Windows 7 - Primaries

[SYNACK]

I'm actually somewhat curious about some of this problematic software. If someone, in their testing comes up with a must have application that won't run I would be interested in taking a crack at it using the extra compatibility tools to see if I could get it running. If so I could upload the compatibility shim to here and the application compatibility database for others to use. If the software is in common usage and enough people shared their compatibility shims then much(not all) of the software issue may be resolvable.

[HodgeHi]

What we try to do is this. Any software that will not run properly under xp because it's too old gets left out. We then look to replace or upgrade. This isn't an option for most primary schools but IMO should be looked at. Quite a few applications now tend to just be exe clients that run a .swf file off the server. I have recently looked at getting 2 pieces of software that aren't compatible with OS X running fine just launching the .swf under the Flash player.

 

But the main reason for the upgrading of software is that all School's IIRC should have a VLE/MLE up and running by 2010. If you look at new software the licenses should cover some software to run in the VLE, thus providing content for your school, killing 2 birds with 1 stone as it were.

 

This is what we are trying to do. After all what's the point in struggling along with software that doesn't work correctly on modern OSes?

 

I think OS chice is irrelevant now since most/all app access will be done online.

Edited February 1, 2010 by HodgeHi

[SimpleSi]

ll School's IIRC should have a VLE/MLE up and running by 2010.

Good points and ideas but problem is putting all eggs in the one basket.

 

Our Moodles are centrally provided and servers are somewhere in Lancaster/Preston.

 

And we only have a single pipe into the schools so when it goes down - we'd lose a lot of software access (and its bad enough for teachers just losing primaryresources.co.uk )

 

Can't persuade CLEO that diveristy is more important than speed (Well to be honest they don't ask us what we actually want - we live in a mushroom dictatorship )

 

mm - but maybe I could run a local Moodle - as a backup and as a speed improver during the day - mm

 

regards

 

Simon

[SimpleSi]

What I AM concious of though is that we could be helping each other deal with some of the technical issues by looking specifically at the Primary side of things, software in particular and start recording work-arounds, solutions or simple "mission impossible - don't go there!" tips on different packages that are common.

 

How come the simplest ideas are the best

 

I'd suggest that we all just start off a simple how to do it thread on one particular piece of software - then once the proposed solution (or suggested modifications) becomes agreed the OP cuts and pastes it to the wiki and adds link from 1st post on the thread.

 

 

regards

 

Simon

[korifugi]

I'm actually somewhat curious about some of this problematic software. If someone, in their testing comes up with a must have application that won't run I would be interested in taking a crack at it using the extra compatibility tools to see if I could get it running. If so I could upload the compatibility shim to here and the application compatibility database for others to use. If the software is in common usage and enough people shared their compatibility shims then much(not all) of the software issue may be resolvable.

 

Cheers - I'll take you up on that when I get around to testing!

[chrbb]

@korifugi Is it Ok to ask if any of your supported primaries have VLPs in place and are they 'self built' or LEA provided. Not asking for named schools obviously, just need to know what other schools are doing.

[korifugi]

I inherited all four and they were 'self built'. Two are already using the EMBC learning platform and another is soon to be training on it.

 

One however - was only a peer-to-peer network when I took it on. Now they have a domain built from the ground up by yours truely.

 

Another I've pretty much managed to rebuild underneath itself.

 

The other two are still in a bit of a mess as they had several years of not being supported properly.

[LeMarchand]

Also just looked at microsoft schools agreement, realised with our recent purchases we now have reached the min quantity required, unable to find a price though, is it expensive?

 

I was quoted £2495 for the 100 machines level.

[SimpleSi]

I was quoted £2495 for the 100 machines level.

 

So is that £25/machine for as much office/OS software that you can eat?

 

regards

 

Simon

[korifugi]

Yes and IIRC you have to pay that every year. Stop paying and wave bye bye to your licences.

 

Yes, but you can use the latest versions due to software assurance. And if you want to stop you can buy out of it by buying the licenses.

[SimpleSi]

Well my costs are currently nothing for the OS as its comes with the machines

 

£50 for a server licence and £3/comp/CAL thinghy - call it £200 for 50 machines - one off cost/school

 

And £35/teacher computer for Office (or £35/each computer if head insists on handing dosh over to Mr Gates little company )

 

Say £1750 max in worst case - more normally about £500 - also a one off cost.

 

But I can see that £1250/year and you can have all the new goodies you'd want wouldn't be the maddest financial outgoing I've seen in primaries

 

Esp if head insists on Office 2007 all round

 

regards

 

Simon

[jubbi]

I've had windows 7 machines in one of my primaries since the last week of december term and they work perfectly. The only daft bit of the deployment was having to install the 2008 resource kit and then enable its features in windows features. Why they cant ship with gpmc installed is beyond me.

 

I'm downloading the trial of 7 for the desktop machines to see how it runs. P4 3Ghz and a gig of RAM should be enough, but we will see.