Cmd.exe

"I know, lets buy 3 laptop trolleys"... "What do you mean, the entire IT budget has been spent on replacement laptop keyboards, screens and cd drives?"

Hi all Been a member for a few weeks and have only just realised I haven't introduced myself - how rude of me. I'm a network manager in a large (NOR1800) secondary school in Hampshire. Have been a technician in schools for 4 years, now made the step up to management. I am planning to merge our two physical networks (admin + curriculum) into one superdomain over the summer holidays, so most of my time will be spent asking questions and crying in the corner whilst waiting for the answers.

Our budget covers everything across the school for all departments. I'm trying to establish a policy that all IT/AV purchases come through us, even if the department wants to pay. We too are going to start charging departments for damage and vandalism.

In my last school the staff laptops were domain members and locked down tight. This began to have issues for staff who wanted to use their own home broadband. Here they have them setup just to access our wireless points and so staff have full control over 'their' laptop - with the understanding that when it comes in with a problem or for an MOT, it will most likely be wiped and re-imaged. This stops itunes and games building up ;-)

Last year I had the last week of term as holiday and it was the best decision I ever made, as the network spontaneously combusted that week. This year, no holiday and I am juggling getting quotes and site surveys for 20 projector and 5 IWB installs, a new server and then planning and carrying out merging our separate admin and curriculum networks... and yet I still find time to post here!

Now if we hit this bulls eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. CHECKMATE Now i know this isn't a vote... but my vote is for Zap.

I second that. The software is just sooo poor. very 3.1/95 ish. as for the install, I never found a work around to roll out in the time frame provided by the teachers (" I need this for tomorrow"). So visit each machine was the only option.

Student teachers are a PITA. They always seem to arrive from universities with wonderful and unrestrictive systems. I'd love to hear if you are successful restricting access to student level for them! I've never been able to do that; I would definitely delete the files without hesitation and watch them like a hawk.

my 2 pence, for what its worth (probably about 2 pence), is with compatible/reman/refills, I won't use inkjet carts because of all the hassle you mention - DOA and damaging my printers, but I've never had a problem with compatible/reman/refill toner carts over the years. I can't explain why.

I think the default key combination is ctrl + * to toggle show all.

Brothers have caused me problems in all places i've worked. I'd choose HP almost every time, I've had 6Ps and 5Ms go on forever with minimal attention. However I may have to try a cheaper alternative in the next few months because i need a good few new printers. Possibly samsung. Oh and Konica Minolta Colour lasers seem ok.

I actually really like the flash scrolling gallery on the front page D. What would you say was wrong with the site? It's just... a bit... amateurish. There are some individual components to the site that may be nice on their own, as the only flashy part of a well conceived page. I want my school to have a professional looking site representing the school to the online world. Isn't that the point? Image? Perhaps it's just me. Also, I'm all for students creating a website, but I’d put it beyond the front page and label it clearly as student's work.

Only just read this thread, but I must contribute this site of my former employer. http://www.brcccollege.com/ Not done by students, but by the Head of ICT. Classy.