Re: [support-gang] Student using XO backwards
On Tue, Dec 17, 2013 at 11:15:37PM -0600, Anna wrote: > As an aside, I've noticed that every kid seems to fold down the > "ears." I've never tested wireless range with ears up versus down, > but it's my understanding that "ears up" increases the range. I've tested. Yes, ears up increases the range. Not by a huge amount though. It isn't always necessary, and won't always help. Increasing the range can decrease performance because more noise or distant transmissions are received. The ideal situation is that each node in a wireless network have a similar transmission power and receive sensitivity. While it may seem that increasing these two on a node would bring benefits, it does not always work that way. (Similar effect occurs with two-way radio repeater transmission towers; when increasing the transmit power, one must take care to increase the sensitivity, otherwise the coverage ring for transmit won't be the same diameter as that for receive. This leads to frustration, as there exists a donut of partial coverage.) I've seen most kids want the ears up. Perhaps this is an artefact of how the laptops are introduced; the initial opening lesson plan. -- James Cameron http://quozl.linux.org.au/ ___ Devel mailing list Devel@lists.laptop.org http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/devel
Re: [support-gang] Student using XO backwards
[ cc'ing devel ] nathan c. riddle wrote: > Did anyone else pick up on the student use of XO in picture of O.K. > School in Manitoba on planet.laptop.org for Dec. 17 ? Using touchpad > behind display. > > Is this just for posing picture or do students use it this way? > > Tried it and easily adapted to reversed motions needed to move pointer > -- feels like I am using a touch tablet. > > > Wonder if pointer response could be reversed for those who were not > comfortable with tablet feel. yes -- the commandline command "olpc-rotate -e" will do it -- it causes both touchpad axes to be reflected. use "olpc-rotate -n" to revert to 'n'ormal. (the 'e' stands for ebook). i thought this facility would be useful when using the laptop in ebook mode, because in that mode the only way to get at the touchpad is by cracking the laptop open slightly, which results in that same "backwards" operation. but i found that in practice it was pretty easy to get used to the reversal, and doing the axis reflection automatically is impossible. (the problem is that the laptop only knows it's in ebook mode when fully closed. as soon as you crack it open to reach the touchpad, it's back in "normal" mode, even though it's only been opened by less than an inch to access the touchpad.) paul =- paul fox, p...@laptop.org ___ Devel mailing list Devel@lists.laptop.org http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/devel