GREED

Paragraph 4 talks about a 'brand new' self contained cloud environment where all your resources are to hand. That say a little bit! Yes I agree it isn't Sims 8 and doesn't reveal much... maybe one of our favorite Capita people would like to elaborate...

You really do surprise me sometimes Phil... Interesting to hear about prices, is that even direct schools? Interesting to know too you deal mostly direct. Do you have advice for the chap here looking for development support?

I didn't think you would Phil! A huge task to release a product as fully featured as SIMS and bring that into the 21st century. Slowly and get it right! Personal experience tells me a thing or two!

Do you have a SIMS account manager? Or is this done through your LA? Either way they would be my first ports of call. Ironically I did the same way way back in the day when we were looking as SLG (not for long mind )

An interesting (if very pro Capita, so apologies for that) statement about the NI implementation. Paragraph 4 is the interesting part (Just ignore the marketing drivel from @PhilNeal ): Capita to supply SIMS to 1200 schools in Northern Ireland for next 5 years | capita-sims.co.uk So an early indication for SIMS 8, or a roll out of something everyone is jumping on the band wagon with recently, this being a fully featured multi-supplier environment with all resources to hand? Granted this is from 2012, so these boys were there first, but is nonetheless identical to what SWGfL have recently announced and others...

I completely agree. I don't think anything is stopping them expanding, it is more should they try in a crowded market? I suppose it is down to them to decide if that market is crowded or not. I know that if I were in a school and Schoolcomms built a teacher app, I'd be the first onboard!

@David_Grashoff Check Please

There was enough public chat about it at BETT... I take that as public! I didn't sign an NDA so...

Firstly, I'm awaiting a SWAT team to swoop on me sent by @PhilNeal or @David_Grashoff but this is public knowledge... blimey it must be if the schools in NI are using it! I wouldn't hold breath either the roadmap says this is still 3 years away... think there is a lot of work still to do, even before a UK pilot. Finally, lets be fair it was due to come soon lest SIMS goes the way of Windows XP... fighting on but days are numbered! So might as well get the facts out there, as much as i know!

Oh don't tease him @vikpaw It's hardly a secret if you spoke to any top brass from Capita at BETT. SIMS 8: It is in pilot in NI currently, browser based incarnation of SIMS. Kinda has to be if it is their new release! Don't get too excited it is a few years away yet! Assuming the pilot goes well!

I'm sure you can pay for it from your LA or Capita most likely. I guess a good deal is SharePoint training too, and how you can develop this to use within your school and not just for SIMS use. What plans do you have to use it? What would you like to do with it?

So moving into Emerge territory then. I think that is the key, with Emerge from GC, and from Capita, and now with this teacher app, the space is already quite crowded. Granted other MIS' don't have nearly as many apps for this, if at all, but then most want to work with SIMS (and why not!). But that's a whole other conversation (in fact one I have had with the guys!) Not suggesting it isn't a great suggestion for Schoolcomms, I can just see where the market might make this a difficult push.

I know I know. You were right too that that post was my opinion. To that end it would be great to hear from schools (or LAs, if they haven't run away!) that are using SLG well?

Is the whole thing not really a teacher app anyway? I get the UI redesign. Assume we are not talking Parent Gateway here.

Riiiiiiiiiiight.... Let me make a few things clear because suddenly everyone has forgotten the way I am... Yes, in my opinion SLG is not very good, it never has been, so the sheer amount of money it costs it should be and do a lot better. Read back through my posts I believe my opinion and outspoken nature is quite consistent. I'll edit the previous post to include that this is my opinion... Yes, I now work for a company that pushes Moodle but at no time have I suggested this is a viable alternative or made a comparison (regardless of the fact that it is ), nor have I pushed my workplace. The point I made about LAs ties in with my dislike for SLG, not LA procurement methods (I'll moan about those elsewhere!). The point that seems to be missed is SLG is very expensive regardless, and that LAs should be looking more openly at the market at who can/does integrate well with SIMS. TASC is an excellent suggestion there is nothing but positive comments here about that. Yes thank you for mentioning the IMLS as there are a multitude of options. The point was there should be guidance to schools on best fit based on research done by the LA, not (as I know for a fact has happened in at least 2 LAs) just get in SLG because it is an easy fix. And finally, lets not assume that this is me using any excuse to bash Capita, as I have said I consistently talk about my dislike for SLG, but this doesn't extent in parallel to the rest of SIMS and associated products. SIMS 8 is going to be extremely interesting from the early work I have seen in NI.

Thanks John I'm about half way through so far. Hoping for more questions from the Edugeek community

Just reading to see if it has one of those 'tick this box if we can share your details with our carefully selected (ie who pays money) companies....'

Sure if there are 100s of their schools asking for it. As an LA I should be looking to the market to provide the best solution though... and SLG is, I feel, not the best solution.

Paint your cast Teal

That would be SIMS 8 then

Someone please tell me how SLG is still alive? Actually someone tell me why LAs still think they win a huge deal by spending anything more than 47p for all their schools on SLG and then insist on rolling it out... Edit: My gripe here is that I'd like to see LAs take a more proactive approach to purchasing and recommending solutions, not just x because it does y and costs next to nothing because we are buying in bulk...

I'm sorry but he is set for life after a weeks work or whatever it took to build that game. He could build a 200m wall around his house and never face the outside world again for that, and he is moaning it has ruined his life. The give the revenue rights to me and go away (Charlie Brooker voice)!

I take it as read that popular or controversial posts will be bounded about... take it as a compliment! I do when I see one of my moans appear elsewhere... to which I duly oblige by setting up a random account and informing them this exact reply wad posted on EG with the post date...

MY EYES... THEY BURN!!!!! Good colours for a theme just hope not a permanent feature here

Just because ZiLink was specifically mentioned... ZiLink Facility works just fine and will continue meet latest Moodle releases.