No Subject

["Kyle Hutson" <smyle@rockcreek.k12.ks.us>]

Subject: Re: [school-discuss] Easy-to-use gradebook softwarehello,

On 3 Apr 2002 at 7:28, mikee wrote:
> please, what is SASI ?

The Gradebook/Student Information System/Curriculum system from NCS
Pearson.

3-4 years ago when the concept of gradebooks grew from being more
than just an application on your computer, and into fully networked
solutions, they were one of the pioneers. They are still one of the
3
or 4 "big" companies out there for this. The problems I have with
them are:
1) $$$ - they are very expensive even for the yearly support, and
   they charge for every new feature they come out with (as opposed
   to some of the others which make the new features part of the
   yearly support)
2) Poorly designed - it uses a "fat client" type database (like the
   old dBase programs), which requires downloading lotsa data to
your
   hard drive, and syncing it with the server.
3) $$$
4) They've bought out a lot of companies to "integrate" their
   products, but their integration is half-a^H^Hway done, at best.
   It's so complicated to get from one "feature" to the other that
   I'm left wondering why they even bothered.
5) $$$
6) Time (= money). It takes a lot of time to administrate the
system,
   even for our small district of 750 students.
7) Did I mention they were expensive?

If you want their take on it, look at
http://www.ncspearson.com/sasi/index.htm

--
Kyle Hutson /  Director of Technology  / Rock Creek Schools:  USD323

smyle@rockcreek.k12.ks.us                               785-494-8591

Actually I am a laboratory mouse posing as an engineer as part of an

               elaborate plot to take over the world