physics, because many notions are very abstract, and cannot be easily visualised, it's tempting to fill in the gaps with assumptions which may not be correct. Furryelephant is all about preventing these false assumptions by challenging the notion that abstract concepts cannot be visualised. The first product, "Electricity Explained", introduced a revolutionary new way of visualising energy. George Cole of the Times Educational Supplement was moved to describe it as "quite simply, ... one of the best physics teaching and learning resources on the market".
Our involvement began with the need to package the product in a way that enabled it to be deployed on a time-limited licence. Julian Hamm, founder of Furryelephant, explains how the delivery mechanism has changed since the product was first launched.
"Initially we were very keen on web downloads as the main delivery system for furryelephant, but we have been convinced by the value of a CD-based distribution and I now believe that every student should have their own CD"
We were faced with two very separate markets that came as a package - schools, who would buy a site-wide licence, and the students, who would get the product individually if their school had bought it. On the one hand, schools are broadly very respectful of software licensing, but can face problems with harsh restrictions on installing software on their networks. On the other, products aimed at students require more security, but we are able to assume more freedom to install files to their machines.
The solution was two separate approaches to creating distributions of the Furryelephant products. Those for schools are distributed in a form that will run automatically directly from the disc, requiring no installation. Those for students are packaged with an installer and require a web-activated licence key to unlock. In both cases the discs are dual-platform to minimise logistical problems and reduce costs.
The logistical benefits of a dual-platform CD have made life considerably easier for David Parnell, responsible for fulfilment at Furryelephant:
"The hybrid CDs are an enormous help, and schools appreciate the simplicity of the delivery platform. It means we can guarantee that it will work, regardless of their security measures"
Since we became involved in the project, hundreds of schools across the country have started using Furryelephant software. We continue to be responsible for the packaging and testing of each release.
The other side of our involvement with Furryelephant is the design and construction of a website, designed to appeal to students and schools alike. As well as allowing online ordering of Furryelephant software, it provides instant online downloads to students with serial numbers, and contains a great deal of information about the company and the products.
The web environment also functions as a software activation service, to ensure secure installations of the student distribution of Electricity Explained cannot be easily copied or installed more than once.
With products like this demonstrating our credentials for producing software on time, on budget and fit for purpose, Assanka is the ideal choice for businesses who want to take the internet seriously.