by Cookies
When I look at the connection logs for the Actilud site, I notice that some Internet users block all cookies. The intention is undoubtedly to protect privacy as far as possible, which of course is perfectly legitimate on the Internet. But this creates a problem: many sites can no longer function.
In fact, banning all cookies also means banning “session cookies”, which are necessary for the operation of a very large number of sites, including Actilud. A session cookie contains just one piece of information: a temporary and random mixture of letters and numbers, assigned not to a user but to a connection. Its role is to enable the server to distinguish between simultaneously connected users, in order to send each one the information corresponding to his or her session. The session cookie is destroyed when the browser is closed, and is deleted from the server at the end of its use. No private information is stored in this cookie.
Some browsers, such as Chrome, don’t allow such extensive blocking. But Firefox does. So, when you start an application on Actilud, if you systematically get the error message “You have been disconnected” when starting a game, check the settings: it’s usually in the “privacy” section.
Automatic data entry
Auto-completion is useful when you often fill in forms with the same information. On online sales sites, for example, you can enter your address more quickly.
But in the case of an educational site like Actilud, this automatic entry is a major drawback. Students are often required to enter answers to the same exercise questions over and over again. This can make them very uncomfortable when the list of all previous answers appears on the screen. This can even distract them from the task in hand, especially on a tablet. So deactivate autocomplete. And if the computer or tablet is used in a community, it’s even essential.
Window size
Actilud adapts to the window being used. However, the site’s applications require a minimum resolution to function.
- The minimum required size is 288 x 288 points.
- The minimum recommended size is 1024 x 768 points.
- the minimum resolution for zebra puzzles increases with the number and size of grids
- the zebra puzzle editor works from a resolution of 1024 x 720
- The Turing machine operates at a resolution of 800 x 600
Applications adapt to the current resolution when they start up. Afterwards, they retain this layout, even if the display changes. So, if you change the size of the display window, or if you change the orientation of your tablet or smartphone, you’ll need to refresh the page.
A word about resolution
The size given above is expressed in points. A point is the minimum display unit in a browser. But the size of a point can be different from that of a pixel. A pixel is a physical display unit on the screen; in general, it’s a pellet containing the three luminophores, red, green and blue. A point can be formed by several pixels. So a site running on a smartphone with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels may have a much lower effective resolution, such as 288 x 542 points. This is normal: on a screen as small as that of a smartphone, visibility needs to be improved.