Moodle can run on a single stand-alone computer, on a network server, or can be hosted. A user who logs in as an administrator has access to all aspects of the system, while individual users in the manager role may be limited in the permissions they have. Everyone accesses Moodle in the same way and has no special privileges until assigned roles by the administrator based on the user's needs. A system administrator performs tasks such as authentication, course creation, and instructor assignment, and server management tasks such as backups and security settings. (Powers, 2012) How users join Moodle depends on the authentication settings determined by the organization: logins may be provided; they may be allowed to create accounts on their own or they may be automatically registered by another system. Moodle provides activity log reports that tell instructors which resources and activities in a course have been accessed, when, and by whom. A J. Ridden, a Moodle blogger, says that Moodle's strength is also its weakness. The strong point is that the admin has access to many features such as apps, modules and plugins to build the course. The downside is that the variety of options can be overwhelming. Options that provide flexibility can also be confusing. (Ridden, 2014, para. 7) Since not all users will use each of the available features, Ridden suggests the administrator check the following features to ensure ease of use. · Disable/enable plugins based on what you need to do from Moodle· Set default settings so teachers don't have to change options every time they create a course. This is useful at the default level... middle of paper... There are many possibilities for hosting Moodle and the costs are usually related to the services provided and the number of users to be hosted. Depending on who hosts Moodle, there may be costs associated with maintenance and training, but royalties are never charged. The costs associated with switching to Moodle from another CMS depend on the level of experience of the manager managing the move. Standardization Customization Moodle is a highly customizable site. The first page is the first page seen by a user who reaches a Moodle site. In the navigation bar it is called “home”. The first page has characteristics and functions similar to those of a specific course. For example, you can add tasks, resources, and blocks to your first page to personalize it. Installing a new theme changes the look of your entire site or may only apply to certain sections.