put messages onto pupils screens?

[e_g_r]

Bit of a pre amble here.

 

New Deputy comes in the office today and asks if it possible to put messages on pupils desktops such as

 

"Art course work due in today" or "Well done 8S for winning the form 5 a side", that sort of thing.

 

It occurs to me that this is possible either by buying software or possibly scripting but my question is do any of you do something similar and if so what do you use.

 

Thanks in advance (i hope)

[dirtydog]

I think some of the netsupport software can do this although not sure which bit as we only use NetSupport School. PC Remote Control Software with Remote Desktop, Linux and Pocket PC support.

[timbo343]

You could use active desktop pages as backgrounds pointing to somewhere on your network like a webpage?

[glennda]

You could use active desktop pages as backgrounds pointing to somewhere on your network like a webpage?

 

This is what we use. Html page saved on a server which is loaded each time user logs in and displays a message with the image f the theme of the week

[powdarrmonkey]

I think some of the netsupport software can do this although not sure which bit as we only use NetSupport School. PC Remote Control Software with Remote Desktop, Linux and Pocket PC support.

 

Netsupport can, but only when you tell it to - it can't put on notices and such. Junglebyte can't even do the former, grr.

 

We bung it on the intranet, which is the mandatory homepage and the one place we can guarantee students open regularly...

[soveryapt]

NET Send (Net send) would allow you to do something along those lines, but it depends on how fancy they want it to be. Is it something they want to have flash up when people log in or something they want to see on the desktop?

 

If they just want to have messages on the desktop, impliment Active Desktop in your school and set up a local server that you can update the messages too and then that will push is out, and so long as you put in a refresh cycle onto the webpage, when you update it, even if the computer remains logged on you'll be able to pump a message out.

[soveryapt]

NET Send (Net send) would allow you to do something along those lines, but it depends on how fancy they want it to be. Is it something they want to have flash up when people log in or something they want to see on the desktop?

 

If they just want to have messages on the desktop, impliment Active Desktop in your school and set up a local server that you can update the messages too and then that will push is out, and so long as you put in a refresh cycle onto the webpage, when you update it, even if the computer remains logged on you'll be able to pump a message out.

 

Tooooo slow I am .. lol ..

[neon]

you could write a vb script to call a msg box and put in what you want, call the vb in the logon script and its sorted, you would only have to update the vb for the new message?

[BatchFile]

Use a GPO to set their desktop pictures to a JPG of the message - I've done that with our acceptable use policy

Edited May 11, 2010 by BatchFile
added attachment

[tommccann]

someone posted this html a while back regarding library books but i think its relavant

 

Function CheckKeys()

If window.event.altKey And window.event.keyCode = 115 then

Call alert("Please Wait 30 Seconds")

document.parentWindow.event.keyCode = 0

document.parentWindow.event.cancelBubble = true

document.parentWindow.event.returnvalue = false

End If

 

If window.event.keyCode = 27 then

Call alert("Please Wait 30 Seconds")

document.parentWindow.event.keyCode = 0

document.parentWindow.event.cancelBubble = true

document.parentWindow.event.returnvalue = false

End If

End Function

Sub Window_onload()

Me.SetTimeout "Me.Close()",5000

End Sub

 

&nbsp

&nbsp

&nbsp

&nbsp

&nbsp

Well Done 8S

&nbsp

Congratulations on winning the 5 a side!!

&nbsp

This message will close in 30 seconds

 

paste it in notepad and save as a .hta then run this every logon dependate on the group

[timbo343]

Use a GPO to set their desktop pictures to a JPG of the message - I've done that with our acceptable use policy

 

Think i might be using this idea too... Thanks.

[36Degrees]

Use a GPO to set their desktop pictures to a JPG of the message - I've done that with our acceptable use policy

 

Same here.

[Hightower]

GPO here too - we direct all student desktop wallpapers to \\SERVERNAME\SHARE\Wallpaper.bmp and then all we need do when we want a new message is overwrite the bmp with a new one.

 

Just created one today to advertise a World Cup tournament the school is holding next week.

 

At least this was the message is always visible (except when windows block it hehe) and it can't just be closed. And it works - the kids take real notice of what we put on there.

[ricki]

Hi

 

If you put up a htlm page up at start up it works well but increases log on times as ie has to startup. If you use the wallpaper think about bginfo as it works a dream and you can apply it to users and computers.

 

If you use a message box started with a vbs script this is quick and works a dream

 

MsgBox "Message",0,"Message from School"

 

If you use abtutor or netsupport this is brilliant for random system wide messages like the network is broke. If teachers use this try and get them to take control of the messages as setting up and running all this takes a lot of time keeping different messages up to date.

 

Richard

[soveryapt]

Use a GPO to set their desktop pictures to a JPG of the message - I've done that with our acceptable use policy

 

Think i might be using this idea too... Thanks.

 

Same here.

 

In case you guys weren't aware (though I'm sure you are) .. check out EduGeek Projects - AUP Informant. I'm still to implement it at my school but I know many people on here use it.

[altecsole]

We use a vbscript that sets the wallpaper at logon using BGInfo (called from netlogon share); we have a different colour for each year group. We also also use it to pop the username and computer name on the screen; this helps with fault reporting. The script is modified for special events, so we've had backgrounds for World Book Day and different ones at Christmas.

[Abaddon]

What he said.. BGInfo works well, and is easy to implement. Wallpapers can be changed at will, and always show up.

[jameswarner]

I know that you can have a webpage as a background on XP. But how would you set that so it is deafult for all network users?

[Arthur]

Does anyone use RSS feeds for notifications e.g. using a program such as Feed Notifier which sits in the notification area and pops up a message whenever the feed is updated?

[sionide]

OP, we refer to this form of messaging in the office as the "VPs thought of the day".. and we've resisted the active desktop idea for a while, I love BGInfo though. It just displays the machine name directly on the desktop from the logon script.

 

We recently purchased "Ace Messaging" (from spydaman.com) this little app hooks straight into AD, allowing you to target a building or particular group of users. The messages range from a full screen thing that even appears on top of currently running powerpoints, all the way down to little bubble messages. The best thing is it's really quick and easy to create a new message, few clicks and press send and it's done.

 

If the new deputy is happy to cough up for this, I'd recommend it. You pay per client install (easy to roll out via GPO) and you pay extra per user who'll be able to send messages out.

[InspireICT]

you could write a vb script to call a msg box and put in what you want, call the vb in the logon script and its sorted, you would only have to update the vb for the new message?

 

That's a nice idea - had been thinking of a good way to send messages out to staff, i.e. "Server maintenance Next Thursday" or "Stop breaking the computers"

 

This one's perfect - Thanks.

[AngryTechnician]

Does anyone use RSS feeds for notifications e.g. using a program such as Feed Notifier which sits in the notification area and pops up a message whenever the feed is updated?

 

I don't, but I might now! Thanks for the link.

 

Edit: Or maybe not, tried that program out and it wants write access to Program Files as that's where it keeps its settings and history.... sigh.

Edited December 14, 2010 by AngryTechnician

[mac_shinobi]

AB Tutor or Impero - Impero is very good

[SpuffMonkey]

We force IE to open at an Information Page at logon - which the Admin staff (are supposed to) keep up to date with the latest news & instructions

[Arthur]

Or maybe not, tried that program out and it wants write access to Program Files as that's where it keeps its settings and history.... sigh.

I noticed this too. Perhaps there's a way to modify the path by making a few changes to the source code? I think I'll look for alternatives if not. Edited December 15, 2010 by Arthur