Mailinglist Archive: opensuse-edu (225 mails)

[simon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

OK, in this school we use RM Integris. First of all our staff use it 
constantly, it runs well, it has all the data they need if not too much data 
in some cases. We have support from our LEA for the product, although 
sometimes the support is slightly lacking but the job gets done eventually.

My opinion, and this is all it is, is that we would not go to a free admin 
system because of the above, we know it, we use it, it works.

Personally, when something goes wrong, i know who to point the finger at and 
who to contact.

Would this be the same with an Open Source admin system and would a group 
volunteer themselves to be in the firing line of support and problem queries 
locally, as sometimes we have to have visits from the LEA to sort more complex 
problems.

As it stands, i wouldnt want our admin team to switch to anything else.

Not trying to dampen things, but these issues i feel are relevant and very 
important before any software is created.


Quoting Alan Davies <staff.asd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

> I'm not sure that 'free' is a good way to go here.
> 
> Administration is a mission critical area of school function.  As such
> it
> can't possibly rely
> on goodwill of volunteers to find bugs and solve them - or to test new
> versions rigorously.
> 
> I am disappointed that the market is so dominated by a single supplier
> -
> SIMS (which we
> don't use - we use Phoenix).
> 
> In fact considering the high cost of SIMS I am surprised that there are
> not
> more competitors
> out there - but the reality is that users once familiar with SIMS (and
> having heared of SIMS)
> are not ready to migrate to anything else whether technically better,
> cheaper - or free.
> 
> (A rather similar argument as to why Microsoft continues to dominate).
> 
> I would be much in favour of some industry standard SQL based database
> to
> drive these
> systems with suppliers providing mix and match module capability- but
> that
> would require
> specifications laid down by Department of Education and such a scheme
> would
> end up being
> more expensive than giving all schools SIMS, run years over due and not
> work
> properly as users required at the end.
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Chris Duncan" <chris.duncan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <suse-linux-uk-schools@xxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2003 11:37 PM
> Subject: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Free school administration software -
> project has started
> 
> 
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I have read messages on this list with interest over the last few
> months.
> A
> > topic, which is of interest to me, has been raised on several
> occasions,
> > namely, the question of a free school administration software
> package.
> >
> > A project has now been started to produce such a package. It is at
> the
> planning
> > stage and has need of volunteers to help define the requirements of
> the
> system
> > and assist with the construction of it. I am posting to this list
> because
> I am
> > convinced that the most effective way to produce a free software
> application of
> > this nature is to engage the education community in it's development
> from
> the
> > outset.
> >
> > If you would like to become involved please visit this site:
> >
> > http://schooltool.sourceforge.net
> >
> > and subscribe to the mailing list.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > To unsubscribe, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxx
> > For additional commands, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-help@xxxxxxxx
> >
> >
> 
> 
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> 
> 



:)

-------------------------------
Simon Davies
Systems Manager
Queen Elizabeth Cambria School
Tel:01267236451 Fax:01267238224
www.queenelizabethcambria.com
-------------------------------