Mailinglist Archive: opensuse-edu (55 mails)
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Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] SIMS. SCOMIS AND ALICE
- From: "Mark Evans" <mpe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2002 11:12:23 +0000 (UTC)
- Message-id: <20021205111144.18804.qmail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Hi there Paul,
>
> Sims is a modular school management system developed by Capita Systems. It
> contains all the pupil information, including their pictures and timetable.
> When I sya modular, I mean that there are several bolt-ons to the main
> program. The module used for pupil information is called Midas (I think).
The module holding this information is called STAR, MIDAS is
more for displaying summaries of data.
Originally CES were going to replace STAR with a new program called
Nova (New Star). Which took over the functions of the previous
COVER package. Somewhat duplicates MIDAS and was ment to replace
EXAMS, but never happened.
Nova uses a different file database from the rest of SIMS, theoretically
handling data interchange transparently.
Now CES want to move to "Super Star", which is based around MS SQL
server and .NET. Requires a rather frightening client spec (we
only retired the last 486 a few months back) and shows all the
signs of becoming "black hole Star" so far as paying for the thing
is concerned.
> There are also modules for staff cover, attendance, finance, and
The latest version of the finance module is FMS6, which uses
SQL Anywhere. Unlike all the other SIMS modules it has no ability
to restrict access to specific workstations...
> timetabling. Our SIMS manager has a lot more icons on his screen as well.
> Not sure what they are.
Depending how you configure it you can set SIMS launcher to display
modules which are not actually installed.
> I have not heard of Scomis.
Lucky you :)
> Alice is a library system as you correctly put it. I originally set it up in
> our school before passing complete control to our librarian. It is developed
> by Softlink - www.softlink.co.uk. It isn't a bad piece of software once you
> get used the way it does things. We find that half of the menu options do
> not get used. It does need an interface re-design, but I cannot see Softlink
It has a few subtle bugs, like scrollbars not working correctly in
some dialogues but working in others...
> changing something with works okay. I would prefer a web interface - and
> that reminds we, you can run an Alice Network Server which allows the query
> of books online.
So long as you have IIS, no thankyou.
--
Mark Evans
St. Peter's CofE High School
Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109
Fax: +44 1392 204763
>
> Sims is a modular school management system developed by Capita Systems. It
> contains all the pupil information, including their pictures and timetable.
> When I sya modular, I mean that there are several bolt-ons to the main
> program. The module used for pupil information is called Midas (I think).
The module holding this information is called STAR, MIDAS is
more for displaying summaries of data.
Originally CES were going to replace STAR with a new program called
Nova (New Star). Which took over the functions of the previous
COVER package. Somewhat duplicates MIDAS and was ment to replace
EXAMS, but never happened.
Nova uses a different file database from the rest of SIMS, theoretically
handling data interchange transparently.
Now CES want to move to "Super Star", which is based around MS SQL
server and .NET. Requires a rather frightening client spec (we
only retired the last 486 a few months back) and shows all the
signs of becoming "black hole Star" so far as paying for the thing
is concerned.
> There are also modules for staff cover, attendance, finance, and
The latest version of the finance module is FMS6, which uses
SQL Anywhere. Unlike all the other SIMS modules it has no ability
to restrict access to specific workstations...
> timetabling. Our SIMS manager has a lot more icons on his screen as well.
> Not sure what they are.
Depending how you configure it you can set SIMS launcher to display
modules which are not actually installed.
> I have not heard of Scomis.
Lucky you :)
> Alice is a library system as you correctly put it. I originally set it up in
> our school before passing complete control to our librarian. It is developed
> by Softlink - www.softlink.co.uk. It isn't a bad piece of software once you
> get used the way it does things. We find that half of the menu options do
> not get used. It does need an interface re-design, but I cannot see Softlink
It has a few subtle bugs, like scrollbars not working correctly in
some dialogues but working in others...
> changing something with works okay. I would prefer a web interface - and
> that reminds we, you can run an Alice Network Server which allows the query
> of books online.
So long as you have IIS, no thankyou.
--
Mark Evans
St. Peter's CofE High School
Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109
Fax: +44 1392 204763
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