Speaking of getting external/local parties to document the "high ceiling"...
Adam Hyde, who runs http://flossmanuals.net/, <http://flossmanuals.net/> has offered to mobilize a FLOSSmanuals project(s) for moderately "polished" multilingual documentation of the XO for developers, endusers, or both (w/ easy access to nice print-on-demand books - potentially handy for developers who want to carry a nicely-bound reference/quickstart around with them.) He'd especially like to develop a minimally verbal (as close to 100% icon/photo based as possible) set of documentation, and tools for creating such, so that devels can quickly document their work with very little need for translation, and students/teachers with XOs can easily contribute. Is this along the lines of what folks were thinking? Is there a particular project that would be good to point him towards? I was thinking of suggesting a "new developers guide" which would include user-friendlifying / de-acronymizing / translating / coherently-ordering existing pages like - http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Hardware_specification - http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Developers_program - http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Emulation - http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Demo_Notes (updated for either B4 or the production machine) - http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Game_Development_Quickstart - etc. Thoughts? -Mel On 8/6/07, Mike Usmar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > While I agree there is some more work needing to occur to fast track > developers into coding, I am confident that the UI guidelines, and indeed > sugar are intuitive enough that children "get it" rather fast. We have > been > mass testing the user experience both with emulators and XO's here in a > Pacific Island community in New Zealand - with about 11 languages in one > class room at once, and the User Experience isn't an issue. We took 5 XO > up > to a school in Fiji on Friday, a school in the middle of the bush, and > within minutes of the children seeing the XO they we recording, and > creating > a slide show - the thing to note here is they had never seen a computer > ever! This teachers us volumes - be confident that kids in underdeveloped > countries are very smart, and even more keen to discover > > Mike Usmar > OLPC NZ/Pacific Development Group > University of Auckland/Computer Clubhouse > DDI 64 9 271-1907 > SKYPE: mikeusmar > > > On 2/8/07 12:52 PM, "Walter Bender" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > One thing we have been lagging behind on is documentation for > > developers: APIs, etc. Eben has done a nice job on the UI guidelines, > > but there more help we can and should provide to those who want to dig > > into the code itself--something we are encouraging the children and > > teachers to do. > > > > -walter > > > > On 8/1/07, Eben Eliason <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> We're not ignorant of the need for some amount of explanation about > various > >> aspects of the UI and also some activities. For the most part, we do > feel > >> that the interfaces will offer an immediately usable or at least > quickly > >> discoverable experience for most, and this has been true in some early > >> trials with much earlier (and buggier) versions of the software. > >> Nonetheless, we wouldn't presume that it will be "obvious" to all. For > that > >> matter, some of the advanced functionality that provides the high > ceiling in > >> our "low floor, high ceiling" model may actually be less discoverable > in > >> favor of a simpler up front experience, and in those cases > documentation can > >> be a valuable thing. > >> > >> In any event, this project is about both education and > community. These two > >> items should re-factor the way we think about help. Yes, we'll provide > some > >> basic documentation; yes, activity developers will do the same. But in > the > >> long run, it's much more consistent with our goals for the project to > create > >> an ever growing community around the laptops and their activities, > where > >> children, teachers, and developers alike can post tips, suggestions, > formal > >> documentation, images, video, experiences, and tutorials about both > software > >> and hardware. In this way, we can leverage the power of the > communities and > >> the children themselves, who are eager to explore and learn, and can > learn > >> how to help each other through the process. By handing out some > >> responsibility, the localization problem can be solved > naturally. Having an > >> evolving system for help also makes a lot of sense when the software is > both > >> young and continually changing. > >> > >> > >> We're not neglecting help on principle; we're adjusting our view of the > help > >> model in light of the project's mission and