cpjitservices Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 I just an image on Google and it reminded me of the horrible daemon that was... BromCom.
rich_tech Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 I started here after that stuff was gone, but theres still a few of their "WiFi?" wall mounted boxes on the walls here and a caddy of their Acer Laptops that are slowly dying away to obscurity.
cpjitservices Posted May 13, 2014 Author Posted May 13, 2014 You had laptops ? We had this horrible grey thing with a green screen..... They were horrible... It was like a tablet type design with loads of buttons.
Boredguy Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 Oh how I miss the days of the Bromcom tablets for the staff to take the register. Slowly taking out the old WiFi kit that is still around even though we moved over to SIMS Lesson monitor several years ago. I did prefer the web browser register to Lesson Monitor as it was faster for the staff to login to. Ah those were the days
rich_tech Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 well from what I gather, we have a load of archaic Acer TravelMate laptops in a caddy here, (windows ME based stuff) which were supposed to be on bromcom, the previous tech had one of those old grey touchscreen/slate PCs running XP, wasnt a light device though at all.
Norphy Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 Bromcom are still going aren't they? I'm pretty sure that one of their reps posts on here on a semi regular basis.
newpersn Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 They had these when i was at school. (start of year 10/11 (2004/5) They stuck a old computer in each room for the staff to use to do reg's. They even used some old messaging program (which i cant think off)
cpjitservices Posted May 13, 2014 Author Posted May 13, 2014 The devices we had wern't actually a tablet, more like a device, that had like a open close bit on the front like a phone case perhaps would have. The amount of times I'd be called to a lesson because the BromCom wasn't connected / working... Jeez - Yeah... good memories!!
Garacesh Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 (edited) [ATTACH=CONFIG]24403[/ATTACH] Aren't they those films where two blokes meet under awkward (and funny) circumstances before falling in love? Edited May 13, 2014 by Garacesh 2
Meldrew Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 You had laptops ? We had this horrible grey thing with a green screen..... They were horrible... It was like a tablet type design with loads of buttons. We had the horrible things too. I believe they ran on a ZX-81 processor... We had a break in when we were still using these and the thieves stole one of these grey things and a laptop at the same time. Funnily enough the grey thing was discarded a few yards away from the edge of the College site. The laptop was never recovered though. Meldrew. 1
cpjitservices Posted May 13, 2014 Author Posted May 13, 2014 Aren't they those funny films where two blokes meet under awkward (and funny) circumstances before falling in love? These days, yes I suppose it is!! Never thought of that one did they
CAM Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 Bromcom are still going aren't they? I'm pretty sure that one of their reps posts on here on a semi regular basis. They are still going and actually post quite regularly in the MIS Forum on here which could make this thread somewhat awkward... 3
andyrite Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 We still use bromcom. Never had the handheld devices as we had a PC in everyroom using Winfolder. Everything is web based now. 2
SpuffMonkey Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 I had one of my favourite demos at their offices (back 2003-4 time) - they were supposed to be demoing their software to me and our office manager and they couldn't get it to work - the techie and the sales guy starting arguing and it nearly ended in fisticuffs. Needless to say, we didn't pursue a purchase...
GREED Posted May 14, 2014 Posted May 14, 2014 They are still going and actually post quite regularly in the MIS Forum on here which could make this thread somewhat awkward... Lets make it more awkward Calling @Bromcom-PR & @GraemeBC Because I am a wind up merchant deep down 4
Bromcom_John Posted May 14, 2014 Posted May 14, 2014 Yes we are still here and yes the old folders are a significant blast from the significant past. However I would like to remind everyone that most old tech looks clunky and ridiculous when viewed with modern spectacles 80's "mobile" phones for instance. My personal favourite folder is the model that came with an alphabet order keyboard. We have a small display cabinet in the office with a selection of the old models in.
GREED Posted May 14, 2014 Posted May 14, 2014 Bugger my apologies @JohnCondon should have mentioned you too.
Bromcom_John Posted May 14, 2014 Posted May 14, 2014 Without punctuation that doesn't sound like an apology 2
GREED Posted May 14, 2014 Posted May 14, 2014 John I literally just laughed out loud for a full 30 seconds at that! Brightened my day no end! Hats off to you sir, and of course it is an apology
plexer Posted May 14, 2014 Posted May 14, 2014 Hehe Bromcom Computers Plc - vPDA and Pocket PC But now they do even more shiny ones Bromcom Computers Plc - Devices Ben
6Foot2 Posted May 14, 2014 Posted May 14, 2014 Nostalgia: It isn't what it used to be. Link: Museum of Obsolete Objects - YouTube
browolf Posted May 14, 2014 Posted May 14, 2014 You had laptops ? We had this horrible grey thing with a green screen..... They were horrible... It was like a tablet type design with loads of buttons. we had those. eventually we ditched them for laptops and sims attendance.
Bromcom_John Posted May 14, 2014 Posted May 14, 2014 Nostalgia: It isn't what it used to be. Link: Museum of Obsolete Objects - YouTube Why on earth is the mouse on that list...Still very much in usage world wide. Couple of points I think need to be made on the original subject matter. @plexer, In fear of some kind of automated Google search powered litigation from Apple I feel I must clarify that we do not "produce" iPads, iPhones or any other kind of tablet device . Those days of actually producing thee devices ourselves are past. @browolf, You might be surprised to hear that up until last year (March I think) we still had some customers using older folder devices. That's a functional life span of over 12 years without the need for an upgrade. Let's see a modern smartphone do that and finally, in defence of a robust and loyal range of hardware. These were devices designed in the 90's, to use wireless communication before omnipresent WiFi (hence the RTU's that still remain tucked into the corner of classrooms across the country) and all of this with the attendance interface written to talk to a VERY early version of SIMS (and our own product) well before the creation of the modern SIMS API. and before anyone mentions any difficulty they remember in using them.... Try supporting the software to run the framework on over 800 schools, over a 14,400 baud modem using a Multi User DOS interface layer with 6 virtual screens (in DOS remember) using keyboard short-cuts and no Mouse!! oh and for any who remember the comms software that ran the RTU network was called SERCOM (also SERCOL, SERHAN it had multiple versions). Which allowed us to remotely manage all those RTU's (especially useful when electrical storms would hit and they needed to be reset). but we've moved FAR down the path from those halcyon days of yore! 1
Bromcom-PR Posted May 14, 2014 Posted May 14, 2014 (edited) Letsmake it more awkward Calling @Bromcom-PR & @GraemeBC Because I am a wind up merchant deep down Thank you @GREED. We only want to correct, qualify some of the comments made so far - as follows: Bromcom 'grey' folders were invented in 1992. It was covered in December 1992as invention in the Times new paper dedicating a half-page and was on BBC Tomorrow World's TV show in January 1993. Cost was £245 each, batteries lasted 6 months and transmission range was very similar to WiFi however speed much slower. Because packets sent/received were miniscule (say under 8Kbyte), with good wireless coverage a class list was downloaded within 1-2 minutes. We wouldn't be surprised if some will say it took longer than this but that is all to do with coverage of wireless network and make up of the building - just as one can have coverage difficulties with WiFi today. The 'grey folders' did evolve into: · QWERTY versions circa 1994 · A5 size circa 1996 · WiFi versions early 2000 · Finally touch colour screen with Microsoft Windows CE in circa 2005 'Software version' was known as “WinFolder” that run on any laptops and PCs as a 'client software'. This was a small an EXE (as today's 'apps' concept) and which only needed TCP/IP connection. "WinFolder was introduced late1990s, was very popular and was replaced with web version called “WebFolder”. WebFolder is still widely used today as a 'stand alone' product and also formed part of today’s Bromcom Cloud MIS. Anyone referencing ‘grey folder’ should also be referring to ‘DOS’ bases TEXT screen MIS software of 1990s to 2003/4 and in fact at that time contemporary and competing product ‘OMR’– yes paper based, Optical Mark Readers! I am sure some OMRs will be still in use. We hope the above is read as interesting history and not leveled at anyone. Edited May 14, 2014 by Bromcom-PR 1
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