Nelson Thornes

[atfnet]

Has anyone been able to install e-science software? Without massive amounts of problems? I can’t get the client server version to work at all and the stand alone version is bad in the extreme.

 

I know there have been posts about this before, I just wanted to if anyone has installed this software have it work network wide out of the box?

[strawberry]

its a horrible program. i did get it work, but that was just pure luck, i wouldn't be able to offer any advice on installing it.

 

the one peice of advice i would give is that if you install the network client on a machine that had the standalone sofware on it you will lose data.

[cheesypete]

It is perhaps the worst installation i've ever come across. And its not purely E-Science - all other "E" discs are the same

 

What I ended up doing was creating an ISO image of the disc and storing that on a server.

 

Then depending on the number of licences we owned, installed Daemon Tools on the required workstations, installed the software from the iso image and then it ran quite happily without any need for the CD to be in the drive.

[Wildebeaste]

I had a problem with the e-science stuff.

 

We have GCSE Science and GCSE Additional Science.

 

You need to make sure you're only using the version of Java that comes on the disk. Later versions don't tend to work.

 

And I had to put Additional Science on first.

 

It worked after that...

[atfnet]

Unfortunately I have software that relies on the latest version of java so downgrading software is not an option. Also I don’t think I should have to downgrade java site wide for one application.

 

Thanks anyway Wildebeaste

[bgarston]

Hi,

 

Yeah we also have a small situation at work with the Nelson Thornes “Just Click” software.

 

Basically the “e-Science” software was bought without the knowledge or input from myself or anyone else in the ICT Support Dept. The Head of Science casually strolled in to the office one day asking if we could install this software. We didn’t mind and gave it a go – the instructions made out that a network install was easy! During the server install the software decided it was a good idea to restart one of our servers during the middle of the school day without warning!! After a fair amount of hacking about we have managed to get the software working in a not so satisfactory fashion in that key resources are missing from within the application! This situation was understandably unacceptable for the science facility who are trying to write schemes of work based on this software!

 

As a work around we broke with policy and tried installing the software locally on a few laptops. On two laptops we experienced Installsheld errors that we where unable to resolve. In the end we had to re-image both laptops inorder to install this one piece of software. Once the software was installed all looked good except material was once again missing from the application!

 

After reading around the issues with this software on Edugeek we decided not to get in to a dialog with Nelson Thornes and told the Head of Science to get his money back... …the case continues!

 

Just to add insult to injury the Geography teacher came bouncing in the other day with two more Just Click titles – again bought without our knowledge!!! So far the school I work at has wasted over £2500.00 in the last year on software that just doesn’t work!

 

My advice, stay well clear of this software and look elsewhere (for starters try software from these people: Focus Educational Software Ltd)

 

Cheers, kind regards

 

 

 

 

Ben :-/

[bgarston]

You need to make sure you're only using the version of Java that comes on the disk. Later versions don't tend to work.

It worked after that...

 

Hi,

 

Considering the highly structured and complex network infrastructures that are hidden away in most UK schools these days I don’t think the notion of downgrading software and codecs in order to make dodgy software work is a fair and a viable option - please tell me if im on my own here!? I seriously think some software developers should “get with the program”!

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

Ben

[dancingdruid]

After reading around the issues with this software on Edugeek we decided not to get in to a dialog with Nelson Thornes and told the Head of Science to get his money back... …the case continues!

 

Unfortunately E-Science is more than just a piece of software. If only they had a more logical file storage system so that you aren't restricted to the rather slow and clunky front end.

 

If schools have bought into the Nelson Thornes scheme (text books etc) then they _need_ the e-science software for the supporting materials and schemes of work. I suspect this is the reason the ICT department wasn't "consulted".

 

Basically the front end lets the software down but with a captive market and the software created I don't see anything changing quickly.

[Ric_]

I have struggled to get e-Science working for some time. Initially there was issues with a certain revision of the Flash plugin - version 9 is OK though.

 

Java has to be 1.5 release 4 on both the clients AND the server. If you need to have a newer version it IS possible... you need to edit a registry key. If you telephone their support line they are very helpful and tell you what to do.

[john]

Its a joke this program, spent days on it already and it really isn't good software at all. Running old versions of java is not acceptible from a security point of view, very dodgy, next they will say run Windows XP with no SPs to make it better! Clearly they need to get with the times and realise were on Flash 10 and Java 6

[Ste_Harve]

I've got this and had a few problems getting it to work. I've now got it working from the server and clients, the clients are a bit slow but i think this is down to the speed of the server at the moment.

 

I'm running the latest flash and java versions. I had to copy some files from the server to each client though to get it working properly.

[atfnet]

It would be nice if quality control and beta testing were words familiar to certain software companies, we should not all have to do so much hacking around to get software to function on standard networks.

[Midget]

I hate that company with a passion. My name and ability was dragged through the mud because I could not get their software to work correctly straight away. One thing you may need is this patch for flash which will remove the security to allow it to work . It works for the stand alone version, and probably the network version (but I gave up on the Network install as it was a PitA)

flash_patch.zip