[Informatics] Adventures in Libre Office

[Mark]

And... ?

I'd very much like to hear about their findings.

Regards,
Mark

On 22 March 2017 at 16:50, Colley, Elizabeth E <
colley.elizabeth.e at edumail.vic.gov.au> wrote:

> My students had a fun time creating a google doc, with each pair testing
> out a different ‘free’ Gantt chart software and posting their results and
> recommendations.
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> *Liz Colley*
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> *Year 7 Assistant* *Educational Year Level Leader*
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> English and Computing Teacher
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> *From:* informatics-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:informatics-bounces@
> edulists.com.au] *On Behalf Of *Robert Hind
> *Sent:* Wednesday, 22 March 2017 4:17 PM
> *To:* 'Year 12 VCE Informatics Teachers' Mailing List' <
> informatics at edulists.com.au>
>
> *Subject:* Re: [Informatics] Adventures in Libre Office
>
>
>
> Attack gerbils indeed!
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>
> I would like to point out that
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> "*Gerbils* and hamsters are classified as exotic rodents and they not
> allowed in *Australia* because they are a threat to the local ecosystem.
> That is, if they were to escape into the wild, they may start breeding and
> threaten native flora and fauna." http://www.petpages.com.au/a/
> lifestyle/why_cant_i_buy_a_gerbil_or_hamster_in_australia
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>
>
> Robert Hind
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> Ex Traralgon and Ashwood
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> Retired
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *From:* informatics-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:informatics-bounces@
> edulists.com.au <informatics-bounces at edulists.com.au>] *On Behalf Of *Mark
> *Sent:* Wednesday, 22 March 2017 3:43 PM
> *To:* Year 12 VCE Informatics Teachers' Mailing List
> *Subject:* Re: [Informatics] Adventures in Libre Office
>
> Hi James
>
>
>
> If I needed a guard animal, I'd get a dog. I would not train a gerbil to
> attack intruders.
>
>
>
> Similarly, if I need to create Gantt charts, I'd use a dedicated Gantt
> chart tool, and not expect a spreadsheet to do a job for which it is
> completely inappropriate.
>
>
>
> - Does an Excel 2016 Gantt do proper dependency arrows? I can't find
> that.*
>
> - Does Excel handle milestones automatically when a task's duration is set
> to zero?
>
> - Importantly, if a task is moved or changed, do other tasks automatically
> change to accommodate the adjustment - or do you have to manually drag all
> affected tasks around to reflect the change? The SAC requires chart
> adjustments to be demonstrated, and manual adjustment of all consequential
> task changes is a real buzz-kill.
>
> - Can you allocate resources to a task? Will it warn that resources are
> double-booked? (Not that this is required for Informatics, but it's a very
> handy feature)
>
> - Is it *free*?
>
>
>
> Far better, dedicated, no-cost Gantt software is easily available.
>
> Why spend weeks training a gerbil to bark and assault strangers?
>
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> And yes, I agree that Google apps have much to commend them, but they also
> lack the features of dedicated tools.
>
>
>
> And do Google docs work offline? I remember once sitting in the waiting
> room of a gerbil training academy that had no wifi, and *could not
> produce a Gantt chart online*. It was *very* distressing.
>
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>
> Mark
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> * It may explain why - before the 2016 Info exam - VCAA exams' Gantt
> questions have *no* dependency arrows or milestone diamonds. I can
> imagine the old exam-setting group at work:
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> A: We need to depict a Gantt chart in this IPM exam !
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> B: Great! Let's show a Gantt chart that lacks *all* of the most vital
> features of a real Gantt chart, like the arrows and diamonds!
>
> A: Fantastic! Let's do that thing. But wait! Do you think it might confuse
> students who have learned what a real Gantt chart looks like?
>
> B: Ha Ha Ha. Yes indeed. But if we downloaded and used *real* Gantt chart
> software tool - that would be really - um - free and quick and easy ... But
> you know Microsoft's slogan: *"What the hell. Let's use Excel!"*
>
> A: But isn't that like training a gerbil to be an attack animal?
>
> B: Golly. You must be psychic. That analogy won't be raised until March
> 2017.
>
> A: Jeepers. That's spooky!
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> On 22 March 2017 at 14:37, Vella, James <jvella at mackillop.vic.edu.au>
> wrote:
>
> And I’m guessing the latest version of Libre Calc doesn’t allow you to
> make Gantt charts like Excel 2016 does!
>
>
>
> If you’re looking for a free productivity suite (with plenty of resources
> to boot), Google might be the better answer.
>
>
>
> JV
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>
> --
>
>
>
> Mark Kelly
>
>
>
> mark at vceit.com
>
> http://vceit.com
>
>
>
> Powered by *curiosity.*
>
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>
>
>
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