[OLPC_Boston] SOP devel for OLPC Boston

[Richard Delp]

Yikes! A little scary sending an SOP to a bunch of people who have been so much more involved with OLPC Boston than I have. Maybe my newness will be an advantage in this one case. These are the things I found most helpful.
(If you read it in the "Starship Trooper" voice it sounds much more impressive. If not then read it in the voice from the guy that instructs Goofy how to ski and do other things.)
Does it sound to simple? Also I did not provide much of the info. Not only am I so incredibly new that I am still covering most of this, but it seems like it will be more useful to have the new people ask questions. I think someone (Elsa maybe?) was right on when they said that OJT is the most helpful training and that if you can figure out where to go for info you will be much better off. 
So the SOP for first timers at OLPC Boston is below, subject to helpful criticism and changes before posting.
 
V/R,
 
Rick
 
 
SOP
Even though this SOP is meant to help you acclimate to this volunteer organization, human contact is key. Whether contact is virtual or face to face is not so important, but if you can attend a meeting in person take advantage of this opportunity.


Since human contact will be your greatest advantage, you may want to check out some of the different mailing list. You may already be on a couple of these. 


If not, check out:
http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/


Here it is easy to sign up for the various mailing list. If you're unsure how interested you are in a group, it is alright to just try it out. You can always request to drop some mailing list, and add others later on. You're scope is expected to focus as you develop skills in our organization. The one list you should absolutely be involved with is the OLPC Boston mailing list. 


My mailing list:


OLPC Boston
   2.
   3.
(You don't have to stop at three. Go ahead add some more. For your own organization you will probably want to list them out. Unless you have an eidetic memory it is easy to get lost in a mailing list sign-up frenzy.)


Being that you are joining the Boston group you should immediately familiarize yourself with the specific build now being used in deployments. You should be comfortable deploying and giving a demo in this build.


Whether you are doing a deployment within the United States or outside of the continental U.S., there are some basic areas of which everyone needs to have an understanding. You will assuredly find some areas more of interest that of others, especially as your own role within the organization develops and possibly becomes more specialized. If you have no interest at all in some of the following areas, the very least you should know is who is currently involved in them. For each of the below listed items you should have at least on contact. This will provide you with a resource when questions arise.
 


Fund Raising:
Even volunteer organizations need cash. Where has this money come from in the past and who will it come from in the future?
Point of Contact:
Contact Info:




Power:
In the United States the only concern, if any, should only be the cost. Can the group you are providing assistance for afford the extra cost of the power consumed by the equipment being provided?
In third world countries it may become more serious. You will need to have a plan to provide electricity if it isn't readily available or affordable. The answer may be solar panels, gas generators, or even more unique depending on the area. The important thing to realize is that energy production may happen differently in different areas. How is your equipment going to get the electricity it needs?
Point of Contact:
Contact Info:

 
Server:
Depending on the size of your deployment it is likely you will need servers. Who is involved with the server team right now? If your deployment has already occurred is there someone checking in on the server?
Point of Contact:
Contact Info:


Repairs:
Just as servers will need maintenance, so will the rest of the equipment. What is the program doing in terms of upkeep for laptops? You should absolutely spend a day in the repair center if possible.
Point of Contact:
Contact Info:


Development:
Who actually made or refined the code for the OS and applications you are using? This will be helpful if you need additional refinements or apps. 
Point of Contact:
Contact Info:


Connectivity:
Once again here is an area that is easier to deal with inside the United States. If you can keep your deployed laptops connected to the Web, the kids using them will have easier access to information they need. If this becomes impossible how is new information going to reach the kids? In this case you may need to deliver the information by hand, meaning updating it via flash memory. 
Point of Contact:
Contact Info:


Digest and Communication:
It is important to be able to relay what you are doing to our community. Even when you are not satisfied with the results of any given project it is important to do this.
Point of Contact:
Contact Info:


Curriculum:
The end goal of this program is to provide educational material to the teachers of the kids we want to help. Who is contacting the local school system? What is appropriate according to that system? While we can present schools with educational opportunities it will be school system, or whatever version of a school system there is in your deployment, that will decide what will be taught. 
Point of Contact:
Contact Info:


Goals:
This is the most important part so far. You need to set a time line of things you will accomplish. While of course it needs to be reasonable, be ambitious. Your goals at this point may involve training yourself, or finding someone to guide you in specific aspects of your endeavor. Go ahead and set a couple lofty goals for the future, and then set some others for the next three months. We're all volunteers here so we understand that other hobbies, family, and work may take up your time. You decide your own level of involvement. Go ahead and commit yourself to some achievable and ambitious goals. 




In three months time I want to learn and/or accomplish:










_________________________________________________________________
Express your personality in color! Preview and select themes for Hotmail®.
http://www.windowslive-hotmail.com/LearnMore/personalize.aspx?ocid=TXT_MSGTX_WL_HM_express_032009#colortheme
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/olpc_boston/attachments/20090322/c326d110/attachment.htm