We concentrated on enhancing two areas: ease of use and Internet/intranet connectivity for implementation of WBT and distance learning. For ease of use, we supplemented the on-line technical reference with many procedural help topics. Version 2 also fully implements a page and book metaphor. And the A-pex3 Assistant walks new authors through creating lines of programming code. For Inter/intranets, version 2 includes our Multi-Source technology...basically, with Multi-Source, your project's content can be anywhere: diskette, hard disk, CD-ROM, Web site, or any combination.

The difference is with Everest, people don't have to download your files manually, uncompress them, and finally run them. Version 2 runs your projects directly from the Web in real-time...it operates much like a Web browser.

No. HTML and Java are fine for many Web applications, but they lack the power to handle the common requirements of Computer-Based Training and interactive multimedi For example, in HTML you can't: do much multimedia, judge a user's response for accuracy, generate random exams, display page transition effects (dissolve, wipe, slide), keep score, store a bookmark, draw shapes, let the user drag and drop objects, allow access for only authorized users, etc. However, Everest can do all this. Everest keeps your project's content in its original form...just as you created it...and thus avoids the limitations of HTML and Java.

No. Everest transparently compresses the content of your project while you create it, so no additional steps are necessary. It already produces the most compact projects in the industry. So, you simply post to the Web the very same files you create and edit while authoring, and the same ones you would distribute to end users via diskette or CD-ROM. The benefit is you do not need to generate or maintain different versions/formats of the same content.

Yes, with Everest you can edit your project on the fly, even if it is stored on the Web. This dramatically reduces development time. Here's an example: let's say you are test running your project on the Web, and you spot a misspelled word. With other authoring tools, here's what you would have to do to make a correction: 1) stop the test run; 2) start the authoring tool; 3) find the location (file/page/whatever) with the error; 4) make the correction; 5) save the correction; 6) regenerate the project (i.e. compile it, compress it, convert it to HTML, whatever); 7) upload the fixed version to the Web; 8) restart the test run; 9) page ahead to find where you left off. Whew!

Now, compare that with how you would make the same correction with Everest: 1) choose "Edit-on-the fly" from the pull-down menu; 2) make the correction; 3) choose "Resume and Update" from the pull-down menu. That's it! Resume and Update automatically saves the correction, compresses the file, uploads it to the Web, and restores you where you left off. It takes just seconds, and will save you an incredible amount of time (and money).

No, Everest offers layers of security to discourage unauthorized modifications. First, you can apply a password to each book. Only those authors who know the password can make modifications. Second, each page of your book can be locked individually to restrict further editing by anyone.

Everest has several features that will help. First, the adminstrator program lets you maintain an access list that is checked during user log on. If the user is not in the list, they can't start your project. Second, you can incorporate a password that automatically changes on a daily, monthly or annual basis. This is handy if you want to charge a fee for access to your project: end users just contact you for the password.

Yes, there's a built-in "send email" feature.

That's even easier: simply do not employ an access list or password.

Until now, there has been no practical way to deliver real-time CBT on the Internet. However, Everest version 2 overcomes the bandwidth limitations by applying three technologies:

• 1) Predictive Preloading: while a user is running your project, Everest predicts his/her next action. It automatically looks ahead to see what content (graphics file, animation, etc.) will be needed, and silently obtains these items in advance. When the user proceeds ahead, there's little delay because Everest already has pre-loaded the necessary items into a cache on the user's computer.
• 2) Data Compression and Granularity: Everest applies a high level of compression on your entire project as you author; basically, it stores everything in .ZIP form. Some items (such as .BMP files) often compress at a 100:1 ratio! These small files transmit quickly.
• 3) Just-in-Time Compilation: Everest compiles your project's content on the end user's computer as it is needed. Only the necessary pieces are compiled, so there are no large, wasteful chunks that are slow to transmit. This feature alone boosts run time performance by up to 500%.

Nope. That's another benefit, Everest requires no plug-ins! You don't even need a Web browser on the computer: Everest serves as the browser. Plus, it runs in as little as 4M of RAM. Other systems (browsers plus plug-ins) need much more memory (perhaps 32M to 64M) and therefore limit your audience. At minimum, Everest does require that the computer is Internet/intranet ready (this means a working modem or other net connection, a copy of WINSOCK, etc.).

That's very easy. You just tell Everest the URL. So, for example, while authoring instead of entering C:\images\cat.jpg, you might enter something like http://www.xyz.com/images/cat.jpg. Everest can even load the text of HTML files.

That's fine too. As before, you can run your projects under Microsoft Windows 3.1, 95, 98, NT4, ME, 2000, and XP. The same version of the ERUN player program does all these versions of Windows, as well as Internet/intranets. No other single authoring system supports as many platforms.