DorsetTech

Just wondered if anyone uses custom logon backgrounds in Windows 7 and how they've achieved it? I'm looking to customise the logon screen with our logo and some basic e-safety points. At the moment I use the interactive logon notice for this but it's not great.

After using Spiceworks (free) and Kayako (paid), we now use Freshdesk. The free plan does the job for what we need, and it's simple to manage too. Reporting lacks on the free accounts but it's possible to export data to CSV to crunch if required.

Thanks - managed to squeeze the last out of the coffers and purchase some more SelectaDNA and Selectamark. I got the D&T dept to make up a school name and postcode stencil, but engraving through it also gradually widened the lettering. I'll probably continue to use the etcher (free hand - better stop drinking coffee) on low-value items, and use the Selectamark on larger / more expensive / shiny goods. Thanks all.

I've been looking around and I know that Selectamark and SelectaDNA have been mentioned a few times in the past, but not for a while. At the moment we're using Selectamark and SelectaDNA to security mark our assets (along with two ID stickers - one for IT and one for finance). I'm looking to purchase some more of the Selectamark and DNA, but I just wondered whether people think it's worthwhile and worth the cost, or whether a stencil and etcher would suffice. I use SelectaDNA on my personal gear, and have been able to walk in to a shop and sell the property on without anybody noticing or me having to explain why there is a blob of UV gunk on it. I understand this aids recovery of the goods if they are found by the police, but the fact that you may not be asked about it when trying to sell on is a concern. I like the idea of the Selectamark stuff - I always think that having a more visible marking provides a deterrent and that pawn shops etc. would be more suspicious if it had a school name and postcode marked on it. I've also used an etcher before, which works - admittedly I always feel bad when writing all over the back of a shiny new iPad. I've also seen somebody steal a laptop and try and sand off the marking. Nothing is completely foolproof, but I just wondered what your thoughts are - do you use either Selectamark, SelectaDNA or both? Or perhaps you use an etcher? Do you think the cost of Selectamark and SelectaDNA is worth it?

Here's something I've produced Risk Assessment for an IT Repair Facility.docx - it's not entirely relevant to a server room but the principles are still there - assess the risk, the likelihood of the risk of occurring and the severity of damage/injury should there be an incident, put in some control measures and re-evaluate the risk. The HSE website contains some useful information too Risk assessment Risk assessment is about identifying and reducing the risks, as far as is reasonably practicable. Whilst it is not possible to eliminate all risk there are measures that can be taken to reduce the risk that tasks pose. For example, when working at heights you could place some cones round the working area to ensure students don't run in to the ladder round a blind spot in the corridor and ensure that users are competent at working at height. Hope this is of some help.

I've had a rummage around and found a template from the DfE. Adapted to our needs, here is what I've come up with Staff IT Skills Audit Edugeek.docx.

Just wondering whether anybody here carries out IT skills audits for staff members? I'm looking to create a questionnaire for staff after it was identified that they could do with some more training. The audit is designed to help work out which areas they need more help in, such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, general file management, e-mail etc. If anybody does have something similar would you be happy to share your form here? It would be good to see how others do this as I'm not sure where to start with the template and how granular to go. Thanks

AB Tutor here too. Impero looks nice (and I enjoyed the trial), but it is hard to justify the cost and their licensing model doesn't work for us (as teachers don't use it, just technical staff)

Funny this, because after looking at OneLan, BrightSign, Sedao etc. I've decided to fully commit to Xibo and buy some micro PCs in to run the screens. Xibo has had a number of improvements since I last used it, such as the ability to add a clock and date easily and the ability to preview layouts. As we're on a budget I use Serif DrawPlus Starter Addition to design the layouts / background image and then just put the content over the sections as appropriate in Xibo. One of the content areas is for graphics, which can be made in PowerPoint or Photoshop etc and exported as a JPEG (or WMV, should you wish to include animations...) I did have a look at BrightSign as it was a lot cheaper than OneLan and Sedao, but the software to run it looked clunky and didn't seem intuitive. OneLan looked exactly the same setup as Xibo apart from one or two little nice touches - but not worth the jump from a free solution to around £2k for 2 players and a publisher. Sedao was very nice to design layouts in, but their management system (SWEP and Content Publisher) seemed a bit outdated and hard to setup. Xibo it is! Hopefully the units to run the displays will arrive here soon...

Hi, I'm looking for a digital signage system. I used to use Xibo somewhere else, but am now looking at BrightSign, Sedao and OneLan. OneLan seems to be the most common name in digital signage within education, but it does seem expensive. So the two options I'm currently drawn towards are Sedao and BrightSign. I'm not too sure on how easy it is to manage multiple displays via Sedao, although their ImageFlyer (creation software) is really easy to use. BrightSign has been quoted considerably cheaper than OneLan and is networkable. Does anybody have any experience with BrightSign and BrightAuthor? How intuitive is it to use and manage? Is there a web interface for admin staff to update notices etc? Thanks!

I've just received a Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini smartphone from work as I work over two schools on the same campus. I'm an iOS user in my other life, but just wondered if anybody knows of any good android apps for techs? I''d be interested to hear what you use!

We use EyeGaze here - seems to work well.

Bringing up an old thread I know, but did you manage to release this?

Yes, my tutor would come down around once a month and would give me guidance and would also be at the end of the phone or email if I got stuck on anything along the way. My training co-ordinator came down every 2/3 months and review progress, get my comments, employer comments etc. The only thing I did find was it could get a bit lonely not having any contact with other apprentices to bounce ideas/questions around with.

I did an Apprenticeship through Yeovil College - the programme lasts for 3 years (although in reality could be completed in a year and a half). The course was entirely work placement based and I never had go to the college.

A colleague and I have just taken over the management of another schools' network. We've been asked to put together a list of equipment/tools that we need. The school doesn't have much equipment available at present so we're kind of starting from scratch. I'm building up my list of things I need to carry out the job of a technician properly - however it got me thinking, what's everybody's tools of the trade? What equipment is important to your role? How often does it come in useful? What wouldn't you be without? Hopefully I'll be able to get some ideas from you all and maybe add something important that I've not thought of. :-)

Meraki does now seem to support silent app pushing - although it's not quite silent as each user has to accept the download, they don't have to enter a password though. https://meraki.cisco.com/blog/2014/04/be-a-ninja-systems-manager-silent-app-push/

Just wondered if there's any IT Apprentices going to BETT this year. I'm going on Thursday & Friday. Would be nice to meet up with other apprentices to bounce ideas around with and just general have a chat (and most probably a grumble too...) Let me know.

Thanks elsiegee40 - will come over (but I'm just a poor apprentice - so half geek - if that).

I've managed two wangle two days up there. Looking forward to it - but quite scared as my colleagues aren't coming up until the Friday and I'll be all on my lonesome

Hello, I'm just wondering what people do for their asset/inventory management and what solutions are used. At the moment we just use an Excel spreadsheet but are looking at ways of improving efficiency (e.g. barcode scanners). Thanks

Never seen any difference after school, however I've just been advised from a tech in another school that he had a call from RM to say it has been resolved... I have now been able to log in. Anyone else?

Did they log your complaints so that they show through ESI (as stated in their procedure)? I may give them a ring later this morning

I called the number here Complaints Looking at their complaint flowchart complaints are supposed be logged on their system so that it is visible to the customer, but twice I've called and asked to raise a complaint about this and whilst somebody usually gets back to me with some reason on why it's not working, it doesn't seem to be logged and nothing seems to be happening. Worth a try though. I'm going to try calling on Wednesday and ask to escalate it if I don't hear anything back.

Fed up now and have registered a complaint with RM.