SMART LICENSE - Explain like I'm in Year 1...

[Koldov]

Like many small schools, we don't have a budget for rolling IT hardware replacement... if it breaks we will look at repairing/replacing if it is really needed.

 

Hopefully I won't jinx it but our SMART interactive boards (mostly old SB680's) have lasted since before I started many, many years ago.

 

We have also therefore not had any need to use any of the SMART software or drivers beyond the last 'free' version 11.4 (I think).

 

However, a couple of years ago we bought a new board (model no. SB M680) for a new classroom and I downloaded the software (can't remember the version, 17 I think), but this came with the now all too familiar caveat - 'SMART Learning Suite License, 1-year'.

 

I only installed it on the single laptop for the teacher that was using the classroom (but now the year has expired I'll presume that this is worthless now)...

 

Anyway, times move on and now another teacher has been moved into that classroom and her laptop has still got 11.4 and won't work with the newer board.

 

From reading through the multitude of threads on here I see many of us are in the same situation and that the perceived wisdom is to download version 19.1 basic edition and have the teacher create an account with SMART and log-in before they can use it.

 

I'm hoping all previous boards are supported (we have a couple of SB640's as well) and all their old SMART Notebook files will open and work?

 

EDIT: I notice there is a version 20 basic now.. does anyone know if that still works or best to get 19.1?

Edited September 23, 2020 by Koldov

[Vegas]

We're using 19.1 on 580's, 680's and 880's, staff just use their 365 login to access it.

[TwistedHelixis]

Sorry to jump on this post (ignore if you want), we have a site license what is all this logging in stuff about, do we still need a license?

[thimon]

Hi Twisted. We’ve just purchased Smart for another year. You can assign users if you want to, helps keep track of how many users are using the software, or you still get a license key which you can use to activate the software for a whole device, so anyone who signs into the computer can use the software without signing in. I would advise talking to a reseller for more in depth info. Hope that helps.

[DrBeaker]

Hi Twisted. We’ve just purchased Smart for another year. You can assign users if you want to, helps keep track of how many users are using the software, or you still get a license key which you can use to activate the software for a whole device, so anyone who signs into the computer can use the software without signing in. I would advise talking to a reseller for more in depth info. Hope that helps.

What's the feature set like in the newer versions of SMART Notebook?

 

We're on 11.4 with a load of smartboards still. Can't see any justification for moving to subscription software just to be able to write on boards which don't get used as interactive ones most of the time.

[Primus]

What's the feature set like in the newer versions of SMART Notebook?

 

We're on 11.4 with a load of smartboards still. Can't see any justification for moving to subscription software just to be able to write on boards which don't get used as interactive ones most of the time.

 

They said that 11.4 won’t activate anymore so they’re trying to force people to move forward.

[FragglePete]

As an experiment, I've just re-installed 11.4 with our activation code..... and it still activated.

 

We did roll out 19.1 over Summer, but we've had so many issues with it I'm going to roll back to 11.4 now I know it activates.

 

Pete

[smurfomatic]

As an experiment, I've just re-installed 11.4 with our activation code..... and it still activated.

 

We did roll out 19.1 over Summer, but we've had so many issues with it I'm going to roll back to 11.4 now I know it activates.

 

Pete

 

Installed 11.4 here yesterday and it activated fine, so I have no plans to buy a newer version! We're looking at a rolling replacement of Smartboard & projector with TV & graphics tablet soon anyway.

[Primus]

Installed 11.4 here yesterday and it activated fine, so I have no plans to buy a newer version! We're looking at a rolling replacement of Smartboard & projector with TV & graphics tablet soon anyway.

 

You don't need to buy anything - the free version has all the functionality you'd need anyway!

 

I'm assuming their threat is not an empty one plus you're using software that's now so old you cannot predict how it will react to future Windows 10 updates.

 

If you're moving away from Smart boards entirely do you have a plan for converting Notebook files?

[mrstrong]

whats all this about activation ? I've just used this 11.4 installer and seems to work fine:

 

Name: smartesi2013decusbv2.exe

Size: 458272440 bytes (437 MiB)

SHA256: EA48354085D20F8D8FC7968F150824B259C65A55613A1208282D24AC4C2FFB35

 

Found on a server, not sure where it came from originally.

[Sanchez]

We made the move to version 19 last year and not had any issues. Basic version does more than enough for our staff. They just sign in with their Google accounts (which remembers them anyway, so just sign in once per machine).

[chrisakak9]

Like many small schools, we don't have a budget for rolling IT hardware replacement... if it breaks we will look at repairing/replacing if it is really needed.

 

Hopefully I won't jinx it but our SMART interactive boards (mostly old SB680's) have lasted since before I started many, many years ago.

 

We have also therefore not had any need to use any of the SMART software or drivers beyond the last 'free' version 11.4 (I think).

 

However, a couple of years ago we bought a new board (model no. SB M680) for a new classroom and I downloaded the software (can't remember the version, 17 I think), but this came with the now all too familiar caveat - 'SMART Learning Suite License, 1-year'.

 

I only installed it on the single laptop for the teacher that was using the classroom (but now the year has expired I'll presume that this is worthless now)...

 

Anyway, times move on and now another teacher has been moved into that classroom and her laptop has still got 11.4 and won't work with the newer board.

 

From reading through the multitude of threads on here I see many of us are in the same situation and that the perceived wisdom is to download version 19.1 basic edition and have the teacher create an account with SMART and log-in before they can use it.

 

I'm hoping all previous boards are supported (we have a couple of SB640's as well) and all their old SMART Notebook files will open and work?

 

EDIT: I notice there is a version 20 basic now.. does anyone know if that still works or best to get 19.1?

Hi, I ran into this issue a while ago going from site wide 880 smart board using 11.4, we added 2 e70 touch screens and had nothing but issues. tried adding new drivers but smart ink basically stops working randomly. we ended up buying a site license to upgrade. from my supplier I got 3 years for £550 all in.

[Primus]

whats all this about activation ? I've just used this 11.4 installer and seems to work fine:

 

Name: smartesi2013decusbv2.exe

Size: 458272440 bytes (437 MiB)

SHA256: EA48354085D20F8D8FC7968F150824B259C65A55613A1208282D24AC4C2FFB35

 

Found on a server, not sure where it came from originally.

 

Sounds legit!

[hellgate24]

whats all this about activation ?

.

Smart announced at the beginning of the year they were going to stop activation's of old versions of the software from July, although by the sounds of it they haven't actually stopped it yet... although I suspect it will be imminent.

[DrBeaker]

Smart announced at the beginning of the year they were going to stop activation's of old versions of the software from July, although by the sounds of it they haven't actually stopped it yet... although I suspect it will be imminent.

 

Have you got the link to a news page/announcement etc of this at all?

 

This is what I can find here https://community.smarttech.com/s/article/Does-SMART-Notebook-11-4-software-support-Windows-10-operating-system?language=en_US#:~:text=A%3A%20No.,Windows%208.1%20or%20Windows%2010.

 

But as of today I've got it working on Windows 10 1909 x64 and it seems fine?

 

I know "officially" it's not supported in Windows 10.

[Primus]

Have you got the link to a news page/announcement etc of this at all?

 

This is what I can find here https://community.smarttech.com/s/article/Does-SMART-Notebook-11-4-software-support-Windows-10-operating-system?language=en_US#:~:text=A%3A%20No.,Windows%208.1%20or%20Windows%2010.

 

But as of today I've got it working on Windows 10 1909 x64 and it seems fine?

 

I know "officially" it's not supported in Windows 10.

 

https://www.smarttech.com/support/discontinued-products

[Koldov]

The last version we have of this software is 11.4, unfortunately the only installer we have is what must have been the download for the USB installer option.

 

It is called 'smartesi2013decusbv2.exe', this is fine and all but from memory there is one issue with installation (or more precisely what the installer doesn't include).

 

The reason this is relevant to the thread is because the installer doesn't include the gallery and goes off to find it online and download it (but fails as I presume the server for it has been taken offline - unless anyone knows different - due to this no longer being supported). I have managed to rip the gallery out of another laptop, so that fixed that part (and I know you can even host it on the server), but annoying all the same...

 

However, it does activate with our 'perpetual' license...

[habz99]

see my old post, i have 11.4 msi version with gallery etc...

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/educational-software/190136-smart-notebook-11-4-msi.html#post1625745

[Koldov]

Just a quick necro on this thread as hopefully those still using 11.4 have seen the same...

 

Flash has now apparently died and yet even on laptops that have not received the MS update and still have Flash showing in add/remove programs, Flash content in Smart will not work... I'm not sure why or even if something has actually happened somehow that I'm not aware of... even laptops that have only just been started from sitting in the cupboard for the last 2 months...

 

Anyone still using Flash objects in 11.4?

 

The other question is the perceived wisdom that 19.1 'free/basic' is the other option, but I downloaded it and installed it yesterday and there is no basic option on the installer it will only let you install a trial.

 

So, I did that and when I started the program it immediately asked for a Google or MS sign-in (no option a Smart account sign-in) and if you cancel that, the program ends... looking at the Google sign-in option it says this has to be already linked somehow...

 

Any ideas?

[thimon]

Pretty sure SMART disabled Flash objects in 11.4 before Adobe end of lifed Flash. You've no alternative but to go to the latest version of Smart Notebook where they use their own widgets gallery. No idea about using the basic version sorry as we purchased licenses.

[Koldov]

Yeah, strange....

 

This teacher uses the countdown timer (obviously a flash object) and has done for years, came back to school and tried it but no joy.

 

Their laptop didn't have the remove flash update from MS and it was fine last time she used it (although that could have been a year ago now)... and nothing has changed with the installed version of SMART notebook that I know of.

 

Anyway, I think I've got my head around the newer free version and having to sign in now.

 

I was going to roll that out to any other teachers that had the same problem.

 

But after all my research and work trying to get a copy installed and signed in, I went to their classroom and she said don't worry she can use the one on the Google!

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by Koldov

[mrstrong]

we are still on 11.4.

On a PC with the MS flash removal update installed the "add or remove programs" still shows "adobe flash player 11 plugin" installed !

maybe by notebook?

Anyway flash gallery items don't work. @Koldov can you say some more about your experiences with 19.1 free ?

e.g. how to install / sign in

functionality vs 11.4

can it open content created in 11.4 ?

also are you allowed to run 19.1 on non-smart hardware ?

 

Might get a teacher to test it for me

Edited March 24, 2021 by mrstrong

[Koldov]

Yes, same here... update installed, flash 'removed' but still showing in add/remove... no Smart software updates done, but flash objects in Smartboard still disabled (how did they do that?)... it had actually disabled before the MS update anyway as it was the first day back and I hadn't even approved the 'remove flash' update from WSUS at that point...

 

Unfortunately, a lot has happened in the last 2 weeks... and due to other more pressing issues the couple of laptops I got it installed on were just spares and haven't been tested or 'used in anger'...

 

The teacher who first noticed it and 'couldn't teach without it' quite happily and quickly moved on to using the timer from Google search!

 

The info I recieved from other threads seems to have shifted slightly.

 

Obviously most people on 11.4 won't have any up to date licenses, so there is no Smart Portal, no Smart log-ins and nothing to manage, it doesn't even give you the option of any sort of 'Smart account' log-in anyway. It is actually confusing as it says sign-in to your 'Smart account - don't have one? Find out here' then proceeds to tell you to go round in circles and end up making one with your GSuite or MS account anyway and seems to link them when you use it on the first log-in to the Smartboard software... so not needed IIRC...

 

We do have GSuite log-ins though and it seemed quite happy to accept those (MS log-ins will work the same way I presume), in fact it will do nothing and just close the software if you don't log-in with one of those it just shut the program down (trial option for 'advanced features' was offered - the installer I found had that as an option and I couldn't choose anything else - don't know yet what happens at the end of that).

 

We don't have anything other than Smartboards, so no way to test non-smart hardware (although from other posts it may just watermark it, YMMV, same as if you sign out once it has been installed and signed in once), we are not big Smartboard software users anyway, so I'm not sure about the differences but it does open old Smartboard file (I'm not sure what it does with old flash objects or things that don't exist in the new version though), teachers here just use them as glorified Powerpoints as far as I can tell (most don't even use the interactive features).

 

Sorry if that's no clearer... it was only a side project whilst I was dealing with a million other things on the return to school!

 

Absolutely test it on a teacher!

 

EDIT: I just fired up one of those spare laptops to refresh my memory and found even though I logged off through the Smartboard software, when I go to log in again it has my GSuite account come up in the IE browser window and I don't need to put my password in again... anyone reading this know how to clear that...?

EDIT 2: I deleted browsing history/cookies, etc... but that can't be the answer...?

Edited March 24, 2021 by Koldov

[mrstrong]

yes looks like some teacher testing will be needed have a few non-smart touchscreens here,

watermark may be a deal breaker

 

re your edits: did you save password on first sign in (and syncing your google account)

maybe when you sign in with google you are giving it access to your account e.g. as a 3rd party app

described here https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3466521?hl=en

e.g https://myaccount.google.com/security

Edited March 24, 2021 by mrstrong

[Koldov]

re your edits: did you save password on first sign in (and syncing your google account)

maybe when you sign in with google you are giving it access to your account e.g. as a 3rd party app

described here https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3466521?hl=en

e.g https://myaccount.google.com/security

 

Password wasn't saved anywhere I can see on IE11... and I certainly didn't ask it to!

 

It's not saved in IE11 (Autocomplete) or in any Windows Credentials, so it must be cookie based (closing IE and then reopening and browsing to myaccount.google logs me straight back in without entering a password and I'm signed on in the 'Google' browser window) so the Smart login is doing it that way too. When removing the account from the browser windows (logging out and removing account, it still holds the account name, but prompts for a password at least)...

 

We don't use Google very much and I'm not used to it being so 'helpful', most of the sorts of websites I use log off when the browsing session is closed.

 

Also you are right, Smart has inserted itself into my Google account as a 3rd party app in the 'Signing in with Google' section.

 

Everyday is a school day!