goals. > >> > >> - Eben > >> > >> > >> On 8/1/07, Ryan Pavlik <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >>> I am not coming up with these ideas, just relaying them. If you wish > >>> for comment by the entire community, including those who know more > about > >>> it than me, use the "Reply to All" feature of your mail client rather > >>> than sending private replies - I am rather unqualified to answer most > of > >>> your questions. > >>> > >>> Ryan > >>> > >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >>>> Dear Ryan, > >>>> > >>>> I don't doubt the solid pedagogical underpinnings of the OLPC, and > >>>> fully endorse the principles. As the 25th employee at Xerox PARC I > >>>> have more than a passing interest in user interfaces, and I applaud > >>>> Sugar's innovative approach (and talk about it in many of my > >>>> presentations). That said, my experience using technology with kids > >>>> since the 1970's has revealed different levels of "obviousness," and > >>>> this is reflected in the many spirited discussions on this list. > >>>> Pardon me if it appears that the idea of "obviating the need for > >>>> documentation" is slightly hubristic. There will be some (especially > >>>> among the adult decision-making community) who will benefit from some > >>>> documentation. Are you suggesting that (for example) eToys needs no > >>>> documentation? If so how do you explain that the first Smalltalk > >>>> documentation consisted of TWO hardbound books published by > >>>> Addison-Welsey. > >>>> > >>>> I am a huge fan of having kids jump into the deep end of new > >>>> projects. I also have found that helpful resources are quite > valuable. > >>>> > >>>> Warm regards, > >>>> > >>>> David Thornburg, PhD > >>>> Director, Global Operations > >>>> Thornburg Center > >>>> Chicago, USA | Recife, Brasil > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> -----Original Message----- > >>>> From: Ryan Pavlik <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>>> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Sugar Mailing List < [email protected]> > >>>> Sent: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:57 pm > >>>> Subject: Re: [sugar] Docs? > >>>> > >>>> By self-documenting I mean that the interface obviates the need for > >>>> documentation, not that it produces written documentation. You might > >>>> be interested to look at http://wiki.laptop.org - it is as much > >>>> (more!) an education project as a laptop project, and the educational > >>>> theory behind the decision decisions is pretty interesting. > >>>> > >>>> Ryan > >>>> > >>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >>>>> If the OLPC is self-documenting, who is handling this, how much > >>>> memory > does it take, and what does the interface look like? It > seems > >>>> that > this would have come up in conversations by now. > >>>>> > >>>>> Just asking. > >>>>> > >>>>> David Thornburg > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> -----Original Message----- > >>>>> From: Ryan Pavlik <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > >>>>> To: Edward Cherlin <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > >>>>> Cc: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > >>>>> Sent: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 7:35 pm > >>>>> Subject: Re: [sugar] Docs? > >>>>> > >>>>> I am certainly not an OLPC rep, but what I have seen suggests that > >>>> the > > >>>>> intent is for the machines to be self-instructing and not requiring > > > >>>>> documentation. In addition to the massive translation demands that > > >>>>> would require, it also does not coincide with the educational > > >>>>> theories/practices that the organization is pursuing. > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> Of course, if you want to make developer documentation, then I think > > > >>>>> anyone's answer would be, dive in! :) Just ask which regions are > >>>> stable > > >>>>> first so your work doesn't get obsoleted quickly. > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> Ryan > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> Edward Cherlin wrote: > >>>>> > >>>>>> Is there any plan for official software documentation? I have been > >>>> a > > >>>>>> Senior Tech Writer for the last 10 years and would be delighted to > > > >>>>>> work on it (particularly if someone like Red Hat would support me > >>>> to > > >>>>>> do it 60 hours a week *<{%-{]}}} <--Goggle-eyed geek in clown hat, > > > >>>>>> moustache, and full beard). Actually, I have been writing about XO > > > >>>>>> software off and on ever since the Dynabook days, when Xerox > >>>> licensed > > >>>>>> Smalltalk to Apple, HP, and others in 1981, during my market > >>>> research > > >>>>>> period. > >>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>>> For example, I wrote in a study of so-called educational software > >>>> back > > >>>>>> then that the overpriced