LAN instant messenger

[stevenlong1985]

Hello all

Is anyone in schools using a LAN form of instant messenger and has it become a success?
its just so staff can communicate between classes or they can leave me a message when I'm not in my room. I've looked on edugeek and on Google, most of the sites are blocked by LEA.

Im currently looking at BorgChat, looks good so far.

thanks

Steve

[pete]

Search the forum for "openfire" - lots of people are using it, it integrates with AD and is essentially a Jabber server.

Though staff wanting to leave you a message should just email you.

[stevenlong1985]

The problem is with email, some of the staff don't know how to use Email

[K.C.Leblanc]

The problem is with email, some of the staff don't know how to use Email

Have you considered a helpdesk system?

However if they can't do email, the chances are you are going to give yourself more not less problems by introducung another system. I would strongly suspect it not that many staff can't it's that they don't want to and your management aren't willing to push email or make training available.

I don't like suggesting stuff time this, but how about slips they can fill out and put in your pigeon hole.

[DrPerceptron]

You could look at Office Communications Server 2007... as long as you use Communicator R2 in conjunction, you can do desktop sharing as well.

[MatthewL]

We use Communicator, works very well for us.

[somabc]

Thumbs up for Communicator

[stevenlong1985]

thanks all
what the pricing like for office Communicator 2007R2?

thanks all again

[mossj]

Just so you know I was also looking into this OpenFire appears to be the way to go...

- With Openfire you install it on the server (it looks like a simple .exe followed by a few config options)

- You can then install something called 'WebSpark' which is a browser based (flash) chat client on the server

then I hope it willl work as you described, oh and best of all it intergrates with AD using LDAP.

This is the impression I got from their website, correct me any of this is wrong...

[mossj]

Also I'd consider using Spiceworks, Simple windows install and theres a userportal with AD intergrated login.

Although getting staff to use email would be your best bet....

Why not use some budget to buy some 'prizes'. Then you can have a competion in which the first person to reply to an email sent out by you at a random interval/time gets a prize... you should find people keeping there email open all day in the hope they will be able to claim a bottle of wine or something...

[januttall]

open fire can also be configured to connect with Asterix PBX and other Voice and even Video protocols too :P. ive used it quite a lot in the past

[Admiral208]

The problem is with email, some of the staff don't know how to use Email

If this is the case, what makes you think they will be able to use an piece of instant messaging software.

It sounds like this is a training issue, not a need for a new piece of software.

[K.C.Leblanc]

It sounds like this is a training issue, not a need for a new piece of software.

Ahhhem, thread is from 2009.

EDIT: Although it would appear the OP is still reading it.

[Admiral208]

Ahhhem, thread is from 2009.

EDIT: Although it would appear the OP is still reading it.

... i was just testing to see if everyone is still awake...

[stevenlong1985]

Hi All,
just to let you know, we are currently using OpenFire with Spark, works great! We still have a lot of staff who still dont understand Emails :P


Regards

Steve