Great Hope for Opigno

I have great hopes for using Opigno. Let me tell you why. My Background In Computers Started occasionally using computerized equipment in the mid 70's, used a computerize phototypesetting machine in the late 70's. I started using desktop computers 1985 and got my first personal computer in 1986. Since that time I've literally downloaded and installed hundreds of various software. (You might rightly say that I'm a software junkie (one who really likes to try our and explore software.)) I really like good quality software and won't spend much time with junk software. My typical process is, before I decide to stick with any software and use it, is to search the Internet for every similar software. I compare features of those that seem the most likely. Each time I think I found something usable I first look for screenshots of the software, or online demos that I can try out. If a software has possibilities I download the trial and test it out. Most of the time within 10 to 30 minutes I can see if the software is worth exploring or learning more. Most software that I've tried bites the dust at this point. Creating Websites About 10 or 11 years ago I started experimenting with creating websites. Over a period of several years I tried out numerous website software. At first all I knew about was desktop created website software (such as a very old version of NetObjects Fusion. Then I learned about Content Management Software (CMS). I tried out many, including Mambo, Joomla, Bitweaver, Tiki Wiki, e107, Typo3, Xoops Wordpress, and others. I also tried out Drupal 4x early on, but it looked ugly, seemed hard to use, etc. But it also had some features that the others didn't have, such as being able to use multiple taxonomy terms per page. I kept trying out various CMS's but kept coming back to Drupal. There were a lot of other much prettier CMS's than Drupal, but I value functionality and usefulness above "prettiness". I finally settled on Drupal and have been with it for about 8 or 9 years. At first it seemed (to me) very geeky and clunky, hard to use. It was a real challenge to learn how to use it. But I studied, practiced, asked questions and began to learn. As the years have passed I have learn more about it, and Drupal has made huge advances in being easier to use. I have built and rebuilt and rebuilt my various websites. I have even crashed one or the other of my websites. It was all a learning process. I've come to really like Drupal. I've also installed and tried Drupal 8. What a great piece of software. I really like the way that Drupal is going and the way the community supports one another and works together. Tried Other LMS's Since I still like to try out new software, I have continued to see what else is available. One of my favorite places to try out demos of various Open Source software is Open Source CMS, where they have full working versions of hundreds of software. I've tried out many of them just for fun to see what they will do. They also have 7 different E-Learning LMS there, 5 of which might of been possibilities for me; Moodle 2.3, eFront 3.6.11, ATutor 2.0.3, Ilias 4.4.2, Olat 6.3.1. I've looked at or tried them all out. In the Cpanel of my website there is a new feature called Softaculous Apps Installer , that allows you to try out demos of many dozens of different online software. The E-Learning software demos they had were Moodle 2.6.2, Chamila 1.9.6, Claroline 1.11.0, eFront 3.6.14, DoceboLMS 4.0.5, ATutor 2.1.1, Dokeos 2.1.1. I've tried out all the E-Learning software that were available there. Moodle has been around for years and has many millions of users, and I've known about it for years. Over the past 5 or 6 years I've installed it on my website several times and have played with it on and off). I was very familiar with it and I really wanted to use if for something (but really didn't know how to use it much). Last month, when I decided I needed a LMS I installed the newest version of Moodle 2.6.2 and gave it a real effort to learn how to use if for my purpose. I spent a couple weeks devoting every spare moment it trying out various features, setting up experimental courses and lessons. I really liked a lot about it, but it has some missing features that were I wanted, and there was nothing I could do to change any of that. I really hated the idea of not using Moodle. I really hoped that it would be useable for my needs. But I decided to search the Internet again. Using Drupal As previously mentioned, I've been using Drupal for the last 8 or 9 years. Whenever I have a new idea for a different type of website, I throw up another Drupal website to experiment with. I've manually installed Drupal many dozens of times, so I can easily install a new Drupal website in 5 or 10 minutes. I love the versatility of Drupal and the many thousands of modules that are available. I've tried out many just for the fun of it and to see what they will do. I've created many content types for various uses. I've used the Views module many times. I've even set up a Drupal website for my son to use for various of his writing projects. I've created custom content types for writing essays and various other uses. Opigno, Based on Drupal So, when I discovered Opigno, which is based upon Drupal, I was thrilled. My thought was, and still is, even if Opigno doesn't have all the features that I want, there is probably a Drupal module that could add more functionality. I love the fact that you've not locked the menus and applications, that you allow people to add their own modules. So, I hold a great hope for Opigno. Trying Out Opigno Since I already know Drupal, I'm already familiar with many of the menus and functions of the basic Opigno structure. However, I haven't been familiar with how Opigno is set up or how it functions. A lot about Opigno was totally new to me, I struggle to understand how it worked. At first, even though I knew Drupal, I found Opigno confusing. So, for the last week or two I've been searching through online forum, reading the online Opigno User's Manual, exploring the Opigno menus, experimenting with setting up Classes, Courses, Lessons, Questions, students, teachers, editing and changing views, changing themes, all to better understand how Opigno is structured and how it works. My Method of Trying Out Software One thing that I've learned to do over the years is to always set up two copies of whatever software or data file I'm using (an experimental copy and the "real" copy that I'll use). This gives me the freedom (in my mind) to try out everything in the experimental copy. This way I'm not afraid that I will break something. If I break something, no big deal. If I do something that either causes the experimental copy to crash or be unworkable, I'll just delete that copy of Opigno and throw up another copy. So, according to my custom, I've installed two copies of Opigno, one for me to explore, change, break, and see what happens when I change this or that or that. The other copy of Opigno I'm saving so that I can begin set it up once I understand Opigno better. Opigno promising. We'll see what the future holds. Best Wishes, Stephen