[Olpc-open] RES: documentary

[John Kintree]

On Tuesday 29 May 2007 06:34 am, Marta Voelcker wrote:
> I integrate the group of researchers from UFRGS university in Porto Alegre
> Brazil, that is coordinating a pilot school using XO.
> find our videos at:
> http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=lecufrgs
>
> some news and pictures ( some of the texts are in english):
> http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=lecufrgs

Thanks for sharing.  The sample I watched was well done.  Assuming it's 
published under a Creative Commons type of license, it's the kind of video 
that could be incorporated into an "official" OLPC documentary.  Perhaps 
several versions could be made with subtitles in different languages.  If 
there is a sound track for a narrator, this could be done in different 
languages.  

What I'm looking for is a fairly systematic presentation of the XO computer 
and how it is being used.  There are some basic pieces of information that I 
want to see, in addition to the scenes of children demonstrating various 
activities.  These include:
* What kind of Internet connection does the school have?  How fast?  What does 
it cost?
* When the children take the XO computers home, does the mesh network really 
keep them connected to the Internet?  At what distances, and what speeds?
* If hundreds of XOs are distributed at a school, do icons for all of them 
appear on the screen in Neighborhood view?  
* Which icons will appear in Neighborhood view in an urban area that might 
have several schools?
* Which icons appear in Friends view?  How does the user control this?
* Does the school or teacher have to agree to apply the Constructivist 
approach to education before they get XO computers for their students?

Those are just a few quickies that come to my mind.  Other people may have 
questions that they would like to see answered in an "official" documentary, 
or series of documentaries.  

The time seems to be right for this because the OLPC project is more than two 
years old, and is very close to completing the design and testing process 
that will allow for mass production.  If the design goals of functionality,  
energy efficiency, security, and so on are met at less than $200 per unit, I 
don't think anyone else, including Intel or Microsoft, can beat the XO.  It's 
way in a class by itself, BUT that needs to be demonstrated.  

Therefore, there is a need for an "official" OLPC presentation.  No hype, 
please, just say it the way it is; which is what I feel I've been getting 
from Walter Bender's weekly updates.  Now I want to see it.
Regards,
John Kintree
4043 Delor Street
St. Louis, MO  63116
314-351-7454
http://home.swbell.net/jkintree/islt/