[olpc-nz] Do you know the minimum specs for in-browser activities on OLPC laptops?

[Marielle Lange]

(making sure it is being sent to the mailing list)

Hi Tim.,

Thanks for your interest :-). 

> I note that you've opened a github repository, but you've only got your README file in there. When are you releasing the source of your app?


That's still very early days. The reason for my earlier request was to help solidify my list of requirements (what would be involved to support Sugar on top of my primary targets, tablets and pocketables?). 

On github, there are two projects

1. Widgeds
http://github.com/widged/exercist-widgeds
The source for all activities that you see on wikispaces is there. 

2. Exercist
http://github.com/widged/exercist
That's for the software that allows for the easy editing / management of the widgeds. I have a working proof of concept (I can reproduce all the functionalities of a software like eXe, with a more well-thought architecture). But need to get it to work with a good range of real activities to help understand the scope. 

Hence the widgeds coming first. 

Hopefully, the AIR part should be released within 2 months. 

In the meantime, a broad description of plans can be found in the wiki section of these projects:
- http://wiki.github.com/widged/exercist/
- http://wiki.github.com/widged/exercist-widgeds/

> Just had a peek at some of the documentation. I don't know the extent to which Sugar will play nicely with Adode Air. Installation should be fine into Fedora, but Sugar/Browse may not be aware of it. I recommend that you get things running in a test environment, such as Sugar on a Stick, to test this aspect of things. Let me know if you would like a hand.


AIR player is said to run on Linux.  However there may be issues with the low specs of the OLPC computer (AIR player runs fine on my Android phone, so perhaps all will be fine). Then, there is the problem of the small screen which may cause usability problems. 

The AIR app is for a different public (content expert who don't want to know anything about technology) and a slightly different use. Authoring more complex instructional content, one organized in pages and sections. 

Any widged should be written without any requirement for any framework to run them or edit them. Their content should be easy to modify for any person tech-savvy enough to edit a page on wikispaces. 

The next level, still within the scope of the widgeds project is the provision of a definition file that specifies the editable content in an even more abstract form so that it becomes possible to automatically generate an editing interface for any widged. Once these specs are established, it shouldn't be too difficult to have an editing form automatically generated within a strictly js environment. (I am going to provide the specs, but not the server-basedt solution for automatic interface generation myself). 

The AIR app will allow widgeds management without any requirement for technical knowledge. Provide extra functionalities, image manipulation. Interface that allows you to design an adaptive workflow (http://javascript.neyric.com/wireit/). Specify Metadata (Dublin Core). Export to SCORM and other education standards. Embed just in time guidelines / on-demand information on instructional and  rich-media / interactive design. The OO language that Flex is simply makes it easier to scale up. 

For that use, a standard laptop or desktop computer is assumed. 

The teacher / designer / student uses its laptop to edit widgeds that are then published on sites like wikispaces to be used by their students on desktop, iPad, or pocketables (IPodTouch, Android). There is a lack of easy way for teachers to provide content for the pocketable and mobile devices.

This is very much work in progress for now. For now, I am after solidifying my requirements. I was planning to start advertising this and solicit possible contributors in about two months :-)

Marielle




On 22/07/2010, at 10:46 AM, Tim McNamara wrote:

> [sending back to the list, my bad. also, have edited topposting]
> 
> On 22/07/2010, at 7:49 AM, Tim McNamara wrote:
>> On Wed, Jul 21, 2010 at 10:53 PM, Marielle Lange <mlange at widged.com> wrote:
>> Does anybody know what are the specs for the default browser on OLPC laptops?
>> 
>> 
>> Marielle,
>> 
>> Browse should render things that you would expect a modern smart phone to render. They have similar processors. Browse run's with Mozilla's Gecko engine, so the experience is fairly consistent with other Internet browsers.  Except possibly that tabbed browsing has been disabled.
>> 
>> Tim
> 
> 
> 
> On Thu, Jul 22, 2010 at 10:20 AM, Marielle Lange <mlange at widged.com> wrote:
> Hi Tim,
> 
> Thanks, that gives me some lead for a more successful Google Search. 
> Looks like they keep it up to date with each new release of Sugar. 
> 
> I would be interested to pop by on of these Satruday to see how any of these in-browser activities run in browse:
>   http://widgeds.wikispaces.com/
> They are jQuery plugins written to work on pre-html5 browsers.
> 
> Would it be a problem if I come with a specific test agenda?
> 
> 
> That's perfectly fine. We could even give you an XO for a week or so.
> 
> I note that you've opened a github repository, but you've only got your README file in there. When are you releasing the source of your app?
> 
> Just had a peek at some of the documentation. I don't know the extent to which Sugar will play nicely with Adode Air. Installation should be fine into Fedora, but Sugar/Browse may not be aware of it. I recommend that you get things running in a test environment, such as Sugar on a Stick, to test this aspect of things. Let me know if you would like a hand.
> 
> Regards, Tim.

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