
-----Original Message----- From: ian [mailto:ian.lynch2@ntlworld.com] Sent: 12 March 2004 16:29 To: adrian.wells Cc: suse-linux-uk-schools@suse.com Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Upgrade Question
The OFT is investigating pricing structures in schools because we have to include all machines in the count, MS based or not. I guess MS will be guilty. MS have contracts with almost all suppliers. That implies that windows will be on the hard drive whether you want it or not. When the OFT started their investigation and asked for responses I suggested they needed to look at that as well. Their reply was (I paraphrase) that yes they knew about that but wanted to knock off one problem at a time. So yes Dell will worry because - if I understand correctly - should they shift empty boxes they could lose their discount pricing on Windows or have their contract cancelled completely. It's an equitable life. -- ******************************************************************************** All mail sent and received may be examined to prevent transmission of unacceptable material. Wellington College does not accept responsibility for email contents. Problems to postmaster@wellington-college.berks.sch.uk. Website: http://www.wellington-college.berks.sch.uk ********************************************************************************

On Fri, 2004-03-12 at 16:39, Grainge, Derek wrote:
But we were talking about Office. If they have a discount agreement from MS it should be on volume not on condition that every machine carries Windows. I guess the latter would be illegal too. However, even so, Dell do not have to install MS Office on every machine and indeed they don't, so they could by default put OO.o on their machines and say if you want MSO its X amount extra. If MS made some conditional link between Windows and MS Office, it would again be illegal. I guess Dell are of the mentality that if they sell MSO they make a margin, if they give away OO.o they don't, but that misses the point that the overall cost of the machine would be lower with OO.o and they are adding value compared with a competitor who puts say MS Works on their machines. We just need one of the big players to see this and gain a bit of competitive advantage and then they would all have to do it. HP would be a good one to do it. -- ian <ian.lynch2@ntlworld.com>

Hi All, Does anyone use / can recommend an Open Source Timetabler? Same goes for report writing system Kind regards Adrian

--- "adrian.wells" <adrian.wells@sidcot.org.uk> wrote:
I can recommend the use of 'plan', oddly enough available on SuSE's CD/DVD set. -- Thomas Adam ===== "The Linux Weekend Mechanic" -- http://linuxgazette.net "TAG Editor" -- http://linuxgazette.net "<shrug> We'll just save up your sins, Thomas, and punish you for all of them at once when you get better. The experience will probably kill you. :)" -- Benjamin A. Okopnik (Linux Gazette Technical Editor) ___________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate instantly..."Ping" your friends today! Download Messenger Now http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/download/index.html

Thanks, I'll take a look (walks acroos campus...) Are there any web based ones available since we're all windowy here. Just had the sims/.net sales people sniffing about! Hows the schools project going, is anyone using it? Adrian

On Wed, 2004-03-17 at 15:30, adrian.wells wrote:
I've heard that something like this is being developed at Skegness Grammar school. Not sure if it has been open sourced yet, but I believe the intention may have been to do so. That's Garry Saddington doing that. He has based it on Plone and I've seen an early version of it running. We'd like to be involved in developing or improving this sort of application and have contacts with a couple of schools who are also interested in a SIMS alternative. Would you or anyone else be interested in funding continued development on an Open Source SIMS alternative? regards, Seb James -- Managing Director, Educational Systems, Hypercube Systems Ltd Providing Open Source ICT solutions for schools. Tel: 0845 458 0277 Web: www.hypercubesystems.co.uk Mob: 07900 958964 Email: seb@hypercubesystems.co.uk

On Wednesday 17 March 2004 15:53, Seb James wrote:
Parts of it are in use at Skegness Grammar see www.scholarpack.org for some details. I am still actively developing this to be a complete MIS for schools, not a modular thing that extorts money at each purchase . It is designed from the ground up around a MySQL database schema nad users Zope and XML technologies to handle all government requirements (CTF,CBDS and PlASC) simply - there is a large PDF to follow for SIMS! My present job is not giving me much time for development and so if any offers are forthcoming I may be tempted! regards garry

--- garry saddington <garry@joydiv.fsnet.co.uk> wrote: [..snip.. top-posting? No, surely not!..]
Well, let me know the particulars, I might be able to help, having done some extensive development with Zope and XML. [..snip..] -- Thomas Adam ===== "The Linux Weekend Mechanic" -- http://linuxgazette.net "TAG Editor" -- http://linuxgazette.net "<shrug> We'll just save up your sins, Thomas, and punish you for all of them at once when you get better. The experience will probably kill you. :)" -- Benjamin A. Okopnik (Linux Gazette Technical Editor) ___________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate instantly..."Ping" your friends today! Download Messenger Now http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/download/index.html

I downloaded the files last night onto a win2000 server (+the python bits) and it didn't work :-( (was called in for night nights, so I didn't get to try it on LINUX - I'm I the only one who has to play with computers in a shed?) The instructions looked pretty straight forward and all of the python bits loaded without error as did the unpacking of schooltool. I'm about to try it on a LINUX box here if I get a few mins. Has anyone else had it working on Win32 or LINUX for that mater - Developers excluded of course! :-) PS the web interface (IP:7001) brought up a list of code and a message that no style sheet was found. Adrian ----- Original Message ----- From: Thomas Adam <thomas_adam16@yahoo.com> To: garry saddington <garry@joydiv.fsnet.co.uk>; <suse-linux-uk-schools@suse.com> Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2004 8:12 AM Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Timetables and all that stuff

That looks good Gary, I'll pass this around. what do you use for your exams entries and is it compliant with the latest format? Adrian ----- Original Message ----- From: "garry saddington" <garry@joydiv.fsnet.co.uk> To: <suse-linux-uk-schools@suse.com> Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2004 8:12 AM Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Timetables and all that stuff

--- "adrian.wells" <adrian.wells@sidcot.org.uk> wrote:
There's probably lots of CMS type ones, but I would have to look and alas, if I don't some sleep soon will faint. As for the schools site, I do not know. In fact, long gone are the days of my humble sixth-form adminisrations.... -- Thomas Adam ===== "The Linux Weekend Mechanic" -- http://linuxgazette.net "TAG Editor" -- http://linuxgazette.net "<shrug> We'll just save up your sins, Thomas, and punish you for all of them at once when you get better. The experience will probably kill you. :)" -- Benjamin A. Okopnik (Linux Gazette Technical Editor) ___________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate instantly..."Ping" your friends today! Download Messenger Now http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/download/index.html

Hi Thomas, Plan is a very nice planner, thanks since I'll be looking for one soon, but what I was after was a lesson timetable editor/creator If you should have any further thoughts. Adrian

On Fri, 2004-03-12 at 16:39, Grainge, Derek wrote:
But we were talking about Office. If they have a discount agreement from MS it should be on volume not on condition that every machine carries Windows. I guess the latter would be illegal too. However, even so, Dell do not have to install MS Office on every machine and indeed they don't, so they could by default put OO.o on their machines and say if you want MSO its X amount extra. If MS made some conditional link between Windows and MS Office, it would again be illegal. I guess Dell are of the mentality that if they sell MSO they make a margin, if they give away OO.o they don't, but that misses the point that the overall cost of the machine would be lower with OO.o and they are adding value compared with a competitor who puts say MS Works on their machines. We just need one of the big players to see this and gain a bit of competitive advantage and then they would all have to do it. HP would be a good one to do it. -- ian <ian.lynch2@ntlworld.com>

Hi All, Does anyone use / can recommend an Open Source Timetabler? Same goes for report writing system Kind regards Adrian

--- "adrian.wells" <adrian.wells@sidcot.org.uk> wrote:
I can recommend the use of 'plan', oddly enough available on SuSE's CD/DVD set. -- Thomas Adam ===== "The Linux Weekend Mechanic" -- http://linuxgazette.net "TAG Editor" -- http://linuxgazette.net "<shrug> We'll just save up your sins, Thomas, and punish you for all of them at once when you get better. The experience will probably kill you. :)" -- Benjamin A. Okopnik (Linux Gazette Technical Editor) ___________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate instantly..."Ping" your friends today! Download Messenger Now http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/download/index.html

Thanks, I'll take a look (walks acroos campus...) Are there any web based ones available since we're all windowy here. Just had the sims/.net sales people sniffing about! Hows the schools project going, is anyone using it? Adrian

On Wed, 2004-03-17 at 15:30, adrian.wells wrote:
I've heard that something like this is being developed at Skegness Grammar school. Not sure if it has been open sourced yet, but I believe the intention may have been to do so. That's Garry Saddington doing that. He has based it on Plone and I've seen an early version of it running. We'd like to be involved in developing or improving this sort of application and have contacts with a couple of schools who are also interested in a SIMS alternative. Would you or anyone else be interested in funding continued development on an Open Source SIMS alternative? regards, Seb James -- Managing Director, Educational Systems, Hypercube Systems Ltd Providing Open Source ICT solutions for schools. Tel: 0845 458 0277 Web: www.hypercubesystems.co.uk Mob: 07900 958964 Email: seb@hypercubesystems.co.uk

On Wednesday 17 March 2004 15:53, Seb James wrote:
Parts of it are in use at Skegness Grammar see www.scholarpack.org for some details. I am still actively developing this to be a complete MIS for schools, not a modular thing that extorts money at each purchase . It is designed from the ground up around a MySQL database schema nad users Zope and XML technologies to handle all government requirements (CTF,CBDS and PlASC) simply - there is a large PDF to follow for SIMS! My present job is not giving me much time for development and so if any offers are forthcoming I may be tempted! regards garry
participants (7)
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Adrian Wells
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adrian.wells
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garry saddington
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Grainge, Derek
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ian
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Seb James
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Thomas Adam