Bessie FAQ
What limitations are there on the number of classes, users, etc...?
The answer to this question is actually rather complex. The database tables allow you to have 2 billion entries for each kind of data (classes, users, grades, and assignments.) You will most likely never be able to reach that, though, as your operating system may impose a size limitation. MySQL under Linux, for example, only allows database tables to be 2 gigabytes in size which limits you to perhaps a few million entries of each kind of data. This is still a rather large number, so a good rule of thumb might be, "You'll never run out."
Where can I find older versions of Bessie?
Here are some of them:
I have followed the installation instructions to the letter, yet I am sent back to the login page every time I try to login.
If you are using a version of PHP greater than or equal to 4.2.0 then you will most likely need to change your site configuration a bit. The short answer is that you need to set the 'register_globals' parameter, which is located in your php.ini configuration file, to 'on' (it defaults to 'off' in 4.2.0 and later for security reasons.)
The long answer is that the 'register_globals' feature has been determined to be somewhat dangerous, at least in terms of security. It allows a programmer to use a shortcut in their programs which can lead to security holes if they aren't careful. I agree that it is wise to wean programmers off of this feature, as it can only help the quality of web programs. The only problem is retrofitting existing code, such as Bessie; I simply haven't had the time to do it yet. Look for these changes in the future, though.
Apache keeps sending my PHP files verbatim instead of interpreting them!
First, make sure that Apache is configured to parse .php files before sending them. A good place to look would be your httpd.conf file.
Second, check to see that the short_open_tag configuration parameter in your php.ini file is set to On.
Why does Bessie use MySQL instead of something like PostgreSQL?
Because I was used to MySQL when I began developing Bessie. Of course, there are reasons why MySQL may be considered to be better than other relational databases, such as its raw speed, but I really just wanted to get Bessie out the door and didn't want to spend time researching the database issue to death.
I'm actually now considering alternatives to MySQL. I won't make any changes to the underlying database until at least the 1.0 release, but I do appreciate the arguments for using something like PostgreSQL.
I get a PHP error about the mysql_num_rows() function when I try and look at a teacher's sections.
This is a bug, not a feature. The INSTALL file is missing the instruction to create an assignment groups table. The additional command is as follows:
mysql grades <./assignment_groups.sql
Note that not all versions of Bessie use this table. An easy way to see if you need to do this is to look and see if the 'assignment_groups.sql' file exists; if it doesn't, then you won't need to worry about creating that table.
I am getting the following error when I try to log in for the first time as the admin user:
Warning: mysql_fetch_array(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in /grades/db.php on line 76
Warning: Cannot add header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/html/grades/db.php:76) in /grades/template.php on line 2
You have not manually created the admin user. You will need to directly insert the record in the database either using the mysql command-line utility or some other method. The complete instructions are in the INSTALL file that is included in the distribution.
I am getting the following error when I try to log in:
Warning: fopen("sessions/529161d87cc9ae95616baa434dd18321","w") - Permission denied in auth.php on line 10
You need to make the sessions directory writeable to the web server. The optimal solution is to make the directory readable/writeable only to the user that the web server runs as ("nobody" or "apache" under Linux, typically). The less-than-optimal solution (that means potential security risk) is to make the directory readable/writeable to everyone. Both will work.
When multiple students log in at the exact same time, they all log in as a single user!
Yes, this is a bug in the session creation code. Please upgrade to at least version 0.7.4 or 0.8.6 to fix this.
Where did the name 'Bessie the Annihilator' come from?
In September 2001, I was in a Software Engineering class at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. My group that had decided to write a web-based grading program, and we needed a name for it. One person suggested 'Total Annihilation' and another person offered 'Bessie'. Wanting to just get the whole naming thing out of the way, we just combined the two and called it good. It has really grown on me since then; it gives a distinct sense of personality to the program.
Do I have to pay to use this software?
No. You do not need to pay money, look at advertisements, register, or anything else. I would be interested in hearing from you if you use Bessie at your school, but it's not a requirement of any sort, just simple curiosity.
Why do you work on Bessie if you don't get paid?
Because it is fun and mentally stimulating.
Do you offer support contracts?
No. I create and maintain Bessie in my spare time and am not currently interested in offering professional support for it. On the other hand, I do want people to find Bessie useful, and I am more than happy to help people as much as possible via e-mail.
I downloaded the latest version, and it doesn't work!
If you are trying to set Bessie up for actual use, please make sure that you download the latest stable version. Development versions are often in various states of chaos and most likely will not work as you expect. If you did download the stable version and are having problems, please look on this page for an answer. If that fails, please e-mail me.
Don't let that discourage you from trying out the development version, as your feedback helps me out a lot. Just don't use it in an actual classroom setting, as the results might be unpredictable.
Your website has the coolest design! Who designed it?
No, just kidding. This is most definitely not a frequently asked question. =)