Brian - couple things - so Win8 doesn't have any built-in options for booting in the classic screen? I thought that was supposed to be an option...but I guess not. So $5 more per machine for that option...wow.

Other thing - are you still looking at FitnessGram? Dale is talking with the company to find out what SSC would have to do to be a third party host - it is a possibility, there's just some hoops to go through. But even if it's just Hayfield and Dover-Eyota, I'm thinking that should make for a cheaper option (and maybe easier) then us having to buy and set up yet another server?

I haven't found any way to find a start menu or boot to a standard desktop.  I don't like the tiles.

 

 

we are still interested in Fitnessgram.  The Dover elementary principal has talked to our elementary principal and both schools want to do it.

Lots of other options for this (see link). I used classic shell and like it so far - it's free. not sure if the boot to desktop is an option with it.

 

Definitely recommend a touch screen device for win 8, however - much much easier to navigate and run metro apps. Desktop apps still work better with a keyboard and mouse. Because of that I find it easier to grab and use a touchscreen ultrabook than a win 8 slate and have to deal with a sometimes keyboard/mouse, sometimes not. Am using asus vivobook 14" for most of my stuff - $699 on newegg, includes hybrid hdd/ssd for fast bootups, battery ok - held up all day for student use (mixed intensity). Am hoping someone throws out a convertible ultrabook/tablet in this price range or less, as the $999 predicted for surface pro puts it out of our league for any widescale deployment.

 

http://www.infoworld.com/d/microsoft-windows/9-windows-start-menus-...

http://www.classicshell.net/