Of course, most of us will already know Geogebra. The latest incarnation, called GeogebraWeb, is made in HTML5 and is a great next step towards an application -as Geogebra initially is java software- towards software for various platforms, including tablets. In a kickstarter project Geogebra is now asking funds for making an iPad app. I’m wondering why. Sure, I can think of some reasons, including the great demand for it and maybe even some native features can be used more efficiently than in HTML5. But it isn’t open. Also the fact that other tablet users will just have to wait, even though it is jokingly stated that it will eventually become multi-platdorm for other tablets too, seems strange if the philosophy behind geogebra is open-ness. Then why not stick with HTML5!!!??? Or just make sure that both android and ipad apps are released on the same day!!!!???
And there are more questions. One of the novel HTML5 features is a Google Drive connection (screenshots above and below).
The advantage of providing open tools is that this perhaps could be other online drives as well. How can we be sure that different platforms will communicate with different cloud functions, knowing that, for example, Apple and Google do not always see eye to eye. And that would be a shame. Inter-operability should work for all environments.
NOTE: In an earlier post I already mentioned that storing student tasks online would be beneficial, describing the DME (DWO in Dutch).
Christian Bokhove 