SIMS .net December 08

[matt40k]

Just installed the Dec 08 Beta release. I've attached a few screenshots. So far looks good, ok install time. They've been cleaning up the feel of SIMS, making it more Vista looking. There is a basic, blue-background, white text icon now for SIMS, and the SIMS load, no more default icon on your startbar whilst it loads!!

 

I don't really like the homepage, they've moved all the pre-7 modules into the menubar... which I really don't like, makes it hard to explain a 6 module from a 7 to a simple end user.

 

I've attached some screenshots. (Yes I've got the Dinner Money 7 beta installed too).

 

So far I'm quiet happy with the release. Looks and feels pretty solid so far.... but I've not don't that much so far!

Doc1.doc

[PhilNeal]

Matt the shot you have put up is fairly empty.

 

The idea is to have active widgets that display information that you need to do your job. Over the next 12 months there will be around 25 different widgets that monitor the database to show you what you need to know. So for example you might be interested in missing registers, birthdays this week, attendance in your house, behaviour incidences as they happen etc etc. A single click on a graph of attendance stats will tell you which children are included and a further click shows the full pupil summary.

 

We are trying to get data presented rather than you having to dig.

[Sylv3r]

Do the pictures of the students still appear in the splash screen? They now must be in their forties.

 

I also wonder if they are on commission, the amount of time I have seen them grinning at me they would be millionaires by now!

[Sylv3r]

Matt the shot you have put up is fairly empty.

 

The idea is to have active widgets that display information that you need to do your job. Over the next 12 months there will be around 25 different widgets that monitor the database to show you what you need to know. So for example you might be interested in missing registers, birthdays this week, attendance in your house, behaviour incidences as they happen etc etc. A single click on a graph of attendance stats will tell you which children are included and a further click shows the full pupil summary.

 

We are trying to get data presented rather than you having to dig.

 

Sounds good Phil. Thanks for letting us know.

[Edu-IT]

Thanks Matt. It's certainly a lot different!

[ChrisP]

still got shite icons

[matt40k]

Matt the shot you have put up is fairly empty.

 

Yer, sorry about that, it does give the poor guy who installs it a chance to see what to expect, I had notice the school's logo seems to have disappeared. I've just had to restore back to Nov 2 while I work on a school. Unfortantly it was gone 5pm when I got a chance to apply the beta. Hopefully the school will let me use there database to test the release thus giving a better test and also giving me more time to play around.

[webman]

What the hell are those blue swirly things on the left and right of the timetable??

[Edu-IT]

What the hell are those blue swirly things on the left and right of the timetable??

I take it you use them to navigate through the timetable?

[matt40k]

Yup.. However I was using a primary school dataset, so really it's pretty useless. Secondary looks better.

[webman]

I take it you use them to navigate through the timetable?

 

In that case I'm wondering what's wrong with simple, regular arrow-shaped buttons? I guess I just don't see the need for pointless prettyfying.

[matt40k]

In that case I'm wondering what's wrong with simple, regular arrow-shaped buttons? I guess I just don't see the need for pointless prettyfying.

 

I'm guessing its the same reason why we have colour on the forum. It's easy to do and you get moaned at if you don't and it doesn't take a long time to do.

[Mcshammer_dj]

General feel of the front page is pleasing and I am all for the version 6 shortcuts being moved to the focus tab.

 

On the attendance "wigit" it appears that you can only select by whole school or house. I would have thought that the ability to select by year would have been there as well

[Willzzz]

In that case I'm wondering what's wrong with simple, regular arrow-shaped buttons? I guess I just don't see the need for pointless prettyfying.

 

I have to agree, you can have pretty buttons sure, but swirls, why? The only thing I care about is how easy the interface is to use, maybe if this was a game designed for children swirls would be appropriate.

 

The documentation screen, also very pretty, but is it another triumph of style over substance? What is the difference between a "help sheet" and a "reference sheet"? What is the difference between a "guide" and a "tutorial"? Is it just to make the page look full?

[localzuk]

Remember - we are mostly happy with terminals, boring grey status pages etc...

 

Teachers are not. If it looks boring, they will complain.

[matt40k]

Have to agree with localzuk. Why do you think I write a 300 line script that requires 3 clicks and little user input? Because most people don't like entering 30 command lines!

 

I've attached another screenshot, this time of the staff view, not sure Suspense button is suppose to do, I've yet to get it to become active. I'm guessing it still yet to fully coded.

 

I assume the Capita is re-branding SIMS from the red to the blue, which makes sense. Red being an angry colour, blue being more thoughful and green being postive (Google it)

[Mcshammer_dj]

Downloaded the Beta and applied to my test system and had to admit that the new homepage is actually rather good. Whilst I do wonder about the styles used and the horrendous buttons for the time line next day previous day, the actually panels do appear to be very useful.

Pleased to see that it asks to save changes in take register