[sims] Discover delayed already :(

[vikpaw]

So it seems SIMS Discover has already been delayed according to a post on SupportNet, the good news is that it's for adding additional functionality. Let's just hope the Spring release isn't delayed as well!

 

I'd be interested to hear from any field triallers on how quick it is in practise and what spec machines it was tested on. I have a fear it may be too power hungry.

 

SIMS Discover Update

SIMS Discover was shown at BETT 2011 last week on the SIMS stand and was warmly received by all who saw it. Users were amazed at how easy it was to use, that it was SIMS software and that they would be getting it on upgrade in spring. We were able to show how the Assessment Graphs can now be set up by the school to allow them to show their own, locally defined, Assessment data.

 

The Discover Field Trial is coming to an end and has been a success, with schools liking and using the software to interrogate their student data. Most schools on the trial have shown it to their neighbouring schools and have had a positive reaction to it. The schools have given us a lot of feedback and most of it has been enhancement requests for future versions. I would like to take this opportunity to thank these schools for their efforts on the field trial.

 

We have decided to add some additional functionality (‘Graph to Graph’ filtering) to Phase 1 of Discover. To allow this, we have had to detach the release of the Discover.exe from the main SIMS.net Spring release. We are now planning for Discover to be available 3-4 weeks after the Spring release goes out.

 

Posted: 20th January 2011 by Chris Sherwood

[PhilNeal]

The spring release is on track with the exception of Discover.

 

Discover does require a higher spec than the rest of SIMS but believe me it's worth it and you don't need Discover on every laptop. We have improved performance from the field trial and there is probably more that we can do after the first release. If you saw Discover at BETT be prepared to be blown over by the filtering - I know I would say it but it is staggeringly good and you've never seen me make such a claim before!

[Sivadam]

Filtering is what I and many of the others spoke up for at the first workshop. I am delighted that this functionality has been added so soon and it should prove to be well worth the extra month's wait.

I hope that we can get at least a sight of it at the next workshop in Feb!

[rh91uk]

I really can't wait to demo this to SMT, will make the SIMS discussions more interesting

[zag]

What is it?

[rh91uk]

PR-Pupil Data Dazzles at BETT 2010

[knightrider]

Are capita giving any info on a min spec to run Discover?

[LosOjos]

@PhilNeal: I suspect I know the answer, but is there going to be an additional charge for Discover?

[creese]

@PhilNeal: I suspect I know the answer, but is there going to be an additional charge for Discover?

 

There is no extra charge, it will be part of Core SIMS.

[LosOjos]

There is no extra charge, it will be part of Core SIMS.

 

Bonus! Those demo's on YouTube look great, can't wait to have a play with this!

 

My line manager has been asking me to create a similar system for a while; I'll hang fire for the time being, no point re-inventing the wheel!

[Sivadam]

There is a current minimum spec but we are all hoping that this comes down at some stage. Performance issues are dependent on a number of factors but some surprisng results have been observed. Until the results of the Field Trial are analysed it would be inappropriate to try and give out a minimum spec here! The performance issues and machine spec will also be re-addressed in a future version (after Spring)

I had installation problems so did not have time to test on more than one machine. The installation problem was helpful in the sense that the developers have to address the issues for the Spring Release

 

Discover is part of the entitlement in the SIMS Assessment suite. It is currently delivered via the route: Focus, Assessment, Discover.

Edited January 21, 2011 by Sivadam

[creese]

Bonus! Those demo's on YouTube look great, can't wait to have a play with this!

 

My line manager has been asking me to create a similar system for a while; I'll hang fire for the time being, no point re-inventing the wheel!

 

I've seen a couple of demos. It does look good. My only worry is the minimum spec of the machine it will be used on, there was in December no real definitive spec, except a dual core graphics card. Not too much of a problem except.... not every dual core card works. i believe there is a lot of work behind the scenes to get it working, including freezing work on existing projects.

[LosOjos]

Yeah I remember a post a few weeks back about the minimum spec given out to field schools, it was horrendous!

 

Hopefully the demand won't be so high once it is out though, surely they can find a way of improving it.

 

If I can run Doom on my machine then I should be able to view a few graphs!

