What's New in Computers at GECDSB?

While this may not be a "new" issue with computers, it is something that certainly needs to be addressed. With amalgamation and strong personal preferences, we have an electronic Tower of Babel when it comes to working with computer documents.

At the present time, we are using:

Word Processors:

Spreadsheets:

Databases:

and there are probably more!

The problem occurs because each individual program, unless instructed otherwise, uses its own proprietary format for storing documents. These combinations make it very difficult or even impossible for staff to transfer documents to each other as "attachments" to normal e-mail messages. Until a board standard has been defined, please consider the following when creating documents that will be transferred to others.

Use First Class (Preferred for Word Processing documents):
Regardless of the individual word processor, all office computers can access the First Class Conferencing and Email system. To ensure that your smaller documents are readable by all, consider typing directly into a new First Class message. If your document is already in a word processor like WordPerfect or Clarisworks, select the entire document (CTRL-A or OPTION-A), copy the text (CTRL-C or OPTION-C), switch to your new First Class message and paste your text (CTRL-V or OPTION-V). First Class gives you the functionality of using fonts and font size changes (Arial , Courier, Times New Roman) are common on both Windows and Macintosh platforms). If you decide to use colour, remember that dark colours like black, blue, and green print best.

In a similar fashion, messages that are received in First Class can be copied and pasted into your favourite word processor.

Rich Text Documents:
If you have a word processing document that you wish to send and cannot put it into the body of a First Class message, attach the file to a message. All word processors have the ability to SAVE AS with the option to save your documents as RTF or Rich Text Format. Your document cannot contain graphics but special formatting features such as bolding, underlining, etc., will be preserved. If you receive such a document, make sure that your word processor is set to open RTF documents rather than the proprietary format. To ensure that your document is readable by both Windows and Macintosh computers, create a suitable name for your document of up to 8 letters and append the characters .RTF to the end. (i.e. DOUG.RTF)

Databases:
With the advent of the Ontario Report Card, Grades 1-8, all school office computers should now have Filemaker Pro 4.0 installed. Files created in native Filemaker Pro 4.0 format are readable directly on Windows and Macintosh computers without any extra work. Your school computer technician can determine your computer capabilities and install Filemaker Pro 4.0 should you have a computer without it. Name your Filemaker Pro files with up to 8 letters and append the characters .FP3 to the end. (i.e. DOUG.FP3)

Spreadsheets:
For transportability of spreadsheet documents, use the SAVE AS feature and save your spreadsheet in the SYLK format. All spreadsheet programs have the ability to open spreadsheets that have been saved in this format. (SYLK is to spreadsheets as RTF is to word processors) Name your spreadsheet files with up to 8 letters and append the characters .SLK to the end. (i.e. DOUG.SLK)

Adobe Acrobat:
Many Ministry documents and program documentation come in Adobe Acrobat's Portable Document Format, PDF. In order to read these documents, you will require the free version of the Adobe Acrobat reader. Your computer technician can install version 3.0 of this utility on your computer. Note that this is for viewing documents in PDF format only. You cannot create documents in this format without special software.