drill-and-practice programs of the time > > >>>>>> weren't real educational software, and that what children need is > > >>>>>> sharp tools to do stuff with. Commercial educational software is > >>>> still > > >>>>>> a vast wasteland, with a few honorable exceptions. Then I did a > >>>> study > > >>>>>> on Personal Instruments (data acquisition and analysis on PCs), and > >>> > >>>>>> some other reports that touched on education. Besides starting and > > > >>>>>> managing a software project for math for schools. And a few other > >>>> things. > >>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>>> I have a button that says, "Stop me before I volunteer again," but > >>>> it > > >>>>>> doesn't help. [sigh] > >>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>>> -- > > >>>>>> Edward Cherlin > >>>>> > >>>>>> Earth Treasury: End Poverty at a Profit > >>>>> > >>>>>> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Earth_Treasury > >>>>> > >>>>>> WIRE AFRICA http//www.wireafrica.org/ < http://www.wireafrica.org/> > >>>> <http://www.wireafrica.org/> > >>>>> > >>>>>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/cherlin > >>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>> > >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>>> > >>>>>> Sugar mailing list > >>>>> > >>>>>> [email protected] <mailto:[email protected] > > >>>> <mailto:[email protected] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > >>>>> > >>>>>> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar > >>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> -- > > >>>>> Ryan Pavlik > >>>>> > >>>>> AbiWord Win32 Platform Maintainer, Art Lead: www.abisource.com > >>>> <http://www.abisource.com> <http://www.abisource.com> > >>>>> > >>>>> AbiWord Community Outreach Project: > >>>> www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/ > >>>> <http://www.cleardefinition.com /oss/abi/blog/> > >>>> <http://www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> "Optimism is the father that leads to achievement." > >>>>> > >>>>> -- Helen Keller > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> "The folder structure in a modern Linux distribution such as Ubuntu > >>>>> > >>>>> was largely inspired by the original UNIX foundations that were > >>>>> > >>>>> created by men with large beards and sensible jumpers." > >>>>> > >>>>> -- Jono Bacon, The Ubuntu Guide > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> ______________________________ _________________ > >>>>> > >>>>> Sugar mailing list > >>>>> > >>>>> [email protected] <mailto:[email protected] > > >>>> <mailto:[email protected] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > >>>>> > >>>>> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar > >>>>> > >>>> > >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >>>>> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's > >>>> free > from AOL at *AOL.com* > >>>> <http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000437>. > >>>> > >>>> -- Ryan Pavlik > >>>> AbiWord Win32 Platform Maintainer, Art Lead: www.abisource.com > >>>> <http://www.abisource.com> > >>>> AbiWord Community Outreach Project: > >>>> www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/ > >>>> <http://www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/> > >>>> > >>>> "Optimism is the father that leads to achievement." > >>>> -- Helen Keller > >>>> > >>>> "The folder structure in a modern Linux distribution such as Ubuntu > >>>> was largely inspired by the original UNIX foundations that were > >>>> created by men with large beards and sensible jumpers." > >>>> -- Jono Bacon, The Ubuntu Guide > >>>> > >>>> > >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >>>> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's > free > >>>> from AOL at * AOL.com* <http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000437 > >. > >>> > >>> > >>> -- > >>> Ryan Pavlik > >>> AbiWord Win32 Platform Maintainer, Art Lead: www.abisource.com > >>> AbiWord Community Outreach Project: > www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/ > >>> > >>> "Optimism is the father that leads to achievement." > >>> -- Helen Keller > >>> > >>> "The folder structure in a modern Linux distribution such as Ubuntu > >>> was largely inspired by the original UNIX foundations that were > >>> created by men with large beards and sensible jumpers." > >>> -- Jono Bacon, The Ubuntu Guide > >>> > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> Sugar mailing list > >>> [email protected] > >>> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar > >>> > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Sugar mailing list > >> [email protected] > >> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar > >> > >> > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Sugar mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar >
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