That's helpful commentary -- perhaps you could add it to the MaMamedia and availlain pages respectively -- not everyone knows how to use/consult the "talk" pages or even the discussion tab, so I'd suggest adding a Status section with your impressions.
<br><br>Given the realities of volunteer work etc., maybe a helpful thing would also be to add a Help section - "If you are interested in helping this project if/when help is needed, please add your name and contact info in this section"
<br><br>It's also possible things can move along without them having the time to update -- but if a project falters because of lack of assistance -- even though there may be people coming who might be able to help -- perhaps this is a way to help things come along.
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Dec 6, 2007 11:55 AM, Carol Lerche <<a href="mailto:cafl@msbit.com">cafl@msbit.com</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Maybe, but a version of mamamedia was in the prior vmware build, and the group doing this is clearly affiliated with the media lab and olpc. They had a bundle released in October. Browsing to the links to the .xo files from the latest vmware image (649) and attempting to download starts an install which hangs and requires a reboot to clear.
<br><br>As for Avallain, it seems that they are working with the Nepal deployment, and email offering development help to their "contact us" link gleans no response, not even a "we received your mail, run along and play". I think this is an instance where the page about them in the OLPC wiki needs to be clarified. Literacy content is highly important in a product aimed at primary grades, and it is really hard to see any content/strategy that actually shows that someone has thought about it. I don't think this is necessarily true of the facts on the ground -- it may be an artifact of the wiki's inherent lack of cohesive structure and update. Also, the persons most active in instigating the project have a long history of finding ways to use technology in science and math education, especially in upper elementary grades where literacy competence was presumed, at least at some minimal level.
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Dec 6, 2007 9:45 AM, Todd Kelsey <<a href="mailto:tekelsey@gmail.com" target="_blank">tekelsey@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
I am not certain on either Mamamedia or Availlain -- my guess is that they are both instances where employees of the companies are trying to fit in product development for olpc in parallel with their corporate development (
i.e. staying late at work to try and get it done). The best thing I could suggest is to send an email once a month, asking them what the status is of their work -- and if you like, asking them if there's any help you can provide to put it forward -- simply by getting a sense of the help they need, and possibly updating their wiki page (x,y,z needed, please add your name if you are willing to help) -- eventually enough traction may occur to get something going.
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div><div></div><div>On Dec 6, 2007 11:04 AM, Carol Lerche <<a href="mailto:cafl@msbit.com" target="_blank">cafl@msbit.com</a>> wrote:<br></div></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div><div></div><div>
<p>Their wiki seems dead. November 30, the date stated as the next milestone, is past -- what is the status?
When I look at the "blocker bugs" it isn't clear why they block a
release. Why does language selection have to be dynamic, for example?
Couldn't versions be packaged for individual countries? This stuff
isn't present in the latest vmware image I downloaded (649), and when I
tried to install by browsing to the .xo link on the olpc wiki I got a
stalled activity that required a reboot of the vm to clear.
</p><p>The activities in the mamamedia group seem most appropriate for
creating early literacy content and that is what I am trying to put
together for my 4 g1g1 laptops, which are destined for a kindergarten
in the South Bronx. Is there a mailing list for development activity? <br></p><p>Also, the OLPC wiki tells me that Avallain is somehow the plan for supporting literacy contentn the OLPC, but I couldn't find any info on their website There is mention of developing an open source version.
</p>Does anyone reading this list know about these content issues?<br><font color="#888888"><br>Carol Lerche<br>
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About Me/CFTW | <a href="http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dhbxftbn_35f5b46b&hl=en">http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dhbxftbn_35f5b46b&hl=en</a><br><br>1000 Year Reunion (Poem) | <a href="http://welcome.cftw.com">http://welcome.cftw.com
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