 

EDIT: Before anyone says it, no, I don't mean the old Amiga Doom, I'm talking about the much more recent version!

[creese]

 

If I can run Doom on my machine then I should be able to view a few graphs!

 

Can't comment on that, not played games on computers since Lemmings was popular ;-)

[Sivadam]

Yeah I remember a post a few weeks back about the minimum spec given out to field schools, it was horrendous! Hopefully the demand won't be so high once it is out though, surely they can find a way of improving it.....

 

See my post above - I have edited it!

[PhillipHamlyn]

Creese; lemmings; those were the days. I can see in my minds eye the little blocker lemming holding up his/her arms and tapping his foot impatiently.

 

Whoops. I'll turn off the nostalgia now. Later, at home, I'll hunt down a download ....

[creese]

Creese; lemmings; those were the days. I can see in my minds eye the little blocker lemming holding up his/her arms and tapping his foot impatiently.

 

Whoops. I'll turn off the nostalgia now. Later, at home, I'll hunt down a download ....

 

Fun at the time. I have no time for games so won't be trying to download tonight.

[Sivadam]

Creese; lemmings; those were the days. I can see in my minds eye the little blocker lemming holding up his/her arms and tapping his foot impatiently.

Don't jump Phil ............. or we'll all have to follow ............ !!!!

[vikpaw]

Uh oh.

Oh No More Lemmings? Yippee!

[superfletch]

Come on guys, lets not say it's delayed already it's so negative. We've known it is coming for a fair while and its now pretty close to release - in my book that means there was a delay quite late in the way up to it's release. The word already implies the delay was really early.

 

Hat's off to Capita for doing the honourable thing and adding it into the core SIMS package and making it possible to install in isolation. You folks get some stick but you definitely got that one spot on.

 

Discover looks really cool from what I've seen on the promo videos. I'd have guessed it uses the dedicated graphics card as its better for parallel processing than a normal CPU?

 

Oh yeah, almost forgot....

 

No need to download it, just play Classic Lemmings - here

Edited January 21, 2011 by superfletch

[Sivadam]

.... I'd have guessed it uses the dedicated graphics card ......

That is one thing that is definitely recommended!

[superfletch]

I edited that post a couple of times.

 

Funny it looks like you were saying I recommend guessing Siv...

 

I'll admit I was quite surprised to see it required the dedicated GPU, I've heard rumours that it runs on some machines with integrated graphics though. With the way hardware is going I'm sure the onboard graphics will catch up soon enough.

Edited January 21, 2011 by superfletch

[Sivadam]

..... I've heard rumours that it runs on some machines with integrated graphics though..

Yes it does in some cases, and performs quite well. The pattern is not a simple one however! Hopefully I'll see the results soon enough. Better not speculate too much before then!

 

And this delay is to add something that was not in the original spec for the initial release! So in that sense it is a positive move to delay for a month!

Edited January 21, 2011 by Sivadam

[pottd]

I'm disappointed by the delay. Discover was originally slated for release in the Autumn term, so in my terms its 6 months late. Capita have been cranking up the excitement around discover for over 12 months now without even a beta test on general release. It was heavily demo'd at BETT just a week before this announcement. As an LA we've had to reduce some of our users expectations both of the release date and the number of machines that will actually be capable of running the software.

 

Having said that, it still looks like a great product!

[Sivadam]

SIMS Discover was NEVER scheduled to be released in Autumn - except to the Field Trial Schools! This is actually what has happened.

The release to all schools was always scheduled for the Spring Release. The delay of a month has been arranged so that EXTRA functionality can be added as a result of requests by the Field Trial users!

Users will benefit from the enhancements and so waiting that extra few weeks will be well worth it!

What you saw at Bett 2011 was a version in advance of what the Field Trial schools have. We will see the updated software at the wokshops at the beginning of February! There was no 'Discover' at Bett 2010. What you saw was just the 'Concept' of what Discover would look like! I am sure that Chris would have explained this at the time!

 

I have still got a Copy of the SIMS 2010 Roadmap as well as the SIMS 2011 Roadmap and the dates are very clear on both!

Edited January 24, 2011 by Sivadam