Nelson Thornes science software

[Trav]

Fully agree, I won't have Shearston software at our place, as the leaflets come into school I file them under 'B'.

I've got a few packages from a couple of suppliers that teachers have bought in the past that simply lay in the cupboard unused, if they are going to buy them why the h*** don't they get them on appro.

 

Great idea to get something together to tackle this prob.

 

BR to all

[Andi]

I too have spent hours and hours trying to get Birchfield, Nelson Thornes and Sherston software to package and install nicely.

 

They are an utter pain in the proverbial and unfortunately all of the teachers here just buy the stuff and then write their syllabuses round them.

 

Only yesterday Birchfield history software appeared on my keyboard waiting to be installed, to which I sighed inside.....

[john]

Send it back to the Histroy Department then, we have a clear policy, WE order the software for you and charge you back for it, dont follow it you WONT get it installed end of.

[Andi]

If only I had the power to implement such a plan. As it happens, this software seemed to do a server install very easily, despite being about 2GB in size!

[Choca]

We were having the same problem with the science software freezing at the Nelson Thorn screen. Solution was to uninstall all versions of Java and only install the version that comes on the CD's.

[GrumbleDook]

Some news about Nelson Thorne Scientifica software. I have been frustrated about being given the run around by this crew for some time so I gave them a ring with a different hat to my school one and got the following answer.

 

There will be no further developments or fixes to bugs at this time. They will be rewriting the software after the launch of the new KS3 Science Curriculum. I was not given a date for the publishing of these materials but it is likely to be in time for BETT next year.

 

I could not get conformation that the resources included will be SCORM compliant or that they will be designed to fit into any particular learning platform. Likewise there was not comment about the design for easy deployment in schools.

[strawberry]

sounds like theyre very aware of the fact that the people who will force the purchase of their software will be teachers who will invariably have little regard for the poor tech who has to make it work.

 

the same mob who told one of my teachers that its possible for his tech (me) to recover data using "some third party software" that theyre program deleted!

[Ric_]

@stawberry: On the few occasions that I have spoken to them they have also been very aware of the problems with their software and the bodges that are needed (such as specific versions of Flash and Java) to get it to run.

[strawberry]

thats very true, they do are good for that.

 

my point was more that they told my teacher what he wanted to hear putting the onus on me to fix a problem theyre software had created. Similarly i think they aim software at teachers rather than for the general school.

 

its caused massive problems at the school because teachers want the best parts of the network version and the standalone version and for some odd reason are suggesting that its my fault that they cant have both!. I think taht attitude stems from the fact its a company the teachers are comfortable with and so they dont want to believe that anything it produces could be flawed in anyway, also that the books are ok, but the software isn't so they seem to look at me like i'm the weak link!

[Ric_]

@strawberry: I hear you... the implication at my way was that i was somehow unable to configure a computer and it was simply a case of my refusing to sort it out rather than there actually being a problem.

[john]

We were having the same problem with the science software freezing at the Nelson Thorn screen. Solution was to uninstall all versions of Java and only install the version that comes on the CD's.

I'm sorry but I refuse to do that, its a security risk, old version of Java have exploits that could be exploited. Now fine it shouldnt' happen if were firewalled, anti-virused correctly etc, but as the saying goes s*** happens and things can and do go wrong. IMHO, Its not acceptable to force people to use old versions of software, which is well over 2 years old if I remember correctly. It should work with new ones. Its like going back to using Windows NT4 instead of XP. NT4 is very insecure now (in some ways and views) so they need to ensure they fix that straight away.

 

Im going to ensure that we are not ordering it with that news we have had that they are not going to fix it any more as its broken enough now. May as well get my science staff to save money and buy more text books instead or write some blasted VLE stuff themselves.

[Marvintpa]

Whilst this may seem a tad cynical,

 

Software development companies dont give a stuff about how easy or hard it is to manage, install or run thier software. They dont sell it to the enlightened higher beings(Us) they sell it to the dweebs for whom a shiny splash screen and a tick in a goverment survey box is all that matters.

 

All the software houses that you have all mentioned are guilty to a greater or lesser extent of selling to the teachers, as they are after all the "users" of the software, but very few "users" have any idea (nor do they care too much, and why should they) on the tedious technical issues involved with the running.

 

In theory I have final say on what is used on our school network, yet we still have to use "SIMVenture" for BStudies :twisted: , the Birchfield Sunflower software for Science :twisted: :twisted: , and the dreaded Heineman Languages suites :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: .

All because at the end of the day that is what the teachers use to teach, and the schools saleable product is .... Exam Results ... and these crappy bits of software help them produce the results in a bigger better faster way.

I hate kids!!