List of bad software

[Andrew_C]

I had a real struggle with the licensing for Acrobat 8. In hindsight, I think that if I'd just accepted all the defaults it would have been OK, but I tried to understand what it was asking for. Did my head in! Oh and then had firewall issues too...

 

Working in a Modern Language dept, all word-processors are a PITA when typing accented characters beyond the basic é and few others. Especially nasty on laptops (without the numeric pad)

[sparkeh]

First up let me stray a little off topic to pick up the Primary ICT point. Comments like 'what does a primary teacher need a laptop for?' and about planning for playing in sand illustrate a real ignorance about Primary Education that seems endemic in the Secondary Sector. There is excellent ICT teaching going on the primary schools and it is becoming more important, with the required objectives expanding all the time. If the poster is genuinely interested then this would make an excellent discussion topic, if not then perhaps dismissive comments should be avoided.

 

Anyway back on topic

I wanted to echo the SIMS.net vote. This is the most user unfriendly piece of software I have ever used that seems to be designed to do things the most complicated way possible. Each update of any part of the system comes with a badly written tome to follow that will probably result in a call to the terrible support

 

LCP Science Assessments - The actual tests are great, however pupils randomly disappear from the list of people to take the test, you can't have two children with the same name!, if you abandon a test halfway though you can't take it again as it tells you have completed it but the results sheet tells you still need to take the test (cue tinkering in db files). Horrible.

[_Bat_]

First up let me stray a little off topic to pick up the Primary ICT point. Comments like 'what does a primary teacher need a laptop for?' and about planning for playing in sand illustrate a real ignorance about Primary Education that seems endemic in the Secondary Sector. There is excellent ICT teaching going on the primary schools and it is becoming more important, with the required objectives expanding all the time. If the poster is genuinely interested then this would make an excellent discussion topic, if not then perhaps dismissive comments should be avoided.

 

I agree completely.

 

ICT plays a big part in primary schools, otherwise primary techs like a number of us on here wouldn't be employed.

 

We have professional networks, interactive whiteboards, projectors, laptops, websites etc. just like the rest of you. Plus I think you'd be surprised at how big some of our networks actually are in primary schools.

[_Bat_]

Just did a quick count and this is just over the two primary schools I work for:

 

- Two completely separate websites both with quite a lot of content

- 12 Admin machines

- Three ICT Suites with 70+ machines in them altogether

- 36 Computers in the classrooms

- 31 Projectors

- 31 Interactive whiteboards

- 40+ laptops (possibly many more - not sure)

- A whole bundle of possibly hundreds of pieces of software

- 9 servers

- About nine laser printers scattered around both schools and a whole load of inkjets which I'm trying to get rid of.

 

And a whole load more like digital cameras etc.

[calapso]

Hi

 

One of my schools received DAZZLE 3 Network version. The CD had a MSI so I could deploy it through Group Policy. At last I thought the software vendors have realised that schools now have networks and developing the software for easy deployment.!!!!!Wait for it.....

 

The instructions were to deploy via GP. Then go to one workstation and activate the product. Once that is done you have to copy a file and do a registry hack on each client workstation!!!!. What was the point of creating the MSI and having to then visit each workstation ad do the hack?

 

Has anyone come across this? If so have you fount a clever workround to deploy this? I will be grateful if you would share.

 

Many thanks

[User3204]

@Calapso

 

Yes, I find software does this all the time...

 

solution 1:

reg2adm converter from NUTS http://yizhar.mvps.org/ (and elsewhere) this will do it;

 

solution 2:

If you know VBS scripts you can import a registry file and run this in the startup scripts (very much neater);

 

Both methods assume you can get a reg file.

When I need to send these out, I try to send them BEFORE I desploy the MSI.

[accura2000]

My personal grudge is Smart Learning.

 

My school purchased this some 3 years ago, the cursor disappears on alot of the activities (normal the ones that say look at the cursor), i get login errors.

 

Promised me a patch to fix it back in 2004/2005, still waiting!!!

[strawberry]

ah, more nelson thornes, a psychogy program that asks you to create a shortcut to a splash html page, that goes no where, index.html is much more use, but not mentioned!

[tech_guy]

esaams - assessment with multimedia - intended for Music and PE primarily.....I wouldn't touch it with your bargepole given the choice.

 

After hitting the CD we were sent with a big stick, using it as a frisbee - we actually threw it out of the server room window to see how far it would go - we then told the teacher who was piloting the package that we'd lost the CD.....

 

8O

[tech_guy]

Dare I mention the ALAN package.....

[farmerste]

does anyone install the dreaded testbase software, its a real pain, if you install it onto the network, you still have to put keys in on each machine that uses it, msi deployments are flaky too, quicker just to install locally than try to network it. time it was updated to a new version i.e flash based.

 

another annoying piece of software we were given on trial but will not be buying is the new version of mathwizz, the old version was easy to put onto the network, but the new one needs registering on each machine that uses it, so keep away

 

and the other worst piece of software is something called VYSTAR, or VISTUR, or something like that, though i've heard after the new service pack it will be better, but like my old grandad said 'you can't polish a turd'

 

[ICT_GUY]

but like my old grandad said 'you can't polish a turd'

 

 

But you can do a reasonable job of spray painting it.

