Newstream

Stuart_C · 15-10-2008, 11:40 AM

We have a VERY old piece of software we use for a year group activity called "NEWSTREAM" (Apparently it's Copywrited Actis ltd 1997).
For the activity we devide the whole year group into teams and they have to produce a broadsheet and tabloid newspaper. Newstream software has a number of different packages, the basic one just churn's out random news that the kids use for the paper. Other packages are specific major news scenarios that one group of pupils interact with this group then give press conferences to the rest of the year group which change as the day goes on simulating the flow of news.

My problem is the software is old and rubbish and for reasons ebyond me only seems to work with parallel deskjet printers and network printers. The former I am running out of the latter are hard to arrange to go in classrooms.

Has anyone HEARD of this software or knows of an update as so far I have been unsuccessfull in finding one.

Domino · 15-10-2008, 12:33 PM

You could install doPDF PDF Converter - Convert to PDF free with doPDF which shows up as a networked printer

that way the print from the program to dopdf, then print the pdf as normal. Its a workaround, but a fairly easy one (plus they get a nice PDF of their work - maybe don't print at all!)

What problems do you have with networked printers?

Stuart_C · 15-10-2008, 12:47 PM

Sorry,
I don't think I explained it very well. the software mearly generates a news article e.g. "Earthe quake in Chillie, 200 dead" and spews these out of the printer at random intervals. These storys the pupils take and use to put together their news paper using word/publisher in the computer suites. The interactive bits of the software work on sililar lines however the story changes slightly depending on the responses. I need a physical printer in each room used creating a physical output as there might be three groups in a room and they each need a copy of the news article to take away, read and use to crate their article.

With network printers the problem is physically finding them and setting them up. With USB printers and parallel lasers when the software prints nothing appears in the print queue which is odd, the printer is there and works fine in other programs but nothing comes out.

wesleyw · 15-10-2008, 01:05 PM

Newstream is the site but it looks like they haven't updated the software from the version you have. I've asked them about any updates but haven't heard back yet.

Wes

wesleyw · 15-10-2008, 01:17 PM

The email just bounced back so they may have departed into the ether.

Wes

contink · 15-10-2008, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wesleyw

The email just bounced back so they may have departed into the ether.

Just tried phoning them and the phone number now belongs to a new company (totally different) so yeah, it's DOA for sure.

wesleyw · 15-10-2008, 01:29 PM

Shame sounded like quite an interesting product. Haven't had much luck finding something similar though sorry.

Wes

contink · 15-10-2008, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart_C

With network printers the problem is physically finding them and setting them up. With USB printers and parallel lasers when the software prints nothing appears in the print queue which is odd, the printer is there and works fine in other programs but nothing comes out.

It's probably because the print processor is using a format that isn't being used by the newer printers.

You might want to check what's set in the "working printers" by going to one and right clicking properties
> Advanced Tab
> Print Processor

... and looking at the default data type and processor being used...

You may be able to recreate the necessary settings from that.

wesleyw · 15-10-2008, 01:34 PM

How does this software work? Does it have a text file or database of random news stories and whilst running randomly generates one then prints? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick if you let me know send a few screenshots I wonder how difficult it would be to recreate something like that?

Wes

OutToLunch · 15-10-2008, 01:45 PM

I remember this being used once, haven't seen it in years though. Have you tried a USB printer with a parallel convertor?

Stuart_C · 15-10-2008, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wesleyw

How does this software work? Does it have a text file or database of random news stories and whilst running randomly generates one then prints? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick if you let me know send a few screenshots I wonder how difficult it would be to recreate something like that?

Wes

Well it' output's the same news stories in the same sequence every time so it's nt that advanced!
As the program plus addins is 4Mb I could probably zip it up and send it to you.

Having said that perhaps distributing it illigally is the way forward. Whilst no one will respond to legitimate requests I'm sure if we did something wrong the lawers would be on us ASAP which would allow me to start a dialogue.

Actually I did try a DNS lookup of newstrea.co.uk and found that the wedbsite is owned by Pearson Education and was renewed last year! When I phoned them I got some random woman who so didn'thave a clue what I was on about and didn't know anyone who whould. Great help.

I'll sort out some screen shots tomorrow if you are interested.

wesleyw · 15-10-2008, 02:48 PM

Yeah if it's that basic I could probably knock up something similar pretty quickly in VB

Wes

contink · 15-10-2008, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wesleyw

Yeah if it's that basic I could probably knock up something similar pretty quickly in VB

I have no time so I don't know why I'm even entertaining this but it strikes me that there's some potential here for a web based system that might be able to service schools in a sort of network. I might just be buzzword crazy though but does anyone think there'd be some potential here for tieing different schools together?

