Timpanogos Technologies: Support Services of CIMS® products

FAQ FirstLine™


Frequently Asked Questions


*How did Timpanogos Technologies and Ed Tech Labs begin?*
Many school districts who have used CIMS® products were facing decisions about changes to both software and support in the very near future. Ed Tech Labs was founded as a user-developmental community. Included in this consortium are current CIMS® users plus a group of highly experienced technicians, programmers and support providers. The overall goal has been to allow districts to retain their established data, their IBM AS/400™ and iSeries technology and the functionality of the software. Members in turn would access a new-updated "open source-type' replacement application. In essence, the purpose of Timpanogos Technologies and the non-profit Ed Tech Labs is to retain, maintain and improve, thus eliminating the need to replace software.

*What is "open source" software?*
The open source movement is based on the fundamental principle that software should be "owned" by those who use it. You may have heard of the Linux operating system for PC's. Linux, created by Linus Torvalds as an alternative to UNIX (a proprietary system). Linus Torvalds solution was go one-step further than simply writing the software and marketing it. Instead he wrote the software and made it available via the Internet. He encouraged other programmers to improve and fix what he created. "Open source" is exactly the plan for "Ascent™", our browser-based alternative and upgrade to your present CIMS® applications. Education Technology Labs will develop the initial framework and applications that will replace existing CIMS® functionality. Charter districts, at their discretion, will participate in the development effort. Upon completion of all modules, the Ascent user-community will provide the resources to enhance and fix the Ascent modules. Ed Tech Labs will provide assistance in the design and review of submissions to the open source software repository for Ascent™. At any time any user may elect to continue to develop Ascent in a non-standard manner for its own use OR the user-community may designate a new entity to guide and assist them in the development of Ascent™. The only constraint that will face any user-community is that the software cannot be sold.

*What kind of support of CIMS® products does Timpanogos Technologies offer?*
Timpanogos Technologies will provide expertise and frontline support for the CIMS® applications in their present form. Support is provided without using source code. We fully and independently re-write new replacement modules of critical level functions that are not working.

*How are Timpanogos Technologies and Ed Tech Labs priced?*
Our pricing philosophy has been that you shouldn't have to pay more to receive a better product. Enrollment in Ed Tech Labs and support from Timpanogos Technologies is priced competitively with your current cost for support and maintenance of CIMS®. For pricing and membership information contact us.