Apple Training Session

[GrumbleDook]

Solutions-inc, a leading Apple Solutions Expert, are holding a Wireless Technologies seminar that is free to education establishments on 1st February at their training centre in Brighton.

For more details and to register please visit the registration webpage on the Solutions-inc website.

[kingswood]

It looks more like a sales workshop where they get you in a room and push you into letting their sales reps visit your school...

Maybe I need more sleep...

[kingswood]

Originally Posted by GrumbleDook

Yeah ... I heard that your boss wants to be an "Apple School" as part of the Arts thing ... I had to explain to my boss that we already have a good relationship with Apple and you don't actually get anything extra out of it ... and that you don't get anything for free.

The session should also be a good chance to network with others who want to make use of Macs in schools and to share some ideas ... unfortunately I am already double-booked that day or I would be along.

Really? Where did you hear that then? You shouldn't trust everything you hear you know.

The option to go fully Apple for the new build was one I put on the table. But it all goes out to tender. As a Specialist Arts school I happen to think it would offer us huge advantages for the education we offer students in the specialism we have been awarded and worked for. Our media department are working hard to integrate Apples into the network and with orders for more Macs coming it's something we need to address.

Is the *option* to go fully Apple blind? Not at all. I am in touch with a senior engineer/consultant at Apple UK and I'm not entirely happy with some of the answers I have been given. I am glad that the issue will be resolved to tender. So in that way if Apple want to bid to provide for the school's future they can and they *may* win. They may not. Other options include thin client (which I am happy about) and vanilla network with mixed Apple and Windows clients (again, very happy about).

As for the Training Solutions wireless workshop/seminar/sales pitch: yes it would be a good networking opportunity and it's something I rarely get the chance to have a bit at. Particularly now that I am on my own and running a very large split-site network.

Thanks Tony.

[kingswood]

One extra point: if you aren't getting something out of your relationship with Apple in addition to just using Apples in school, something is wrong.

[GrumbleDook]

Yeah ... I heard that your boss wants to be an "Apple School" as part of the Arts thing ... I had to explain to my boss that we already have a good relationship with Apple and you don't actually get anything extra out of it ... and that you don't get anything for free.

The session should also be a good chance to network with others who want to make use of Macs in schools and to share some ideas ... unfortunately I am already double-booked that day or I would be along.

[GrumbleDook]

Originally Posted by kingswood

One extra point: if you aren't getting something out of your relationship with Apple in addition to just using Apples in school, something is wrong.

Unfortunately the way that Apple deal with most schools is "here ... speak to an ASE" and then they give the ASE limited resources depending on what the latest drive is (which is to open commercial stores at the moment). Anything technical and the attitude from the people higher up the Apple chain is "Technical? go to an ASE ... we are not interested"

Finding a good ASE that will always be able to get the best out of Apple is hard as they have to able to deal with a chunk of the internal politics. Having spoken with a good number of ASEs and a few other people a common problem is that Apple will undercut the ASEs on price when you deal directly but then tell you to go to an ASE for help ... but if you buy from the ASE they will help you anyway.

Having a direct technical contact is fantastic ... and worth clinging on to ... have you managed to get down to Stockley Park yet?