tarquel Posted June 16, 2005 Posted June 16, 2005 Hi there. Just wondering how many of you all out there use the Bromcom system and what you think of it, any problems with it, etc. http://www.bromcom.com/ We have it and one other school in Powys (who we dont hear from in our discussion email group) so I'm just wondering what the actual techies think of it, etc. Due to cost were gonna have to go down the Winfolder route as the main use for registering, with the wireless folders we have been using primarily now becoming as a secondary option. Any thoughts about this and other aspects of it? Cheers, N.
Ric_ Posted June 17, 2005 Posted June 17, 2005 I have heard a few stories about Bromcom not being all that it's cracked up to be and in one instance, a school that was using Bromcom actually binned it and bought a new solution because the TCO would be lower!!! We have Nedap here - it's pretty cool B)
ninjabeaver Posted June 17, 2005 Posted June 17, 2005 Hi, We use BromCom here. It seems to work well with the WinFolder, and you don't need to install it on every PC. Staff can access it from just an Icon. We've also recenty started to use the E-Markbook side of things as well. It's been a learning experience! I think the wireless folders are redundant technology these days. It's much clearer and easier to give the teachers laptops or have them use a local PC on the network.
tarquel Posted June 17, 2005 Author Posted June 17, 2005 You can install it to a shared folder cant you? They are looking into a .msi version so u can deploy it if needed via GP. Its pretty good overall tho, tho indeed, some of the modules are a bit of a con and dont do everything you'd expect them to do. Think we are going for the markbook instead of the old EGB. Not sure exactly as I like a hands-off approach to it lol and just do certain things regarding it - dont actually *use* the system really. Cheers and keep the comments coming ppl Nath.
thom Posted July 19, 2005 Posted July 19, 2005 My school have been using BromCom for 4-5 years now. The staff at my school hate it and the product costs a bomb in maintenance. We are looking to get rid and use SIMS or TALMOS for our registring, they are a lot more user friendly. We only use BromCom for registring though as we can do everything else in the new SIMS.net
ConTheITGuy Posted July 19, 2005 Posted July 19, 2005 My wife's school uses BROMCOM. She used to complain a bit about it but not so much now. Just teething problems I guess. We are just about to start using PARSql (although we have been just about to start using it for about the past 4 years!) I am assured it is a definite this time from September - looks good on the surface, but as we haven't actually used it yet - we shall see. Anyone else using PARS? Andy.
marco84 Posted July 27, 2005 Posted July 27, 2005 We did use the bromcom system but again found it un-reliable and very costly. we have now started using the Lesson Monitor module in SIMS.net and so far so good.
tarquel Posted July 29, 2005 Author Posted July 29, 2005 To those that do use Bromcom, have you setup a vpn for Bromcom support/helpdesk, and if so, does the vpn connection you've setup require them to use a VPN client piece of software? I highly doubt they are gonna want to use the VPN user client i have to use to access the school network [woot woot - cant believe it works btw ] Regards Nath
beeswax Posted August 30, 2005 Posted August 30, 2005 We used to use BromCom in our school when I first started back in October of last year, but that was as much to do with the fact that the school didn't have a full network as such, and the staff could fill in the register 'wirelessly'. There were several problems running the system, and the annual cost was/is high. We eventually moved to SIMS, which is not perfect, and seems to have a new patch/upgrade everytime you log on. (By the way, has anyone come across a better system than SIMS?) When it came to renew the contract with Bromcom, the company got in touch with us and we told them not to bother, at which point (and here's the clever bit) they turned round and told us that as the equipment was only on hire from them, then we could buy it off them for just over a grand, or, they would have to come and uninstall it themselves for something nearer two grand. Whoever signed the original contract... Funnily enough, the people from BromCom got in touch with us some weeks later to inform us that they couldn't access 'their' server. My collegue (yup, 2 techies to one school here) told them that we quickly needed another server for something else so we'd decided to format theirs as it was the least important. Talk about the left hand not knowing what the right's doing. cheers beeswax
Optimus Posted August 30, 2005 Posted August 30, 2005 We are using Sims/Winfolder - PE are 'meant' to use the wireless tablets - but don’t. Winfolder work wells and Bomcom support is very good. The DAT tape in our Bomcom server broke down - well out of warranty and they sent a technician around to fix it for us - saved me getting my hands dirty We are waiting until Sept the 1st to see if everything rolls over correctly... figures crossed - we have followed Bromcom's and Capita's guides very carefully!
tarquel Posted August 31, 2005 Author Posted August 31, 2005 Optimus - are you using the software version of winfolder ? (I assume not) We are planning on doing so and have the existing wifi/folders one as a backup/only used for those teachers who have no pc in theit reg rooms, as the maintainance cost of using the software version is - as you'd expect - alot less Its a "either/or" situation regarding maintainance - tho i believe there might be a half-half maintaince regarding hardware/software maintainance costs. Its an attempt to give IT more money - but i bet you it wont work lol Regards N.
