SimpleSi

I'm really looking to see who is at the other end of the scale from me At some of my schools I just run a standard desktop with w2k3/w2k8 and use it as a file/print/dns/dhcp server. I have a external USB drive just backing up data (not server state) and I have a central 10/100 unmanged switch with 8 port switches in the classrooms connected to classroom computers/suite/Buffalo (domestic qualitly) APs. Obviously this is very cheap but not of the highest spec Who'es got the shiniest, super-est faster setup in a UK primary ? Si

Seeing a few "glitches" - my last long post took several minutes to upload it seemed but who knows whether it was my computer/internet/edugeek???? Si

I do hope this is the full half-hour arguement and not the 30 second one Si

I'm starting to lose track of what it is your against but suspecting it everything about stepping outside/above a day job I started working in primary IT, mending printers/computers etc. This is my second career and I've got a little bit of go about me. I helped the teachers use IT, my cluster got into doing cluster wide IT projects (stop animation, d&T control etc for a few years) and I was interested and helped. This developed into helping out in what i'd call IT intensive lessons (especially Y6 Control stuff) and eventually one of heads who had the greatest faith in my ability asked me to do PPA cover in Y5 and Y6 for 1 hour each a week. As a mature (well lets say old anyway) parent/person with children aged about 11/12 at the time I didn't have too much problems in dealing with classes - went on a few behaviour management sessions (as seemingly not allowed to make children run around the field for 2 hours if they speak out of turn nowadays ) - the children seemed to like it (no so much the excel stuff!) as I was the nice man who comes in and does fun IT. Like I say, I'm now at the point where I'd say my pay reflects my activites and everyone I know seems happy with it. (Just got landed at short notice with a Y5 class this morning and we had a great time using Scratch to animate Humpty Dumpty - the netbook screen replacements can go ahead in the hols !) Now, if someone didn't want to do this and was being forced then thats bad (or bad for Bossman losing effort and seeing someone else losing out paywise) If I was a teaching union rep defending my members livelyhood, then I'd expect (not unreasonably) that they'd take a dim view of it. I did try to go back on and remove my sad comment this morning but it was too late as it was an emoitional response to your views - so sorry for that But I'd maintain - its really all about the kids and they (and all of my heads/teachers) are benefited by my dual role - as I think quite a few "extrovert" type geeks would be if given the chance Si

Ta I can see you've had some other jobs on recently Si

Ta very much - I placed my order on the 29th so maybe I'll be lucky this week Si

:-) Did it just turn up or did they email you to say it was on its way? Si (getting very excited now!)

@Admiral208 From RS? Si

But still no direct link to subscribed threads Unless I've missed it???? Si

Not many go onto being artists or authors or Olympic gymnasts but we should give them all the opportunity - and if we don't do it - who will Si

That's one of the saddest posts I've ever seen on here AFAIC I'm employed to help the schools I work in - if I've got certain skills - then I'm not going to say "thats not in my job description" - I'm going to do my best to help. To be perfectly honest - I was originally taken on the the bottom of the old AP&T Scale 2 and every time I've reached the roof of a scale I've been moved on and I'm now paid at the same rate as an HLTA but I still used to do this stuff when I wasn't paid it. Some people come to work to do their job and go home - fair enough for them - but its not for me Si PS I've had Ofsted inspectors inspecting me teach on 2 occasions and AFAIK they were quite happy with what I was doing - they were only interested in how the teaching was affecting the pupils and not who was doing it

At primary level, I couldn't disagree more as there is just no chance of schools employing IT teaching specialists (unless peripatetic ones become commonly available for hire) but I can understand where your coming from at Secondary schools Si

I mainly teach Y5/Y6 classes (timetabled every thurs am in one school) and currently have a timetabled Y4 class last lesson on a Friday. But some years I've had more timetabled ones(if my sessions match up with PPA cover for instance) I introduce topics/software such as Audacity and I'm a Scratch and Stop-Animation evangelist I run an after school for a term in 5 out of my 6 schools doing Scratch/fun animations and I'm planning on moving onto Ardunio initially via the S4A Scratch variation and then maybe onto RaspberyPi stuff (but might leave the PI stuff for mini-RaspberryJam events for kids/parents in the early evenings at my nearest school). I consider doing this sort of stuff one of the perks of working in primaries and far better than having a real job Si

Hallelujah and Praise the Lord - After all these years, I can finally click on NewPosts from the main menu :-)

Run VMs would be my suggestion Si

I always give the 1st caller of the day the opportuniy to give me a free holiday in Hawaii (or an ipad) in exchange for me ordering a few toners (As I wouldn't want to miss out on a great offer) They never do and I never take the 2nd call Si PS Was tempted by latest I something or other offer of a free 7in Android ICS pad but suspect I'd have to order enough toner to fill the stock room so I've not called them but if anyone has got one for a simple rainbow pack order - let us all know

Ahh Just noticed that IE on XP won't handle it so that's a bit of a no-no as well Si

I didn't realise the coding was so easy and compact - I'll have a play and see what problems it throws up Ta Simon

We mostly block youtube in my schools on the curric network so we wouldn't see them in school Si

For past years, I've been converting videos into .flv (and sometimes .swf) as that seemd to give most chance of people being able to view them on PCs/Macs/IE/FF etc. and uploading them to my school websites (mainly use Joomla and the AllVideos module for playback) But now, I'm getting feedback from pupils/parents saying they can't view the videos on their Ipads So looking for practical suggestions on how to move onwards Si

Still no pi Even one TA from a one of my schools has got one before me :( If anyone is re-reading my OP and could supply some actual hard data I'd be grateful (but not very hopeful give out reading skills so far ) Si

@ZeroHour yes/no? Si

I offer this advice every year By now, there are several people that you wish to shake warmly around the neck! DO NOT do this in the next few weeks. Plan a proper "accident" for the 3rd of September. This way - you will acheive 2 things. 1. You'll prob avoid going to jail for it. (As we are clever and we'll never get found out ) 2. There is a chance (I know it seems small at the moment but nevertheless its there) that over the summer, you might rethink and not actually implement any action in September (thereby totally avoiding a long stay in a small cell) But at least you'll have had great fun coming up with a dastardly plan! Si PS Please feel free to remind me of this post if you see steam rising in South Lancs Primaries

Well who believes that this magic device does will do what it says on the packet HDMI Extender - HDMI Cable Repeater up to 40m Only £11.99 at TVCables Si

When I'm sticking flv's on my website, its nice to have a jpeg of a frame instead of just a black image and just found this tool which saves me either screen grabbing or delving into ffmpeg cmd line Si