Hmm.. the creative juices are flowing now...

dhicks · 15-10-2008, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by contink

I have no time so I don't know why I'm even entertaining this but it strikes me that there's some potential here for a web based system that might be able to service schools in a sort of network. I might just be buzzword crazy though but does anyone think there'd be some potential here for tieing different schools together?

Yes, it sounds like an excellent idea - a website that produces random news stories of some kind for pupils working in a group... Assign reporters, editors, copywriters, etc, in the groups... Limits the number of computers actually needed for an ICT-based lesson - one PC per group should be doable... Could also be designed to work with a projector - have a main projected screen showing news, content, tickers or whatever, let the students work on their individual workstations...

Quote:

Hmm.. the creative juices are flowing now...

Eew. I'll get you a tissue :-)

--
David Hicks

Jackd · 15-10-2008, 09:27 PM

Their shoutbox/comments need taming abit i think

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15-10-2008, 11:40 AM	#1
Stuart_C Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rotherham Posts: 102 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Rep Power: 0	Newstream We have a VERY old piece of software we use for a year group activity called "NEWSTREAM" (Apparently it's Copywrited Actis ltd 1997). For the activity we devide the whole year group into teams and they have to produce a broadsheet and tabloid newspaper. Newstream software has a number of different packages, the basic one just churn's out random news that the kids use for the paper. Other packages are specific major news scenarios that one group of pupils interact with this group then give press conferences to the rest of the year group which change as the day goes on simulating the flow of news. My problem is the software is old and rubbish and for reasons ebyond me only seems to work with parallel deskjet printers and network printers. The former I am running out of the latter are hard to arrange to go in classrooms. Has anyone HEARD of this software or knows of an update as so far I have been unsuccessfull in finding one.

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Newstream

15-10-2008, 12:33 PM	#2
Domino Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Hastings Posts: 1,247 Thanks: 15 Thanked 83 Times in 70 Posts Blog Entries: 4 Rep Power: 22	You could install doPDF PDF Converter - Convert to PDF free with doPDF which shows up as a networked printer that way the print from the program to dopdf, then print the pdf as normal. Its a workaround, but a fairly easy one (plus they get a nice PDF of their work - maybe don't print at all!) What problems do you have with networked printers?

15-10-2008, 12:47 PM	#3
Stuart_C Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rotherham Posts: 102 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Rep Power: 0	Sorry, I don't think I explained it very well. the software mearly generates a news article e.g. "Earthe quake in Chillie, 200 dead" and spews these out of the printer at random intervals. These storys the pupils take and use to put together their news paper using word/publisher in the computer suites. The interactive bits of the software work on sililar lines however the story changes slightly depending on the responses. I need a physical printer in each room used creating a physical output as there might be three groups in a room and they each need a copy of the news article to take away, read and use to crate their article. With network printers the problem is physically finding them and setting them up. With USB printers and parallel lasers when the software prints nothing appears in the print queue which is odd, the printer is there and works fine in other programs but nothing comes out.

15-10-2008, 01:05 PM	#4
wesleyw Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Walsall Posts: 1,253 Thanks: 27 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts Rep Power: 10	Newstream is the site but it looks like they haven't updated the software from the version you have. I've asked them about any updates but haven't heard back yet. Wes

15-10-2008, 01:17 PM	#5
wesleyw Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Walsall Posts: 1,253 Thanks: 27 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts Rep Power: 10	The email just bounced back so they may have departed into the ether. Wes

15-10-2008, 01:29 PM	#7
wesleyw Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Walsall Posts: 1,253 Thanks: 27 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts Rep Power: 10	Shame sounded like quite an interesting product. Haven't had much luck finding something similar though sorry. Wes

15-10-2008, 01:34 PM	#9
wesleyw Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Walsall Posts: 1,253 Thanks: 27 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts Rep Power: 10	How does this software work? Does it have a text file or database of random news stories and whilst running randomly generates one then prints? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick if you let me know send a few screenshots I wonder how difficult it would be to recreate something like that? Wes

15-10-2008, 01:45 PM	#10
OutToLunch Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 765 Thanks: 28 Thanked 63 Times in 56 Posts Rep Power: 22	I remember this being used once, haven't seen it in years though. Have you tried a USB printer with a parallel convertor?

15-10-2008, 02:48 PM	#12
wesleyw Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Walsall Posts: 1,253 Thanks: 27 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts Rep Power: 10	Yeah if it's that basic I could probably knock up something similar pretty quickly in VB Wes

15-10-2008, 09:27 PM	#15
Jackd Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chilton, Durham, UK Posts: 239 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Rep Power: 6	Their shoutbox/comments need taming abit i think

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