Ric_ Posted August 31, 2005 Posted August 31, 2005 @beeswax: We use Nedap (http://www.nedap-education.co.uk/) which works rather well. Like all systems there are some niggly problems but I rarely have to do anything other than re-print cards for the numpties that lose them!
beeswax Posted August 31, 2005 Posted August 31, 2005 thanks for that. I'll take that info with me to my next school cheers beeswax
Ric_ Posted August 31, 2005 Posted August 31, 2005 @beeswax: You're welcome to come for a demo - I also have some leaflets and spherical dice to give away!
Optimus Posted August 31, 2005 Posted August 31, 2005 Optimus - are you using the software version of winfolder ? We certainly are - upgraded to V2.03.000 this summer - but I notice they have an update already! PE are meant to use wireless on the fields - but don't bother. Every teacher has a desktop PC so it isn't hard for them to call up their registers etc. We also use the 'alert' feature - and it works really well in our school. As soon as the alert is raised, the on duty SMT gets a call over their Walkie-Talkie - and it is ‘action stations’ - almost like a scene from Thunderbirds...
tarquel Posted August 31, 2005 Author Posted August 31, 2005 Excellent - a few questions then if you dont mind? a) Did you use the physical folders previously? and do you prefer them over the software version or does the software version work well? b) Do you install the client software onto each client or do you use a network shared version? (The later may not work for me as the curriculum is on a seperate network to the admin network where the bromcom system is installed and setup - shares wont work there, although maybe i could make a shared install on the curriculum DC - what do ya think?) I also got told by our bromcom acc manager who came to see us around xmas time that a msi version was being looked at but I havent heard anymore on it - do you know of one at all? is it out? etc etc. i.e. i'd prefer this way alot better really SMT's "are go" lol A interesting concept lol Regards Nath.
wesleyw Posted January 20, 2006 Posted January 20, 2006 @Thom My school have been using BromCom for 4-5 years now. The staff at my school hate it and the product costs a bomb in maintenance. We are looking to get rid and use SIMS or TALMOS for our registring, they are a lot more user friendly. We only use BromCom for registring though as we can do everything else in the new SIMS.net Why not use Lesson Monitor for the registering as well? If you're running sims this shouldn't be too hard to get up and running! Wes
spc-rocket Posted January 21, 2006 Posted January 21, 2006 We use Bromcom for registration and also e-behaviour as well and have found it to be very good. All staff now have laptops so we deployed the latest WinFolder application (v. 2.05 i think) and works very well. What makes the winfolder app very good is that its quick and has small footprint. I agree with others in that the wireless pads are bad and outdated. We have them still as we are in a process of migrating to using winfolder but those pads are rubbish and were terrible -staff used to hate it so much. The feedback on using winfolder is very positive and it gives staff so much info and its quick. Nath, for remote support from bromcom we just allowed NetOp traffic to 6502 UDP i think to the relevant bromcom server. With ISA server this is pretty easy to do. They shouldn't need VPN for this and if they are asking for VPN access then i would phone them and get info on exactly why they need this. They certainly don't need it at our place. They use NetOP remote control software to provdie remote support. Our server has been setup to recieve traffic on TCP/UDP 6502. Just publish the bromcom server using the above protocol (inbound). What we have done is got the source IP of where they will be initiating the connection and made the rule so that only they can access the server remotely. HTH, Ash.
Guest stevenjon2569100 Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 My school have been using the bromcom WinFolder system for about 3-4 years now we also use SIMS.net for our admin side of it all but the bromcom system is just for the registration of pupils in the school, the system now runs on every laptop in the building and is installed on individual laptop as this is easier as we already have too many servers to put the Bromcom system on aswel, we have only ever had problems with the Bromcom winFolder system when the wireless network has been down which is very rare the last time it happend was about a year ago but was backup and running with in the hour and we plan to keep the Bromcom Win Folder system for many years to come
kylewilliamson Posted January 20, 2007 Posted January 20, 2007 We used PARS for a bit. Its preety good, but we ended up down the Facility road
beeswax Posted January 20, 2007 Posted January 20, 2007 @beeswax: You're welcome to come for a demo - I also have some leaflets and spherical dice to give away! Gosh, this post takes me a back a bit. Have you still got the spherical dice?
kxv2020 Posted January 21, 2007 Posted January 21, 2007 We used Bromcom for the past 4 years and have found it unrealible and very costly. We were really fed up and staff never bothed to use it towards the end as it just wouldn't work - the folders I mean; Bromcom support was poor. Over summer we got SIMS.net on very staff laptop, and now use the NEW Lesson Register and more recently the updated Alerts system on Sims.net. Our attendance clerk uses Lesson Monitor for the reports and teachers use Lesson Register v7 for taking registers and behaviour tracking, although we used SLUETH previously. We are really happy with SIMS, the updates have slowed down now as the program becomes stable and staff find it very good to use as they have a wealth of information about their classes and students. Most staff use the wireless network [esp PE]... which is fine most of the time... We are now making staff use Profiles and Assessment Manager 7!!! Overall support for SIMS is excellent and the cost are better than BROMCOM..
Ric_ Posted January 21, 2007 Posted January 21, 2007 @Beeswax: I certainly do have the spherical dice
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