StevieM

Since no-one else is being polite... Hi, Will! Welcome to EduGeek (by proxy - you may get your own username, one day). I picked up on your reference there, @X-13.

I wouldn't buy anything from anybody who put so many kisses at the bottom of they're email! By the way, have you seen the picture of an email that I received from a guy who prints raffle tickets?

How on earth did this thread get to page 5 without me shouting,'BRING ME THE BOX!!!'? (Probably because my email has been down for a couple of days.) Was actually planning on calling you guys today anyway!

Out of normal warranty or the extended 5 year warranty for this particular fault? Either way, it's still worth sending an email to [email protected]. They'll give you advice if nothing else!

No offence intended, @Tob. Certainly not an accusation, more of a consideration. People do sign up to Edugeek just to promote/defend a product/company as if they were a user/client. If I were to do it, yes I probably would include some obvious product flaws in order make it appear more like a genuine post. That said, Edugeek is a very friendly and incredibly helpful site that has saved my bacon on more than one occasion. Stick around, join in a few other discussions and I'm sure you'll love it. (...and your English is much better than my German! ) Anyways:focus: Still not heard anything back from Steljes after my email.

Forgive my cynicism here, but a new user creates an account and his/her first 3 (and, so far, only) posts are to promote a specific piece of software... That's never happened before.

Now all we need is someone to make a cheap (preferably free) and reliable .notebook to .pptx convertor and we're home and dry! Anybody...??

I've just emailed Steljes and included a link to this forum. Hopefully, we can get someone on here to whom we can ask our questions directly.

The questions are will it be faster than the current wading through a muddy bog software, and will it work behind a proxy? If the answer to either of those is no, why would anyone want to pay for it?

We've been using Hitachi EDA-111s for the last few years. Had a few problems with them from time to time, but the after-sales service is absolutely bang on! Report a problem, you get a replacement next day or the day after. They even extended the warranty from 3 to 5 years for a specific problem.

The use of the word 'require' is misleading. You don't have to purchase anything new. You can continue to use older versions of the software at no additional cost. You just don't get the upgrades, like your supplier says.

That's another reason NOT to go for the 2014 Advantage.

Sorry, @GrumbleDook, you're wrong about it being the same. A 200% increase in battery life is the same as saying tripling your battery life. Your current battery life is the point of comparison. (I know the post is almost two years old, but I've only recently joined the group and I have to make up for lost time! )

Don't think we'll be taking them up on their offer. Let's just stick with Smart Notebook 11 for free... or even better, roll back to Smart Notebook 10, which actually works!

Brilliant. Just be aware, though @dannyboy103, the 5 year warranty only covers faults connected with the mirror door. You will have to pay for repairs relating to any other fault once the normal 3-year warranty has expired.

Firefighters send message of solidarity to striking teachers | Fire Brigades UnionFire Brigades Union

As I said before, that's down to individual school management and it can apply to teachers as well as support staff. I really had a hard time from my head when I was a teacher. There is only a certain amount of being told how useless you are before you start to believe it, so I can empathise with those who are downtrodden in their schools. Back to the topic of striking and unions, if you're not in a union already, @mthomas08, I seriously suggest you start looking into it. Voice, Unison, Unite, GMB and others all cater for support staff in education. If you don't agree with striking, then Voice is the obvious choice. PM me if you'd like more details. Now I really need to get on with my work.

Nor do I, in general, which is why I moved from the NUT to Voice - a union that doesn't strike. However, I DO believe in a person's RIGHT to strike. If only this were true, then no-one on this forum would ever need complain about being disrespected, undervalued, etc. again. Unless, of course, we're all rubbish at our jobs.* Unless, of course, you are fighting against things that are being imposed upon you that you believe will actually reduce the quality of your work. As can technicians move into private sector teching. On a serious note, this is another area of concern for public sector educators. The move towards academies and free schools moves the focus away from providing quality education to making a profit for sponsors and investors. *This is NOT a dig at anyone who has ever posted on this forum about how they have been treated. Just in case anybody reads it the wrong way.

Better pay? Yes! The indefinite 1% limit on pay increases (pay cuts in real terms) for public sector workers would have been removed. Better respect? Better treatment? Yes! From the powers-that-be, at least. For example, we wouldn't be having our pension funds reduced while our contributions are being increased. Nor would we have to work until we are 68 in order to qualify for this reduced pension. These are the issues that we (all unions involved) were striking about. Problems that occur at school level should be taken up with the head, SMT and governors - with the involvement of unions if necessary, but are rarely causes for strike action.

Unfortunately not. If they had, you'd know because you would be reaping the benefits too.

To be fair, the the last time I was on strike with the NUT (November 2011) the focus wasn't just on teachers' pay and conditions but the whole of the public sector. We were joined by support staff from the likes of Unison who are facing many of the same issues, including pay, pensions and working conditions. This time it was just the NUT (as far as I'm aware) who are, as their name suggests, a union for teachers. Of course they will be pushing their own agenda. This doesn't mean that they don't think that others are being hard done by, too. While I appreciate your point that, in some schools, support staff may be looked down on by some teachers as second-class (or even lower) citizens, the same can apply to teaching staff by heads and SMTs. Over the years, I have been employed as a care assistant in a special needs school, a teaching assistant, a full-time class teacher and supply teacher in primary schools, an education support assistant and a lecturer in FE before my current role as ICT technician. I can honestly say, the ONLY time I have ever been treated badly was when I was a full-time class teacher.

I used to be in the NUT but I've switched to Voice now. I don't have a problem with people striking - done it myself before now - but if you do strike you MUST attend a rally/demonstration/picket whatever and not just use it as an extra day off.

Hedgehog found without legs, too, judging by that picture! Looks like someone has found an ordinary hedgehog and stuffed it inside a sock.

Keep getting first box free leaflets with a LoveFilm DVDs but never got around to actually trying it. Might be worth my while with the 5th and 10th free too. Could you wing the code over to my inbox, please, @nephilim? I know that feeling...although I snack every evening. Even my dog has got into the habit now! If I sit down to watch a film and don't have a bag of crisps or peanuts, after about 20 minutes she goes to the kitchen and stands by the cupboard. My will power is so weak that I just have to give in... a bit like when she stops outside a pub and refuses to move! I wouldn't mind but we've never been that pub. It doesn't even allow dogs in!

...of which you're going to give everyone who thanked your post a little spoonful.