Just Click - Biology For You

[sidewinder]

Anyone dealt with this before? Any tips?

Just about to try and create an MSI

 

Its the usual sort of software that smugly tells you that its networkable, but you still need to go and manually install a client on each machine. Some of these software companies really do take the piss...we've got 60 science laptops and 13 teacher machines, no WAY am I installing this manually on all of those

[DMcCoy]

RUN AWAY!, FASTER!!!!!

[MikW]

If it's anything like Justclick E-Maths and E-Science, which we use here, it's a real pain in the backside.

We did eventually get it to run from the server but we also had to deploy an msi which was on the install CD in a justclick folder.

Are there no MSI's on the disc at all?

[sidewinder]

Yeah there is an MSI although I have no idea if its the client software or a full local install

I will give it a try

 

DMcCoy - Ive just searched with different terms and I understand why you say that now

Ive just told my NM about it, and basically if just deploying the MSI doesnt work then the software will not be getting installed. Im not lowering security settings just for it

[sidewinder]

MSI doesnt work

[K.C.Leblanc]

I did escience ages ago.

 

I used to ghost to package it since that what we were using at the time. The full install couldn't be packaged, mainly becuase it's massive. The client seems to work resonably well as a package as is quite small. I have however had it break for no apparent reason a few times. When you installk the software it will prompt you to install Jave (and something else) make sure you don't do this if you're packing it.

 

Another thing I've found is that if you're using it in client/server mode it won't work with Java version 6 (it might be possible by altering security settings) so I had to keep our science department on Java 5.

 

Horrible software especialy since all it seems to do is provide a list of documents, something you could do with a really robust web based interface.

[sidewinder]

Thanks for the info

 

Seriously, forget that. Im not running parts of the school on a different version of Java, or Flash, or anything, since Ive only just got them all MSI'd and the whole school standerdised

Also, in addition to all the science laptops, we also have 2 general purpose IT suites so it would need to work in there too, but there is other software that it would conflict with due to different plug in versions

 

All in all, no chance. My NM is going to suggest that they send it back if possible. If they refuse, well I cant guarantee I will ever be able to 'get it working'

 

What makes it even more pointless is that the box says the content is from Channel 4 Clipbank - we're getting that resource free from the LEA in a few months!

[dhicks]

Its the usual sort of software that smugly tells you that its networkable, but you still need to go and manually install a client on each machine.

 

We use AQA Science text books here, which come with a bunch of resources on CD. The CD contains the usual pointless catalouge utility and a broken HTML-based index of files and the XML files used to generate that index - meaning you can write a simple transform / script to make your own HTML based index. Works a treat.

 

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David Hicks