#3655 (Specify the order of the Activity taskbar icons)

[Eben Eliason]

> Specifically, the first 6 icons from the left should be (in order):
> Chat, Browse, Write, Record, Paint, TamtamJam?
>
> After that:
> Turtle Art, eToys, Pippy, Calculator, Measure, TamTamEdit?, SynthLab?, Memorize, Blockparty, and Connect4.
> -----
>
>   It appears to me that this ordering puts higher emphasis on "simple
> and easy" things and less emphasis on things that require "creativity
> and hard fun" (excluding games).  Is this observation correct?

I'm not sure that analysis is quite fair.  Browse and Chat are at the
top of the list because one of the foremost goals of OLPC is to
provide "connection," both to peers (for collaborative learning) and
to the internet (to provide access to information they otherwise don't
have).

Write, Paint, Record, and TamTam address the primary (as opposed to
"simple") tools for creative expression in text, image, video, and
audio media respectively.  The other tools are all fantastic, and
that's why they are still on the list for inclusion as base
activities.

>   If so, it may send a wrong message to the rest of world.  Many
> potential cuostomer contries have cellphones and PCs already, and
> adults and youth are chatting and browsing and taking notes (and
> playing games) with them.  Are we trying to compete in such
> "cellphone" culture domain?
>
>   I'd say, cellphones and PCs they already have can take care of
> simple stuff, so our priority (or our message) should be more on the
> "hard fun" items.

These laptops are often going to people and places where cellphones
and laptops don't exist for reasons of cost, power consumption, lack
of connectivity.  We're addressing all of those issues, and at the
same time providing an array of activities which address all age
groups and interests.  Just because some of them are "simple" doesn't
mean that they can't produce incredibly impressive and complex results
in the hands of a creative individual (or group of individuals).
Furthermore, the emphasis on connectedness and collaboration puts even
the most basic activities on the laptops far ahead of any mobile
applications and in some ways many desktop applications as well.

- Eben