First of all the free 2.4 version is still available and free to register, you aren't being pushed to move to the commercial 2.7 version. If you make training or learning modules for a living then the 2.7 version is a good path. It has hugely improved cross browser support and some nice extra functionality.
I don't know if the test area will be returning, hopefully one of the team will be able to answer that. The area to host modules was really set up to allow users to 'show and tell', you could then share techniques and adaptions between users. If it had been used as a host for a module for the wider world then I wouldn't be suprised if the team pulled it. They after all would be paying to host your work which I cannot imagine was the intention!
If you want to just test your work on an LMS then you can easily download something like WAMP and then install a copy of Moodle or other LMS. This could be onto your HDD or even a USB stick. This would genarally only be available locally, that is on your PC.
If you have decent broadband then an option would be to host your own server. This wouldn't need anything too sophisticated.
You would need a static IP address from your ISP, a broadband router set to allow traffic in and out to the specific PC. On the host PC (anything from a cheap laptop would work to an old P4 desktop would be more than sufficient) you have a linux OS like Ubuntu (free), use the built in software installer to add Moodle and you'd have your courses available to the world.
The costs would be for the static IP address and traffic. You'd also have full control and ownership of your materials.
First of all the free 2.4 version is still available and free to register, you aren't being pushed to move to the commercial 2.7 version. If you make training or learning modules for a living then the 2.7 version is a good path. It has hugely improved cross browser support and some nice extra functionality.
I don't know if the test area will be returning, hopefully one of the team will be able to answer that. The area to host modules was really set up to allow users to 'show and tell', you could then share techniques and adaptions between users. If it had been used as a host for a module for the wider world then I wouldn't be suprised if the team pulled it. They after all would be paying to host your work which I cannot imagine was the intention!
If you want to just test your work on an LMS then you can easily download something like WAMP and then install a copy of Moodle or other LMS. This could be onto your HDD or even a USB stick. This would genarally only be available locally, that is on your PC.
If you have decent broadband then an option would be to host your own server. This wouldn't need anything too sophisticated.
You would need a static IP address from your ISP, a broadband router set to allow traffic in and out to the specific PC. On the host PC (anything from a cheap laptop would work to an old P4 desktop would be more than sufficient) you have a linux OS like Ubuntu (free), use the built in software installer to add Moodle and you'd have your courses available to the world.
The costs would be for the static IP address and traffic. You'd also have full control and ownership of your materials.
