[Building Sakai] Free LTI tools: edu-apps.org

[Charles Severance]

On Jul 21, 2014, at 7:06 AM, Adam Marshall <adam.marshall at it.ox.ac.uk> wrote:

> Does anybody know the licencing of edu-apps.org? can we for example, use the Twitter app in Sakai? There is a page about configuring apps in Sakai which implies that they can be used. 

Canvas operates this as a community resource.

> What's the catch? Why would Instructure give good apps for free to their competitors?

The small catch is that your data is on Canvas servers.   Also the apps are really not that good.  Lots of them are a clever redirect at best.

That said - it is a great idea and the best example of an open app store so far.  I keep working on what I see as the real way ot make app store like apps in this project:

https://github.com/csev/tsugi
http://www.slideshare.net/csev/building-scalable-ims-lti-tools-using-the-tsugi-framework

Aaron is quietly playing with a similar framework and compatible in Java to allow easy install and hosting of LTI ++ tools in a way that you (a) get real functionality and (b) maintain control of the data:

https://github.com/azeckoski/lti_starter

Both projects have a goal of portable tool code to run in a hosting container.   Mine is more focused on using PHP and making it as approachable as possible for a new developer.   Aaron's will likely be more solid and professional.   I would like to see us use Aaron's stuff in a xwiki project.

We as a community should start talking more about this stuff.   I also would like to see Canvas interested in these kinds of LTI-app hosting projects to move past their very interesting but limited work with edu-apps.

/Chuck


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