Re: Goliath, MacOS X Client and WebCT Vista

Goliath is not limited to port 21.  In fact, port 21 is generally used  
for FTP, so
it is unlikely that it would be used for DAV (or HTTP).  I think  
there's a Windows
FTP client called Goliath, so maybe that's the source of the confusion.

-brian
briank@xythos.com


On Jan 14, 2005, at 1:52 PM, Frank Lowney wrote:
> I tried to put this question directly to tbednarz@webdav.org (this  
> address comes from the mailto: tag on the bottom of the page at:  
> http://www.webdav.org/goliath/) but the message was bounced.  If  
> anyone here can forward this to Thomas, I would appreciate it.
>
> As well, if anyone here can reply to any of all of this query, that  
> would be appreciated too.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help on this.
>
> -------------------------- msg to forward -------------------------
>
> Hello,
>
> In our university system (Georgia), we use an enterprise level  
> Learning Management System called "WebCT Vista" which supports WebDAV  
> in addition to traditional/classic HTTP upload methods (see  
> http://www.webct.com/vista).
>
> I'm one of the few Vista Institutional Admins who are also Mac users  
> so have been asked to look into problems that have been reported by  
> Mac users of the system and investigated by WebCT technical support  
> personnel (see report quoted below). 
>
> Goliath was identified as a solution to a problem with the MacOS X  
> client having to do with its behavior in updating files that have been  
> modified (e.g. edited).  Apparently, the MacOS X client deletes and  
> recreates the file which destroys important metadata on the server  
> (IMS ContentID) and Goliath (as well as many other WebDAV clients)  
> does not.
>
> Unfortunately, we cannot use Goliath instead of the MacOS X client  
> because port 21 is not available to our students (fire wall) and is  
> needed by Goliath.  This claim seemed strange to me because I had  
> thought that all WebDAV clients used HTTP port 80 alone.  Is this not  
> the case?
>
> WebCT Vista operates a bit differently than most other WebDAV-enabled  
> servers in that it generates the URI that client apps need.  Here's an  
> actual example:
>
> http://vista.gsu.edu:8000/webct/webdav/131.96.160.58-1044482159055 
> -3283261001.flowney/University+System+of+Georgia/ 
> Georgia+College+and+State+University/EIS+Testing/QuickTime+Test+Site/ 
> QuickTime+Streaming+(Sect.+01)/Section+Content
>
> Obviously, the length and complexity of these URIs makes such a  
> practice necessary.
>
> Now for my question.
>
> As far as you know, are the statements below accurate?  Whatever  
> insights you'd care to share will be greatly appreciated. 
>
> ------------------- from WebCT Support --------------------
>
> Mac Finder's functionality causes it to delete and recreate a file when
>  uploading an updated version. As a result, the Content ID of the file
>  will change, and all links to that file will be broken. This is an
>  issue with Mac Finder.
>
>  Goliath, a WebDAV client for Macintosh, does not have this issue, and
>  was recommended to be used instead of Mac Finder. However, Goliath  
> does
>  not function correctly with Georgia's Vista instance because it needs  
> to
>  work through port 21, which is blocked at the firewall.
>
> Mac Finder's WebDAV behaviour does not match
>  that of any other WebDAV client we have tested with.  Finder is the  
> only
>  one I know of so far that deletes and recreates a brand new file when  
> uploading
>  an updated version of a file.  All other tested WebDAV clients open  
> the
>  existing file on the server and replace the contents.  Given that we  
> don't
>  have Partner, or Higher Escalation status with Apple, a possible  
> solution is to
>  have both USG and WebCT log a ticket with Apple Customer Support on  
> this
>  issue.  Depending on how much hardware and software that is purchased  
> and
>  deployed on the Georgia campuses, USG may have more influence than  
> WebCT on
> Apple.
> -- 
>
> =====================================================================
>  Dr. Frank Lowney  frank.lowney@gcsu.edu
>      Director, Electronic Instructional Services, a unit of the
>      Office of Information and Instructional Technology,
>      Professional Pages: http://www.gcsu.edu/oiit/eis/
>      Personal Pages: http://www.faculty.de.gcsu.edu/~flowney
>  Voice: (478) 445-5260
>  NOTICE: Please be advised that I am hearing impaired and communicate  
> most effectively via e-mail.  Follow-up summaries of telephone  
> conversations by e-mail are most appreciated.
> =====================================================================
>  We don't make instruction effective, we make effective instruction  
> more accessible.
>
>

Received on Friday, 14 January 2005 23:20:30 UTC