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From the threads...<br>
<br>
<font color="#000099">"For the XO, it would be great if dictionaries
were *not* constant
databases. Many of the countries where the XO is/will be deployed have
local languages for which good free electronic dictionaries very much
do not exist. Moreover, even in places where the local language is
digital-age, creating a schoolwide jargon file would be a great project
for involving the kids."<br>
</font><br>
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 <font color="#990000">(I don't know which ones are
installed in this moment... which languages come installed with the XO?
Phyton and... what else? )<br>
</font><br>
<u><b>Sharing new words</b></u>: how the modifications of one user can
be "shared" with the rest of the "group" or the rest of the
"neighborhood" ? Possible answers:<br>
* The school server will collect, organize and share the "additional
words & meanings".<br>
* The MESH will be the one that will share (automatically?) for all
"additional words". The "mesh" IS the server.<br>
<br>
The problem with my "all in memory" proposal is that the XO has 256MB
of memory... <font color="#990000">how many megabyes are available for
user programs (activities) after the XO boots and call the Sugar
enviroment? How many can be used by the "all in memory" translator
without "retarding" the most common tools inside sugar (like a common
user that is playing with eToys, Firefox browser and Tam-Tam... just
for example...).</font><br>
<br>
When we realize how many MB are available we will know IF the "dynamic"
database can grow based only over the free memory or it needs to work
over a bigger medium (like the 1GB falsh memory) or ... other options?
uhmm... setting up a "ram disk" in the flash memory and then the
"dictionary database" can be bigger...<br>
<br>
<u><b>Size of dictionaries: </b></u>Dictionaries no need to be huge.
These are for children and young kids (6 to 12 years old). Since
dictionaries are "just" words (no images) the size of the words
database will be small. In "my" database 16,000 english words (many
are for adults... for I have not clean the database)...with their
translation, takes around 600 K. So a "fully revised" children
edition would be smaller in size.<br>
<br>
Other use of the "seach & find" routines of these "dictionary"
programs: I am speaking about "dictionary"... but it is an error from
my part... what we are developing are "translators". But it is the
very same routine to develop "dictionaries": just replace the 2nd part
of the equation: the "translation" will become the "meaning". So we
will have "english word = spanish word" or "english word = english
meaning" ... and many other combinations: common phrases...
localisms... concepts... etc.<br>
<br>
<u><b>Othe names different than "words" ?<br>
</b></u>uhmm.. "Say what?" ("¿Que dice?)<br>
<br>
Best regards,<br>
<br>
Javier Rodriguez<br>
Lima, Peru<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Chris Ball wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:86d4q2m0n6.fsf@pullcord.laptop.org" type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Hi Javier,
> An idea is born I have read that the boys and girls in the "pilots"
> develop in the high andes of my country (Peru) has been demanding
> some tool to translate some english words that they want to know.
> I understand fully their curiosity and need.
We both had the same response to reading this request from the pilot!
I wrote a Sugar activity that does multilingual word translation.
We've been talking about it on the sugar@ mailing list, here's a link:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.laptop.olpc.sugar/4443">http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.laptop.olpc.sugar/4443</a>
I'd be interested to hear your feedback on the activity, and if you
have any suggestions on which dictionaries are best to use. I'm
using this one for Spanish at the moment:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.june29.com/IDP/files/Spanish.txt">http://www.june29.com/IDP/files/Spanish.txt</a>
Thanks!
- Chris.
</pre>
</blockquote>
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