[seanmh]

Target Tracker.... really is the pitts to install.

 

You need to uninstall the old version, even by MSI install, before you can install an UPGRADE, or it really screws up.

 

Telephone help line a waste of time ("we don't support our software if it's installed on a network blah, blah, blah")

 

Some of the things it is supposed to be able to do, don't work as expected so lots of time spent coming up with workarounds.

[zag]

QCA testing software - Used to freeze all the time, incredibly difficult server installation, basically just a flawed design. Glad they discontinued it.

 

Sims - What other have said, silly amount of updates required, crazy that it copies the PDF manuals each time, Various parts outdated(why did they not write a new program??), No thought about the future(SQL server debacle) ect ect.

 

Pro Desktop Basic error with registering the DLL on installation, random crashes.

 

And any other software with over zealous copy protection such as requiring activation by ringing people up!!

[ICT_GUY]

Target Tracker.... really is the pitts to install.

 

You need to uninstall the old version, even by MSI install, before you can install an UPGRADE, or it really screws up.

 

Telephone help line a waste of time ("we don't support our software if it's installed on a network blah, blah, blah")

 

Some of the things it is supposed to be able to do, don't work as expected so lots of time spent coming up with workarounds.

 

I now visably wince every time I hear someone whine about why its not working.

[colingally]

Granada Learning Soundstart Software.

Never got it to work properly, if it wasn't Java Applet errors it was not being able to install it at all.

Very frustrating software.

[seanmh]

 

I now visably wince every time I hear someone whine about why its not working.

 

Perhaps it shouldn't be so crap then!

[Halfmad]

Just did a quick count and this is just over the two primary schools I work for:

 

- Two completely separate websites both with quite a lot of content

- 12 Admin machines

- Three ICT Suites with 70+ machines in them altogether

- 36 Computers in the classrooms

- 31 Projectors

- 31 Interactive whiteboards

- 40+ laptops (possibly many more - not sure)

- A whole bundle of possibly hundreds of pieces of software

- 9 servers

- About nine laser printers scattered around both schools and a whole load of inkjets which I'm trying to get rid of.

 

And a whole load more like digital cameras etc.

 

Mine (I'm the only one here too)

 

1 Secondary:

 

410 PCs ranging from windows 95 to XP

70 iMacs (OS 9.04 to OSX)

44 Projectors

36 Smartboards

14 Network printers

21 local printers

8 digital cameras

1 digital video camera

4 Windows 2003 Servers running AD

3 websites (two internal and one external)

 

I also have to visit primary schools and give advise up to 1 day a week and do any emergency repairs the same day if they call me in the morning.

 

SMT honestly don't understand why I've asked for a technician to help me..

[SYNACK]

My vote goes to the much worse New Zealand equivalent of SIMS.NET.

 

MUSAC Student and Classroom Manager

 

Imagine running your entire student database on a ms access db, the bloated core program (VB6) has to be run from a network share. Each workstation has to have a system file pack installed 130mb of system files per computer including some 16bit libraries.

 

Now just for fun add all the student reports system into a linked ms access db. Throw in 20 or more simultaneous users and the gateway to hell will fly open and swallow you whole.

 

Each update comes in the form a monthly 250mb download that actually completely reinstalls over the top of the old system. These updates are required month to month to allow the software to actually complete MOE returns and the like.

 

On the plus side the system file pack is in an MSI which helps to a degree, but only if you are already running XP SP2. If not you must log in as an administrator directly after the deployed install as it does not actually register half of the dlls.

 

I repackage almost all of the other software as MSIs which bypasses the bad installers and the hoops of installing one version just to upgrade to another. Unfortunately this does not work for drivers like the older ProScopes, they actually refused to even investigate getting a signed windows driver that could be deployed, now thats customer service .

[laserblazer]

On a positive note, I really like some of the Sherston stuff. Map Detective is excellent.

[chalkwellstu]

does anyone install the dreaded testbase software, its a real pain, if you install it onto the network, you still have to put keys in on each machine that uses it, msi deployments are flaky too, quicker just to install locally than try to network it. time it was updated to a new version i.e flash based.

 

another annoying piece of software we were given on trial but will not be buying is the new version of mathwizz, the old version was easy to put onto the network, but the new one needs registering on each machine that uses it, so keep away

 

 

 

Totally agree with Testbase, absolute pain. Thanks for the heads up on Mathswizz, run it here so will be avoiding the upgrade if i can

[chalkwellstu]

Target Tracker.... really is the pitts to install.

 

You need to uninstall the old version, even by MSI install, before you can install an UPGRADE, or it really screws up.

 

Telephone help line a waste of time ("we don't support our software if it's installed on a network blah, blah, blah")

 

Some of the things it is supposed to be able to do, don't work as expected so lots of time spent coming up with workarounds.

 

Target Tracker don't get me on Target Tracker i spend most of my waking hours either uninstalling and re-installing it or trying to explain to the teachiong staff how to use the filter wizard. ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH