RE: [Sheflug] Sheffield Green Party: Linux for Sheffield CityCouncil

["Chris Johnson" <chris [at] xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> On this point, Chris, we're talking to a school which is very unhappy
> with SIMS (don't think they're the only one) about a possible project
> which would re-implement SIMS with an open framework.
>
> Seb
> --

Seb,

I didn't want to say whether the schools were happy with SIMS.  My
experience is that the whole implementaion has been far from satisfactory
(beaten only by NOF in the disapproval stakes) and it is only now at version
6 that the functionality is beginning to meet the schools needs and the
usability is becoming more intuitive.  There were many many problems with
installs, training and functionality not to mention the fact that schools
had plans to and were recording data but most were doing no analysis on the
data and even fewer were taking any positive action to correct any
shortfalls identified by the data they had analysed.  The solution at
FLOSSIE seemed like a good idea in the making.

Ideally I suppose you would have thin client software in the schools (so no
need to update) connecting to a central thin client server with centrally
updated and centrally managed (and centrally backed up and secured) software
running one copy of "SIMS FOR LINUX" with central data analysis, report
generation etc and one team proposing changes that could be made in schools
to overcome any weaknesses (with support of School management teams).

ChrisJ



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