On Wed, 2002-12-04 at 21:24, Grainge, Derek wrote:
Regarding killer school apps, what are the following SIMS
SIMS is a school database management system, about to be replaced by a new version which is based on .NET and MS SQL server. It will have a client interface which is mostly NOT web based.
I wouldn't call it a Killer app in the sense you imply. Au contraire. But no schools database is that good really.
Supposedly it's based around an agreed data format allowing modules to be mixed and matched by purchasing from different companies. Therefore in theory there is an open structure and a way for home-grown apps to access data. I doubt that Capita would be at all happy for that to happen - for data integrity reasons, not just money.
Cheers, Derek
CMIS is probably SIMS biggest up and coming competitor. The DfES common data format should enable data to be transferred between competing systems more easily. There is an Open Source SIMS replacement in development but I haven't seen it so I don't know how it stands up. All admin should be on standard SQL databases with web front ends and independent of the hardware OS or even web browser. This would be perfectly possible but the government would be best placed to encourage such open standards and don't seem very keen to do it at them moment. SIMS is a monopoly and we all know how long they take to shift. However, like Windows, there is sufficient antipathy toward SIMS to give some encouragement to would be competitors. Support contracts would make an OS product commercially viable. Regards, -- IanL