Speaking of getting external/local parties to document the "high ceiling"...<br><br>Adam Hyde, who runs <a href="http://flossmanuals.net/">http://flossmanuals.net/,</a> has offered to mobilize a FLOSSmanuals project(s) for moderately "polished" multilingual documentation of the XO for developers, endusers, or both (w/ easy access to nice print-on-demand books - potentially handy for developers who want to carry a nicely-bound reference/quickstart around with them.) He'd especially like to develop a minimally verbal (as close to 100% icon/photo based as possible) set of documentation, and tools for creating such, so that devels can quickly document their work with very little need for translation, and students/teachers with XOs can easily contribute.
<br><br>Is this along the lines of what folks were thinking? Is there a particular project that would be good to point him towards? I was thinking of suggesting a "new developers guide" which would include user-friendlifying / de-acronymizing / translating / coherently-ordering existing pages like
<br><ul><li><a href="http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Hardware_specification">http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Hardware_specification</a></li><li><a href="http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Developers_program">http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Developers_program
</a></li><li><a href="http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Emulation">http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Emulation</a></li><li><a href="http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Demo_Notes">http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Demo_Notes</a> (updated for either B4 or the production machine)
</li><li><a href="http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Game_Development_Quickstart">http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Game_Development_Quickstart</a></li><li>etc.</li></ul>Thoughts?<br><br>-Mel<br><br><div><span class="gmail_quote">On 8/6/07,
<b class="gmail_sendername">Mike Usmar</b> <<a href="mailto:mike@mikeusmar.com">mike@mikeusmar.com</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
While I agree there is some more work needing to occur to fast track<br>developers into coding, I am confident that the UI guidelines, and indeed<br>sugar are intuitive enough that children "get it" rather fast. We have been
<br>mass testing the user experience both with emulators and XO's here in a<br>Pacific Island community in New Zealand - with about 11 languages in one<br>class room at once, and the User Experience isn't an issue. We took 5 XO up
<br>to a school in Fiji on Friday, a school in the middle of the bush, and<br>within minutes of the children seeing the XO they we recording, and creating<br>a slide show - the thing to note here is they had never seen a computer
<br>ever! This teachers us volumes - be confident that kids in underdeveloped<br>countries are very smart, and even more keen to discover<br><br>Mike Usmar<br>OLPC NZ/Pacific Development Group<br>University of Auckland/Computer Clubhouse
<br>DDI 64 9 271-1907<br>SKYPE: mikeusmar<br><br><br>On 2/8/07 12:52 PM, "Walter Bender" <<a href="mailto:walter.bender@gmail.com">walter.bender@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br><br>> One thing we have been lagging behind on is documentation for
<br>> developers: APIs, etc. Eben has done a nice job on the UI guidelines,<br>> but there more help we can and should provide to those who want to dig<br>> into the code itself--something we are encouraging the children and
<br>> teachers to do.<br>><br>> -walter<br>><br>> On 8/1/07, Eben Eliason <<a href="mailto:eben.eliason@gmail.com">eben.eliason@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>>> We're not ignorant of the need for some amount of explanation about various
<br>>> aspects of the UI and also some activities. For the most part, we do feel<br>>> that the interfaces will offer an immediately usable or at least quickly<br>>> discoverable experience for most, and this has been true in some early
<br>>> trials with much earlier (and buggier) versions of the software.<br>>> Nonetheless, we wouldn't presume that it will be "obvious" to all. For that<br>>> matter, some of the advanced functionality that provides the high ceiling in
<br>>> our "low floor, high ceiling" model may actually be less discoverable in<br>>> favor of a simpler up front experience, and in those cases documentation can<br>>> be a valuable thing.<br>
>><br>>> In any event, this project is about both education and community. These two<br>>> items should re-factor the way we think about help. Yes, we'll provide some<br>>> basic documentation; yes, activity developers will do the same. But in the
<br>>> long run, it's much more consistent with our goals for the project to create<br>>> an ever growing community around the laptops and their activities, where<br>>> children, teachers, and developers alike can post tips, suggestions, formal
<br>>> documentation, images, video, experiences, and tutorials about both software<br>>> and hardware. In this way, we can leverage the power of the communities and<br>>> the children themselves, who are eager to explore and learn, and can learn
<br>>> how to help each other through the process. By handing out some<br>>> responsibility, the localization problem can be solved naturally. Having an<br>>> evolving system for help also makes a lot of sense when the software is both
<br>>> young and continually changing.<br>>><br>>><br>>> We're not neglecting help on principle; we're adjusting our view of the help<br>>> model in light of the project's mission and goals.
<br>>><br>>> - Eben<br>>><br>>><br>>> On 8/1/07, Ryan Pavlik <<a href="mailto:abiryan@ryand.net">abiryan@ryand.net</a>> wrote:<br>>>> I am not coming up with these ideas, just relaying them. If you wish
<br>>>> for comment by the entire community, including those who know more about<br>>>> it than me, use the "Reply to All" feature of your mail client rather<br>>>> than sending private replies - I am rather unqualified to answer most of
<br>>>> your questions.<br>>>><br>>>> Ryan<br>>>><br>>>> <a href="mailto:dthornburg@aol.com">dthornburg@aol.com</a> wrote:<br>>>>> Dear Ryan,<br>>>>><br>
>>>> I don't doubt the solid pedagogical underpinnings of the OLPC, and<br>>>>> fully endorse the principles. As the 25th employee at Xerox PARC I<br>>>>> have more than a passing interest in user interfaces, and I applaud
<br>>>>> Sugar's innovative approach (and talk about it in many of my<br>>>>> presentations). That said, my experience using technology with kids<br>>>>> since the 1970's has revealed different levels of "obviousness," and
<br>>>>> this is reflected in the many spirited discussions on this list.<br>>>>> Pardon me if it appears that the idea of "obviating the need for<br>>>>> documentation" is slightly hubristic. There will be some (especially
<br>>>>> among the adult decision-making community) who will benefit from some<br>>>>> documentation. Are you suggesting that (for example) eToys needs no<br>>>>> documentation? If so how do you explain that the first Smalltalk
<br>>>>> documentation consisted of TWO hardbound books published by<br>>>>> Addison-Welsey.<br>>>>><br>>>>> I am a huge fan of having kids jump into the deep end of new<br>
>>>> projects. I also have found that helpful resources are quite valuable.<br>>>>><br>>>>> Warm regards,<br>>>>><br>>>>> David Thornburg, PhD<br>>>>> Director, Global Operations
<br>>>>> Thornburg Center<br>>>>> Chicago, USA | Recife, Brasil<br>>>>><br>>>>><br>>>>> -----Original Message-----<br>>>>> From: Ryan Pavlik <<a href="mailto:abiryan@ryand.net">
abiryan@ryand.net</a>><br>>>>> To: <a href="mailto:dthornburg@aol.com">dthornburg@aol.com</a>; Sugar Mailing List < <a href="mailto:sugar@lists.laptop.org">sugar@lists.laptop.org</a>><br>>>>> Sent: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:57 pm
<br>>>>> Subject: Re: [sugar] Docs?<br>>>>><br>>>>> By self-documenting I mean that the interface obviates the need for<br>>>>> documentation, not that it produces written documentation. You might
<br>>>>> be interested to look at <a href="http://wiki.laptop.org">http://wiki.laptop.org</a> - it is as much<br>>>>> (more!) an education project as a laptop project, and the educational<br>>>>> theory behind the decision decisions is pretty interesting.
<br>>>>><br>>>>> Ryan<br>>>>><br>>>>> <a href="mailto:dthornburg@aol.com">dthornburg@aol.com</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:dthornburg@aol.com">dthornburg@aol.com</a>> wrote:
<br>>>>>> If the OLPC is self-documenting, who is handling this, how much<br>>>>> memory > does it take, and what does the interface look like? It seems<br>>>>> that > this would have come up in conversations by now.
<br>>>>>><br>>>>>> Just asking.<br>>>>>><br>>>>>> David Thornburg<br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
<br>>>>>> From: Ryan Pavlik <<a href="mailto:abiryan@ryand.net">abiryan@ryand.net</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:abiryan@ryand.net">abiryan@ryand.net</a> >><br>>>>>> To: Edward Cherlin <
<a href="mailto:echerlin@gmail.com">echerlin@gmail.com</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:echerlin@gmail.com">echerlin@gmail.com</a>>><br>>>>>> Cc: <a href="mailto:sugar@lists.laptop.org">sugar@lists.laptop.org
</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:sugar@lists.laptop.org">sugar@lists.laptop.org</a>><br>>>>>> Sent: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 7:35 pm<br>>>>>> Subject: Re: [sugar] Docs?<br>>>>>><br>>>>>> I am certainly not an OLPC rep, but what I have seen suggests that
<br>>>>> the ><br>>>>>> intent is for the machines to be self-instructing and not requiring ><br>>>>>> documentation. In addition to the massive translation demands that >
<br>>>>>> would require, it also does not coincide with the educational ><br>>>>>> theories/practices that the organization is pursuing.<br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>
>>>>><br>>>>>> Of course, if you want to make developer documentation, then I think ><br>>>>>> anyone's answer would be, dive in! :) Just ask which regions are<br>>>>> stable >
<br>>>>>> first so your work doesn't get obsoleted quickly.<br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>> Ryan<br>>>>>><br>>>>>>
<br>>>>>><br>>>>>> Edward Cherlin wrote:<br>>>>>><br>>>>>>> Is there any plan for official software documentation? I have been<br>>>>> a ><br>>>>>>> Senior Tech Writer for the last 10 years and would be delighted to >
<br>>>>>>> work on it (particularly if someone like Red Hat would support me<br>>>>> to ><br>>>>>>> do it 60 hours a week *<{%-{]}}} <--Goggle-eyed geek in clown hat, >
<br>>>>>>> moustache, and full beard). Actually, I have been writing about XO ><br>>>>>>> software off and on ever since the Dynabook days, when Xerox<br>>>>> licensed >
<br>>>>>>> Smalltalk to Apple, HP, and others in 1981, during my market<br>>>>> research ><br>>>>>>> period.<br>>>>>><br>>>>>>><br>>>>>>
<br>>>>>>> For example, I wrote in a study of so-called educational software<br>>>>> back ><br>>>>>>> then that the overpriced drill-and-practice programs of the time >
<br>>>>>>> weren't real educational software, and that what children need is ><br>>>>>>> sharp tools to do stuff with. Commercial educational software is<br>>>>> still >
<br>>>>>>> a vast wasteland, with a few honorable exceptions. Then I did a<br>>>>> study ><br>>>>>>> on Personal Instruments (data acquisition and analysis on PCs), and<br>
>>><br>>>>>>> some other reports that touched on education. Besides starting and ><br>>>>>>> managing a software project for math for schools. And a few other<br>>>>> things.
<br>>>>>><br>>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>>> I have a button that says, "Stop me before I volunteer again," but<br>>>>> it ><br>>>>>>> doesn't help. [sigh]
<br>>>>>><br>>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>>> -- ><br>>>>>>> Edward Cherlin<br>>>>>><br>>>>>>> Earth Treasury: End Poverty at a Profit
<br>>>>>><br>>>>>>> <a href="http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Earth_Treasury">http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Earth_Treasury</a><br>>>>>><br>>>>>>> WIRE AFRICA http//www.wireafrica.org/ <
<a href="http://www.wireafrica.org/">http://www.wireafrica.org/</a>><br>>>>> <<a href="http://www.wireafrica.org/">http://www.wireafrica.org/</a>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>>> <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/cherlin">
http://www.linkedin.com/in/cherlin</a><br>>>>>><br>>>>>>><br>>>>><br>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>>>>>><br>
>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>>> _______________________________________________<br>>>>>><br>>>>>>> Sugar mailing list<br>>>>>><br>
>>>>>> <a href="mailto:Sugar@lists.laptop.org">Sugar@lists.laptop.org</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:Sugar@lists.laptop.org">Sugar@lists.laptop.org</a> ><br>>>>> <mailto:<a href="mailto:Sugar@lists.laptop.org">
Sugar@lists.laptop.org</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:Sugar@lists.laptop.org">Sugar@lists.laptop.org</a>?>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>>> <a href="http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar">http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar
</a><br>>>>>><br>>>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>> -- ><br>>>>>> Ryan Pavlik
<br>>>>>><br>>>>>> AbiWord Win32 Platform Maintainer, Art Lead: <a href="http://www.abisource.com">www.abisource.com</a><br>>>>> <<a href="http://www.abisource.com">http://www.abisource.com
</a>> <<a href="http://www.abisource.com">http://www.abisource.com</a>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>> AbiWord Community Outreach Project:<br>>>>> <a href="http://www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/">
www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/</a><br>>>>> <<a href="http://www.cleardefinition.com">http://www.cleardefinition.com</a> /oss/abi/blog/><br>>>>> <<a href="http://www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/">
http://www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/</a>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>> "Optimism is the father that leads to achievement."<br>>>>>>
<br>>>>>> -- Helen Keller<br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>> "The folder structure in a modern Linux distribution such as Ubuntu<br>>>>>>
<br>>>>>> was largely inspired by the original UNIX foundations that were<br>>>>>><br>>>>>> created by men with large beards and sensible jumpers."<br>>>>>>
<br>>>>>> -- Jono Bacon, The Ubuntu Guide<br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>><br>>>>>> ______________________________ _________________<br>>>>>>
<br>>>>>> Sugar mailing list<br>>>>>><br>>>>>> <a href="mailto:Sugar@lists.laptop.org">Sugar@lists.laptop.org</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:Sugar@lists.laptop.org">Sugar@lists.laptop.org
</a> ><br>>>>> <mailto:<a href="mailto:Sugar@lists.laptop.org">Sugar@lists.laptop.org</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:Sugar@lists.laptop.org">Sugar@lists.laptop.org</a>?>><br>>>>>><br>
>>>>> <a href="http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar">http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar</a><br>>>>>><br>>>>><br>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
<br>>>>>> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's<br>>>>> free > from AOL at *AOL.com*<br>>>>> <<a href="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000437">
http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000437</a>>.<br>>>>><br>>>>> -- Ryan Pavlik<br>>>>> AbiWord Win32 Platform Maintainer, Art Lead: <a href="http://www.abisource.com">www.abisource.com
</a><br>>>>> <<a href="http://www.abisource.com">http://www.abisource.com</a>><br>>>>> AbiWord Community Outreach Project:<br>>>>> <a href="http://www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/">
www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/</a><br>>>>> <<a href="http://www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/">http://www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/</a>><br>>>>><br>>>>> "Optimism is the father that leads to achievement."
<br>>>>> -- Helen Keller<br>>>>><br>>>>> "The folder structure in a modern Linux distribution such as Ubuntu<br>>>>> was largely inspired by the original UNIX foundations that were
<br>>>>> created by men with large beards and sensible jumpers."<br>>>>> -- Jono Bacon, The Ubuntu Guide<br>>>>><br>>>>><br>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
<br>>>>> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free<br>>>>> from AOL at * AOL.com* <<a href="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000437">http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000437
</a>>.<br>>>><br>>>><br>>>> --<br>>>> Ryan Pavlik<br>>>> AbiWord Win32 Platform Maintainer, Art Lead: <a href="http://www.abisource.com">www.abisource.com</a><br>>>> AbiWord Community Outreach Project:
<a href="http://www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/">www.cleardefinition.com/oss/abi/blog/</a><br>>>><br>>>> "Optimism is the father that leads to achievement."<br>>>> -- Helen Keller
<br>>>><br>>>> "The folder structure in a modern Linux distribution such as Ubuntu<br>>>> was largely inspired by the original UNIX foundations that were<br>>>> created by men with large beards and sensible jumpers."
<br>>>> -- Jono Bacon, The Ubuntu Guide<br>>>><br>>>> _______________________________________________<br>>>> Sugar mailing list<br>>>> <a href="mailto:Sugar@lists.laptop.org">Sugar@lists.laptop.org
</a><br>>>> <a href="http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar">http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar</a><br>>>><br>>><br>>><br>>> _______________________________________________<br>>> Sugar mailing list
<br>>> <a href="mailto:Sugar@lists.laptop.org">Sugar@lists.laptop.org</a><br>>> <a href="http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar">http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/sugar</a><br>>><br>>><br>><br><br>
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</a><br></blockquote></div><br>