Mailinglist Archive: opensuse-edu (225 mails)
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Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Free school administration software - project has started
- From: "Mark Evans" <mpe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 5 May 2003 18:01:53 +0000 (UTC)
- Message-id: <20030505180143.GA7871@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
On Mon, May 05, 2003 at 09:53:18AM +0100, Bruce Miller wrote:
> On this idea of 'Me Too':
>
> My thoughts are that 'it' would have to integrate pretty seamlessly.
>
> http://www.capitaes.co.uk/simsdotco/products/S_net_p.asp
>
>
> The above link is a feature list of the Capita SIMS product and has such
> niceties as:
>
> 'builds on your current investment in SIMS by working on current school
> data'
>
> 'allows data to be imported from other MIS systems'
>
> 'is designed to enable schools to comply with the national Information
> Management Strategy'
This all looks very familiar :)
> The whole Capita / SIMS juggernaut is not something that anyone could easily
> push off the road, I would have thought.
It depends who's doing the pushing. Individual schools probably not,
LEAs maybe.
> Now,
>
> http://www.phpbuilder.com/columns/alberto20000919.php3
>
> is an article that says Linux and PHP could be used to interface with the
> current SIMS database of MS SQL (which I believe they use).
Still requires a "No Thankyou" SQL server. Especially considering
the hacks which appear to be involved in making the data backupable.
> This way, creating a Web based set-up that could run from any computer, Win
> or Lin ((Mac or Acorn (?)) could be created.
>
> In terms of skilling, human resources, change-over costs and change-over
> risks, the adoption of third party bolt-ons is a concept that could have a
> more eager uptake.
What's to prevent an LEA or CES themselves saying that a third
party "bolt on" results in void "support"?
> This would make for manageable small projects that could be achievably
> produced by groups of keen teachers and also by student project too(!) -
> Don't know about you lot, but every year my A'level students struggle to
> find projects and the exam boards seem to love database interfacing as a
> topic.
You don't intend letting your students at the real data, since there
are DPA issues involved.
--
Mark Evans
St. Peter's CofE High School
Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109
Fax: +44 1392 204763
> On this idea of 'Me Too':
>
> My thoughts are that 'it' would have to integrate pretty seamlessly.
>
> http://www.capitaes.co.uk/simsdotco/products/S_net_p.asp
>
>
> The above link is a feature list of the Capita SIMS product and has such
> niceties as:
>
> 'builds on your current investment in SIMS by working on current school
> data'
>
> 'allows data to be imported from other MIS systems'
>
> 'is designed to enable schools to comply with the national Information
> Management Strategy'
This all looks very familiar :)
> The whole Capita / SIMS juggernaut is not something that anyone could easily
> push off the road, I would have thought.
It depends who's doing the pushing. Individual schools probably not,
LEAs maybe.
> Now,
>
> http://www.phpbuilder.com/columns/alberto20000919.php3
>
> is an article that says Linux and PHP could be used to interface with the
> current SIMS database of MS SQL (which I believe they use).
Still requires a "No Thankyou" SQL server. Especially considering
the hacks which appear to be involved in making the data backupable.
> This way, creating a Web based set-up that could run from any computer, Win
> or Lin ((Mac or Acorn (?)) could be created.
>
> In terms of skilling, human resources, change-over costs and change-over
> risks, the adoption of third party bolt-ons is a concept that could have a
> more eager uptake.
What's to prevent an LEA or CES themselves saying that a third
party "bolt on" results in void "support"?
> This would make for manageable small projects that could be achievably
> produced by groups of keen teachers and also by student project too(!) -
> Don't know about you lot, but every year my A'level students struggle to
> find projects and the exam boards seem to love database interfacing as a
> topic.
You don't intend letting your students at the real data, since there
are DPA issues involved.
--
Mark Evans
St. Peter's CofE High School
Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109
Fax: +44 1392 204763
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