Merlot wins my content, hands down, over Connexions

I took some time to compare two Open Education Resource (OER) repositories: Rice University's Connexions and the California state system repository called Merlot. I'd used Merlot in the past, and got a bit irritated with the multiple cataloging screens that come before uploading each resource, so I thought I'd try out Connexions.

First, I tried to set up an account. Every time I took action on the screen there was a bit of wait time - probably 30 seconds. Not too long, really, but longer than most web pages, especially since I was trying this near midnight on a Saturday. Could this be a high-traffic time?

When I tried to use the link the system sent to my email I immediately got an error message. I tried again and got another email. I noticed on the second time around that just underneath that first link was another one to use if the first one didn't work! Hmm. Why not fix the first link, instead of sending a link and a work-around?

Next, I set about to upload content. This meant reading several pages on the website to grasp new vocabulary. Hmm. This is starting to remind me of WordPress. Learning tech speak is not my favorite pastime - I'll do it if I have to, but there had better be a good reason...

I made it this screen to create a "module," only to find that I should upload a Word file, an Open Office file or type material into a box that looked like it needed html.

Hmm. I use Google docs. I could have cut and pasted the material into a word-processing document, but why bother when Merlot is so much easier.

After Connexions, Merlot seems like a dream to upload materials. Here's the main screen, which, to be fair, is followed by several cataloging screens, but it took me about 2 or 3 minutes to do each resource. Merlot is also flexible, allowing you to upload the material in the form you wish: