Top 10 'must have' pieces of software

[jpwright]

Just to gauge everyone's thoughts on the matter, there is of course the standard required software we all must have - MS Office, some variation of photoshop etc.

 

But I was wondering what else should we really be providing as a standard within schools?

 

We run macromedia studio 8, but have yet to get it used to any full extent which is a shame; and also things like techsoft 2d which is a start into CAD programs.

 

But I'm asking what are the 'must haves' for secondary education?

 

Thanks in advance.

[tmcd35]

1) A Web Browser

2) Office Suite (not necessarily M$)

3) DTP Package (PagePlus/Scribus/Publisher)

4) Student Monitoring (NetOp/ABTutor/ITalc)

5) Image Editing (PhotoPlus/GiMP/Paint.NET/etc)

6) Wisesoft Password Control (for the teachers)

7) WYSIWYG HTML Editor (Frontpage/Dreamweaver/Kompozer)

 

Everything else is department specific and they usually tell us. Solidworks, 2D Design and Circuit Wizard are popular in DT, Adobe Premiere Elements in Media, Maths keep coming up with something new almost every week and science are not that far behind. Broadworks stuff seems quite popular as does Multimedia Science. The list pretty much goes on...

[TechMonkey]

Vista?

/runs

[dhicks]

the standard required software we all must have - MS Office, some variation of photoshop etc.

 

You don't have to have MS Office, and it's becoming less and less relevant to how people use computers these days - who prints and sends letters any more? You tend to find Word being used as a basic quick layout-and-print application, more like a desktop publishing application than anything else. Same goes for Photoshop - everything most end users are lijkly to want to do can be taken care of with a basic application. All you "need" these days on a computer is a web browser, nothing else.

 

--

David Hicks

[K.C.Leblanc]

Audio Recording and Editing (Audacity)

 

Video Editing (Movie Maker and Serif Movie Plus)

 

Fortran Compiler

[tmcd35]

Fortran Compiler

 

?

 

(I know what Fortran is, just why?)

[Ric_]

OpenOffice and GIMP are two must haves (I can't imagine life without them!).

[MkII]

freemind - mind mapping

wink - screen recording

[FN-GM]

Dont forget stuff like Flash, Java, Adobe Reader, Quick Time. An Antiviurs solution would be essential.

[MkII]

quicktime > quicktime alternative

realplayer > real alternative

adobe reader > foxitreader

 

[wesleyw]

DoPDF or PDFConverter or etc...

 

SUPER (more of a necessary for the Techs )

 

VNC

 

7 ZIP

 

 

Wes

[sahmeepee]

freemind - mind mapping

wink - screen recording

 

We swapped freemind for VUE - much quicker to use and more intuitive unless freemind has come on a lot.

For screen capturing I like Wink for detailed stuff, but CamStudio is good for more basic requirements.

 

 

For playing back video we use MPC, but VLC is as good.

[reggiep]

SUPER (more of a necessary for the Techs )

 

Please do give more info about SUPER ??

[Guest richard_s]

Just install your favourite Linux distro and away you go

[Jackd]

Please do give more info about SUPER ??

 

Can convert practically any format video, audio etc to another format. Best of all its free

SUPER

 

Jack

[Sylv3r]

Can convert practically any format video, audio etc to another format. Best of all its free

SUPER

 

Jack

 

I recommend this also - fantastic bit of kit.

[rdk]

Koyote Software Koyote Soft has some excellent free stuff, in particular "Free Video Converter" which converts anything to anything and aslo "Free mp3 wma converter" which does waht the name says.

[Maximus]

This is more for the Primary School and what I have found useful.

 

For support

1. Server Software!!! otherwise saving can be a real nightmare, try keeping track of 30 memory sticks!!!

2. Antivirus (I prefer Symantec)

3. WSUS

4. Group Policy

5. Active Directory

6. Software Deployment (SpecOps Deploy is good)

7. Ghost

8. A good email system

9.

10.

 

Still thinking about 9 and 10

 

For the Classroom

1. As above for the same reason

2. Office

3. An email package that actually works without having to put in multiple passwords to login!!!

2Email is good, nice and simple and it works. Exchange if you're brave.

Email Detectives is fun for the kids but can be a pain to keep track of pupil progress.

4. Control Technology Software, Lego NXT is good if you like playing with Lego (I do )

5. Music software such as Compose World Junior

6. Typing software like English Type

7. Rm Maths and RM Snapshot (Preferrabaly accross the network)

8. Loads of Interactive stuff for the IWB like BBC Active

9. BeeBot software

10. A lot of 2Simple software is popular