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Announcement: ActivInspire Users: Important Software Migration News

garethEds

By garethEds
in Promethean Direct Support

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DavR

DavR

Posted
Posted

Ah, the foulest C word - CHANGE!

 

Seems a bit unnecessary, ActivInspire does what we want it to and is stable. Does ClassFlow do anything fundamentally different?

 

 

Downloaded and stored a copy of the latest ActiveInspire installer just in case.... (v2.9).

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JATSO

JATSO

Posted
Posted
Ah, the foulest C word - CHANGE!

 

Seems a bit unnecessary, ActivInspire does what we want it to and is stable. Does ClassFlow do anything fundamentally different?

 

 

Downloaded and stored a copy of the latest ActiveInspire installer just in case.... (v2.9).

 

Warned them off already just waiting for the screams to start.

PotNoodleTech

PotNoodleTech

Posted
Posted

Promethean have really shot themselves in the foot with this software upgrade. Not being able to natively open activinspire flipcharts is a BIG BIG mistake.

 

The only reason I have been holding off on upgrading from our old promethean boards is the fear of the conversion of thousands of flipcharts for a hundred people.

 

If I need to go through that pain just to continue using Promethean software then I may as well not continue to use promethean software.

 

This has cemented in my head to start making the jump I had been planning to non promethean Large screen interactive TVs such as Clevertouch or Prowise (or any of the others).

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Boredguy

Boredguy

Posted
Posted
Considering we appear to be on the verge of banning students mobile devices, I can't see a benefit of moving, so will likely stick with ActivInspire for a while yet (heck most of the stations are still on version 1 never mind version 2!)
fiza

fiza

Posted
Posted
For those schools that have boards that are no longer under any kind of maintenance warranty and have had Active Inspire for years will there be a free upgrade to ClassFlow or are they expected to pay again?
witch

witch

Posted
Posted

The upgrade is free if you have any of their software - they tell me...

I shall sort out the msi (doesnt work as it is) and inform the relevant authorities - they can then do what they like.

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synaesthesia

synaesthesia

Posted
Posted
Oh for god sake, REALLY. Some marketing pillock has clearly decided to stick an overused buzzword in a name. Flow. And it's the second name change I can remember. ActivePrimary/ActiveStudio, then ActiveInspire.... Should have called it ActiveFlow, at least it'll sound like a toilet.
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jonspurs

jonspurs

Posted
Posted
Has anyone else read through the FAQ? You can't use any touchscreens with their software (it needs to connect every 90 days), even if you bought the board, which then went faulty, and was replaced with a touchscreen prior to Promethean even having their own ActivPanels on sale.
Garacesh

Garacesh

Posted
Posted (edited)
Has anyone else read through the FAQ? You can't use any touchscreens with their software (it needs to connect every 90 days),

Sorry, to clarify: Are you saying the ClassFlow software needs to connect with the ActivPanel hardware in order to function?

Edited by Garacesh
flyinghaggis

flyinghaggis

Posted
Posted

Yeah, the whole interactive whiteboard proprietary software and formats is just a headache everyone can do without these days. The problem I have with ClassFlow is that it's yet another vendor attempt at locking-in their customers except using the cloud this time.

 

As others have said I think the way forward is just to go with touch screens of some variety (and use the Windows/MS built-in ink functionality). That or find ways of wirelessly sending tablet/iPad displays to the screens using AppleTV's/etc or another more open protocol.

mjk

mjk

Posted
Posted

As others have said I think the way forward is just to go with touch screens of some variety (and use the Windows/MS built-in ink functionality). That or find ways of wirelessly sending tablet/iPad displays to the screens using AppleTV's/etc or another more open protocol.

 

I know of academy chains that prohibit the use of proprietary file formats like this. Indeed BECTA tried very hard to ban them but nobody paid any attention.

Garacesh

Garacesh

Posted
Posted (edited)
Yes - with ClassFlow Desktop, unless I read it wrong. I'll find a link to it...here we go:

https://promethean.helpjuice.com/getting-started-with-classflow-desktop/how-do-i-download-and-activate-classflow-desktop

 

Yep that's how I read it, too.

 

Well, they can stuff that. There's no chance in hell we're paying £1,395.83 per board to refit our classrooms.

 

Edit:

I think this says that you can EITHER plug into an ActiveBoard OR pay for a subscription service. This looks similar to the license costs for ActivInspire which also needs a license for non promethean boards.

 

You might have a point there, but there's no info on what exactly having your school's private ClassFlow environment entails.

Edited by Garacesh
pete

pete

Posted
Posted

I've just been reading through the install guide (https://support.prometheanworld.com/files/public/pdfs/ClassFlow+Desktop+Installation+User+Guide.pdf) and page 3 stands out. It looks like your options for activating Classflow Desktop are:

  • Connect to a Promethean Interactive Display (so, touchscreen?) (and reconnect every 90 days)
  • Logging into your school's private Classflow environment (paid option, AFAICT)
  • Start a 90-day trial of Classflow

 

Which, absent a grandfathering of existing customers, means I can't use it on our existing (non-touchscreen) boards.

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DavR

DavR

Posted
Posted

The activation restriction is a real shame, that was one of the real benefits of ActivInspire over Smart Notebook, that it didn't come with a massively restrictive licensing scenario. I can see why they've done it, but it is an unhelpful complication for system admins, who aren't going to shell out for something that was previously free.

 

How then are users going to create work in PPA time or at home, if it needs a board connected to work? ActivInspire allowed you (I think) three installs per board, Classflow essentially limits you to one.

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Garacesh

Garacesh

Posted
Posted

So just been discussing this with the boss.. Promethean want to replace one proprietary file format with another, keeping us locked in to their environment; either have us buy lots of new IWB's (because this software won't activate against existing ActivBoards) OR have us pay a (presumably) monthly license fee. Should we pay that license fee, they want a complete manifesto of our staff and students, since each user needs their own account.

 

Yeah, that's gonna be a no from us, I reckon.

  • Thanks 4
Boredguy

Boredguy

Posted
Posted
Well reading that user guide has confirmed we won't be moving to it now since we have 1 device out of 67 Promethean IWB's that has a HDMI connection, and that is the ActivPanel we only had installed a few months back.
DavR

DavR

Posted
Posted
have us buy lots of new IWB's (because this software won't activate against existing ActivBoards)

 

Really? Are ActivBoards not going to be supported? Searching around there does seem to be some people using ActivBoards with it.

 

But if that's the case, that's us double out. We've still got v1 ActivBoards in some classrooms!

Garacesh

Garacesh

Posted
Posted (edited)
Really? Are ActivBoards not going to be supported? Searching around there does seem to be some people using ActivBoards with it.

 

But if that's the case, that's us double out. We've still got v1 ActivBoards in some classrooms!

 

The FAQ specifically says "Ensure that you are connected to your Promethean Interactive Display with both a USB and an HDMI cable." and "Note: You must connect your computer to your Promethean Interactive Display every 90 days to continue using the software." which to me leaves no room for error. ActivBoards are not interactive displays, nor do they possess an HDMI input. Whilst I suspect the software functionality won't be impaired if you're using ActivBoards as an input method, all indications I see point to the software not activating against ActivBoards.

Edited by Garacesh
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