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......
When they could probably actually make more money by not using MS products. Especially considering the rocky ride MS can expect both here and on the other side of the Atlantic for the next few years.
Now it's time to 'put the cat in with the pigeons'......
Or "Penguin amongst the Lemmings"...
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.
LRM4 will probably work under dosemu. Since it is one few remaining DOS modules. Apparently even Capita realise that trusting finance and exam entries to Windows isn't a good idea. None of the staff here appear happy with either Windows STAR or the "new star" (Nova). Though they may look at bit nicer than the DOS STAR and COVER modules routine tasks take several times as long and require trained typists to make excessive use of the mouse. Also there was the stunt over the library module...
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!
It needs to be able to read current SIMS data, which appears to be in Dbase format (with separate index files which require manually rebuilding at times.)
Imagine how easy target setting on a county level would be if they could deploy such a 'commerce' type system?
If your county people are anything like mine good luck convincing them. (They have difficulty even comprehending using Netware for our admin network and honestly think that NT would be better. Yet can't give one actual concrete reason to substantiate this belief.) -- Mark Evans St. Peter's CofE High School Phone: +44 1392 204764 X109 Fax: +44 1392 204763