Thanks for a most interesting thread. The last information I received from Capita (SIMS) sated that they had every intention of rebuilding their product around Microsoft SQL Server...... Now it's time to 'put the cat in with the pigeons'...... I'm relatively new to Linux but have several interesting ideas. I have a lot of experience in dealing with school administration systems (but not the finance side) from the pupil management side of things. I have to admit that the one item that causes me incredible amounts of frustration within schools are the proprietary admin systems with which we are forced to work. If there are enough interested parties why don't we look at the feasibility of / or attempt to produce some sort of solution based on a combination of Linux / MYSQL-ProgreSQL / Perl-Python-PHP and Apache ? It would be a lot of work but I'm sure that it would be worth while. I have already written several 'databases' for target setting / school reports / IEP generation using Lotus Approach and intend to move them over to Linux / SQL / as soon as is practicable..... This may take some time because I'm having to teach myself the necessary techniques from scratch! Imagine how easy target setting on a county level would be if they could deploy such a 'commerce' type system? Any thoughts? Alan Harris Network Manager Bryngwyn School alanh@bryngwyn.carmarthen.sch.uk
"Ian P. Mills (Technical Support Manager)" wrote:
SIMS state that they currently use SQL-Anywhere (not familiar to us) which gives five concurrent users at no cost for software licence. Work is well in progress for future versions of many SIMS modules and subsequently ALL modules working with Microsoft SQL server. Apparently there is a cut down version which they include as part of the SIMS licence as it is 'cheap' or free to schools. SIMS have also stated (to us) that they intend NOT to support Linux and that their software will NOT work with ANY other version of SQL as it is written to use many 'features' which are unique to MS-SQL........
...our problem was that the minimum spec of PC and server that they suggest for future versions was outrageous, particularly for Primary schools...
Ian UP. Mills Technical Support Manager Flintshire Education ICT Support Unit