A single point of file management, much like what we have with file-storage is simple to grasp. dotLRN example: A professor can very easily change and add content alone. Learn how to use file-storage and she knows how to upload and download content. We do not have to provide any service that ultimately just interferes with teacher student interaction (other options, like giving people access to the file system would be a recipe for chaos). What we have learned supporting learning communities is that acceptance has a lot to do with reducing the complexity of getting content in the system (without making it difficult for the advanced users... the ones that use html). Having a single content storage area would be very valuable for this reason alone (not to mention the advantages of having all content in one place e.g. making adding course content exchange standards easier in the future).
We can not expect a user (student in the dotLRN case) to have to download archived "sets of files" let alone "install some html page set grabbers". The only thing they should need to worry about is the content (file system paradigms are unimportant here) and how to use a browser.
Carl
P.S. On a related note I would really like to see or hear about the "Research Collaboration Enhancements" that OF delivered. As mentioned here: http://dotlrn.org/features/features.html Seems like adding workflow would be the next step ONCE WE KNOW where we are going to putting ALL our stuff.
