--- source_url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edugeek?utm_source=openai" title: Edugeek - Wikipedia mirrored_at: 2026-09-01T01:01:43.982Z host: en.wikipedia.org cited_in_42a: true mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edugeek__q__utm_source_openai" --- > **Original source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edugeek?utm_source=openai From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia EduGeek Type of site Online community Founded 8 June 2005 Headquarters [Preston](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston,_Lancashire "Preston, Lancashire"), Lancashire , [United Kingdom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom "United Kingdom") [Founder](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizational_founder "Organizational founder") Chris Byers Key people Chris Byers Shaun Garriock Employees 2 URL [www.edugeek.net](http://www.edugeek.net/) **EduGeek**.net is a British-based online peer support community and information portal for IT professionals working in the field of education, operating primarily as an [internet forum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_forum "Internet forum"). Set up by Chris Byers and Ric Charlton in 2005,[\[1\]](#cite_note-EduGeek_arrives_in_USA_for_ISTE_2010-1) the site now has 2 full-time paid staff, the founder, Chris Byers, and a [webmaster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webmaster "Webmaster"), Shaun Garriock. As of January 2025, the site has more than 109,000 users.[\[2\]](#cite_note-2) EduGeek was set up in 2005 by Chris Byers,[\[1\]](#cite_note-EduGeek_arrives_in_USA_for_ISTE_2010-1) an IT Systems manager for [Lancashire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancashire "Lancashire") schools in the [United Kingdom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom "United Kingdom"), who has since become employed by the site full-time. The website initially used Dragonfly CMS, although this was found to be too restrictive and the site has since moved onto [vBulletin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VBulletin "VBulletin"). Today, the EduGeek community has a member base in excess of 109,000. In April 2010, the [NAHT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAHT "NAHT") released a report looking at the spending behaviours of schools and the way suppliers were taking advantage of them. This report was in part based on posts at Edugeek, where some members had provided accounts of how their schools had been ripped off by some suppliers.[\[3\]](#cite_note-3) Following the announcement by the UK Government that it was to close [Becta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becta "Becta"), members of EduGeek worked to ensure that the expertise and knowledge available from Becta remained available on other internet sites.[\[4\]](#cite_note-4) EduGeek has been a regular feature at the [BETT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BETT "BETT") show, staffed by volunteers from its membership.[\[5\]](#cite_note-5)[\[6\]](#cite_note-6)[\[7\]](#cite_note-7) The website has three [Administrators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forum_administrator "Forum administrator") and 18 [Moderators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Moderators "Global Moderators"),[\[8\]](#cite_note-EduGeek_Admins_&_Moderators-8) who volunteer personal time to contribute to the community. To help financially, the site has sponsors such as [Smoothwall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoothwall "Smoothwall") and [Promethean Ltd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promethean_Ltd "Promethean Ltd").[\[8\]](#cite_note-EduGeek_Admins_&_Moderators-8) The site also uses advertisements provided by [AdSense](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AdSense "AdSense") to generate income. All of EduGeek's services to its members are provided free. Its members come from all areas of the IT profession. Originally aimed at IT professionals working within the [British education sector](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_United_Kingdom "Education in the United Kingdom") in the mid-2000s (decade), its membership now consists of IT staff from all over the world in education, health, banking and private sector.\[_[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed "Wikipedia:Citation needed")_\] ### Work with Microsoft \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edugeek&action=edit§ion=4 "Edit section: Work with Microsoft")\] In February 2011, [Microsoft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft "Microsoft") invited 50 members of EduGeek to their Reading Campus to discuss the different topics relating to Microsoft software in an educational environment.[\[9\]](#cite_note-9) - In May 2007, [Sophos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophos "Sophos") threatened EduGeek with legal action due to criticising posts of one of its members. Shortly after, Sophos apologised for their actions, blaming it on a staff member convincing their legal team to send the threats, rather than a senior management decision.[\[10\]](#cite_note-10) - In July 2008, the site was put offline due to a hardware issue at their hosting provider, [Fasthosts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasthosts "Fasthosts"). This downtime lasted several days and lead to angry members emailing the company en-masse to express their displeasure.[\[11\]](#cite_note-11) 1. [1](#cite_ref-EduGeek_arrives_in_USA_for_ISTE_2010_1-0) [2](#cite_ref-EduGeek_arrives_in_USA_for_ISTE_2010_1-1) [EduGeek arrives in USA for ISTE 2010](http://www.edugeek.net/news/168-edugeek-arrives-usa-iste-2010.html) 2. [↑](#cite_ref-2) ["Members"](http://www.edugeek.net/members/list/). EduGeek.net. Retrieved 6 January 2013. 3. [↑](#cite_ref-3) [Schools being treated like 'an open chequebook', says NAHT](http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6042430) 4. [↑](#cite_ref-4) [A SHORT-SIGHTED APPROACH? - 14 OCT 2010](http://www.sec-ed.co.uk/cgi-bin/go.pl/article/article.html?uid=79032;type_uid=2;section=Features)\[_[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot "Wikipedia:Link rot")_\] 5. [↑](#cite_ref-5) [Don't miss out - Freebies at Bett 2010](https://www.theguardian.com/resource/freebies-bett-2010) 6. [↑](#cite_ref-6) [Registration now open for BETT 2011](http://www.bcs.org/content/conWebDoc/37370) 7. [↑](#cite_ref-7) [Q&A](https://www.theguardian.com/resource/top-tips) 8. [1](#cite_ref-EduGeek_Admins_&_Moderators_8-0) [2](#cite_ref-EduGeek_Admins_&_Moderators_8-1) [EduGeek Admins & Moderators](http://www.edugeek.net/showgroups.php) 9. [↑](#cite_ref-9) [How many network managers technicians and edugeek members does it take...](http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ukschools/archive/2011/02/25/how-many-network-managers-technicians-and-edugeek-members-does-it-take.aspx) 10. [↑](#cite_ref-10) [Sophos apologises for going legal on school techies](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/30/sophos_versus_edugeeks/) 11. [↑](#cite_ref-11) [Fasthosts brings down Edugeek - and leaves it there](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/10/edugeek_fasthosts/) - [Official website](http://www.edugeek.net/)