The problem with tablets

Just a little note. Tablets are fun. I like 'em the kids LOVE them, but. and its a big BUT, all you can do is use text in google docs. No inserting drawings or pictures. I tried to get around it. It dosen't happen.

Back to chromebooks. Pity, tablets are fun. And half the price of chromebooks. Still, chromebooks feel more serious and less of a toy.

What have I started?

This google thing is growing. Fast.

What started out as me signing up a couple of schools is rapidly turning into a HUGE thing.

I got 2 schools running. Then I showed it to another school and they got excited too.  Next thing I'm sitting in a meeting with 6 schools who are forming a trust to oversee implementation of google apps and getting devices to students. I hear there are other schools already waiting for the trust to complete its setup and they will join up too.

Then.... I get told yesterday that the secondary schools want a look in too and will I be available to help answer the technical aspects on Google apps for education during an upcoming presentation.

I hope they go for chromebooks. Last count was over 1200 students initially and more coming on board later. Administering that many will be nasty if its not chromebooks.

Wireless Access Points Part 2

Ok, In setting up wireless I have found a few things on the way. When you are running just a few devices on wireless just about anything works. But when you want to run 30 devices in the same room it turns out not all devices are equal.

I have found access points have processors in them and a slow processor just doesn't cut it when they are trying to service 30 devices. If you are going down this road the first rule its don't get a domestic access point. Spend a few extra dollars and go for the commercial ones. They are more up to the task.

Also I found putting a 2nd access point in the room works well too. When a device is taking too long to hook to the first one as its loaded up they will go looking for another less loaded access point.

And one more thing. Chrome books and 802.11N. Make sure you have your security turned up (WPA, not WEP) or they refuse to connect. G is fine, do anything you want, but with N they refuse to connect. They see the AP but that's it.

Windows 8

Microsoft released Windows 8 to those of us with volume licensing today. I happend to be building up a machine so I thought I would give it a try.

Booted up, and got that old familiar error. Windows was unable to find drivers for your cd/dvd device. Dammit Microsft. You can boot with a cd so why cant it use those drivers to run compatability style instead of making me find drivers. Anyway I couldn't be bothered shagging around finding drivers. Went back to windows 7. Started fine.

Ultrafast fibre..... Slowly. Maybe. One day.

I have to admit I can be a bit of a telecom hater. But chorus (run by telecom) is doing a fast job of running fibre out. I go past little okoia school out in the backwoods and there they are putting in fibre. It looks like their connection will be ready within a week. Its a HUGE run. But Tawhero school? Nooooo We are stuck under ultrafast fibre www.ultrafastfibre.co.nz who have managed to connect the golf club 3 blocks away but when do we get fibre? 3 years!!! Every time all the kids go onto khan academy the internet shits itself and the phone system dies. But its ok because the golf club will be able to shave off .005 milliseconds on an eftpos purchase.


Maybe ultrafast fibre should change their name to ultrafail fibre.

Google docs (well, spreadsheet to be precise)

I get a call the other day around 4:30pm from a rather upset woman. "The document I was working on has disappeared. I have been working on it all day". So I turn the car around (I was almost home) and trundle back into town. Her laptop was a little iffy so we rebooted it it and she loaded up the document. It was blank. "There" she says. "Its gone". "Not to worry. Its a google document. If it was microsoft you would be stuffed but watch this" I say, feeling a little smug. I click into revision history, go back to a save made 60 seconds before the last one and there it is. Back in all its glory.

And once again, I'm the hero of the day.

Wireless access points

Hmmmmm. It seems not all access points are made alike. Just because its got faster protocols built in may not ensure it actually works that fast. Particularly when theres 25 devices hanging off it. More info to follow after I try a different brand.