[OLPC library] A proposal to give some DICTIONARY pre-installed on the XOs that will be delivered to Peruvian Kids

[Samuel Klein]

2008/3/11 info at olpc-peru.info <info at olpc-peru.info>:

>  I agree: some "dynamic" database will be better than a "static" database.
> It is not hard to build: just add a form and some "append/sort" routine to
> the main database.  Easy to say! (smile)... the "upgrade/add words" option
> can not be done in plain javascript  (it goes against the idea that
> javascript comes from the server and runs on the client machine in a typical
> Internet connection... many security issues raise up!).  So... the
> "add/upgrade" option or form needs to feed some "php" or java or phyton
> or... any other language that can be installed on the XO (I don't know which
> ones are installed in this moment... which languages come installed with the
> XO? Phyton and... what else? )

Effectively, just Python.

>  Sharing new words: how the modifications of one user can be "shared" with
> the rest of the "group" or the rest of the "neighborhood" ?  Possible
> answers:
>  * The school server will collect, organize and share the "additional words
> & meanings".

To keep a record of all dictionary changes made by each individual,
you will need to do something on a machine or site with a fair bit of
memory that intends to be up for a long time.

XOs will probably want a way to merge a new dictionary with their
existing one, from the mesh, a server, or another place; it has no
reason to store lots of changes in memory.

> So we will have "english word =
> spanish word" or "english word = english meaning" ... and many other
> combinations: common phrases... localisms... concepts... etc.

Also picture dictionaries, working in both directions (word to image,
or image to words in various languages).

>  Othe names different than "words" ?

Do you mean phrases?

Cheers,
SJ