Contributors program/August 13, 2010

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[ AGENDA ]

* XO-1.5 early production machines now available/shipping:
  http://blog.laptop.org/2010/02/25/xo-1-5-early-production-laptops-free-to-contributors-worldwide/

* New projects & libraries -- teaching them Community Outreach:
  http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XO_Laptop_Lending_Libraries

* Which projects might you enjoy Mentoring below?!
  http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects
  http://rt.laptop.org/Search/Results.html?Query=Queue=%27contributors%27

* Fast Review of the 4 latest (greatest!) HW/Project Proposals -- please
  join us advocating for, and/or reviewing shortcomings of these proposals:

 #1 Squeakland Etoys Testing - San Jose, CA; Hillsborough, NJ; Bigfork, MN; Champaign, IL
 #2 GSoC Squeakland Education - Buenos Aires, Argentina
 #3 Dominican College OLPC Chapter - Orangeburg/NYC, New York
 #4 Roadshow In A Box Expansion - Pray, Montana; Los Angeles, California


[ PROJECT #1 - Squeakland Etoys Testing - San Jose, CA; Hillsborough, NJ; Bigfork, MN; Champaign, IL ]

<CanoeBerry> Sorry for the late start-- plz check your email if you did not receive the agenda here:
<GrannieB2> Gesss so
<CanoeBerry> http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/devel/2010-August/029645.html
<CanoeBerry> Let's start w/ Project #1 -- please everyone here is invited to critique/mentor/vote for:
<CanoeBerry> Squeakland Etoys Testing - San Jose, CA; Hillsborough, NJ; Bigfork, 
<CanoeBerry> MN; Champaign, IL
<CanoeBerry>    http://tracker.squeakland.org
<CanoeBerry>    http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=65375
<CanoeBerry>    [SPECIFIC SITE NEEDS TO BE POSTED OFF 
<CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects ] 
<CanoeBerry>    Requests 4 XO-1.5s over 3 months
<CanoeBerry>    Project Objectives:
<CanoeBerry>    Currently, there is no dedicated user tester group for Squeakland. The
<CanoeBerry>    education team, being the most active in the Squeakland community 
<CanoeBerry> have been
<CanoeBerry>    put to task to test the Etoys program prior to its release.
<CanoeBerry>    The main objective of this project is to do a rigorous test of the beta
<CanoeBerry>    version of Etoys against the planned release of Sugar and XO 1.5.
<CanoeBerry> Any opinions?
<CanoeBerry> Votes?
<CanoeBerry> Hiya!
<CanoeBerry> I need clarif if the 4 XO-1.5 are requested at the 4 separate locations?
<GrannieB2> Are these folks connected with Squeekland eToys in CA?
<CanoeBerry> If there's any representative from the applicant/group itself?
<CanoeBerry> GrannieB2: yese
* maraschino  has joined #olpc-meeting
<GrannieB2> what happens after 3 mos?
<CanoeBerry> This Etoys testing work looks great, but a few more details would help, yese.
<maraschino> hello, I jumped in late...apologize
<GrannieB2> can they test other XO software as well
<CanoeBerry> maraschino: are you with the Squeakland Etoys testing proposal out of San Jose?
* culseg  has joined #olpc-meeting
<CanoeBerry> culseg: welcome and thanks for setting up the new http://forum.laptop.org forums in new languages.
<maraschino> The sugar build on SoaS and the XO 1.5 build are different...Bert needed support on user testing on the 1.5
<maraschino> yes
<maraschino> Canoeberry: yes
<CanoeBerry> maraschino: this is a request for 4 separate shipments, to each of 4 states around the US?
<CanoeBerry> plz confirm as that was not clear in the proposal
<maraschino> Canoeberry: Unfortunately the squeakland edu team is spread out...I could 
take care of the separate shipments
<CanoeBerry> i just need to know Y/N
<maraschino> Y
<CanoeBerry> thanks
<CanoeBerry> can you clarify Caryl's question above?
<CanoeBerry> (GrannieB2 asks about what happens after the 3 months..)
<maraschino> I put down 3 months because the planned release of etoys coincides with the Sugar release...however, it will be used for content testing for Haiti and OLPC Health
<maraschino> Both Randy, Steve and I are signed up to contribute content to Haiti and Health
<GrannieB2> It would be great if they could commit to joining the testing team and test other software that always needs testing
<maraschino> We need guidance on that...but Etoys is a huge bulk
<maraschino> I am currently testing XO1 850 builds...we can probably incorporate other spot checks
<maraschino> while we test Etoys on the machines
<GrannieB2> right... about the Health thing... we need to develop and test for both the XO-1 and the XO-1.5
<GrannieB2> How is 850 working for you?
<maraschino> theoretically, any content made in Etoys will run on both versions.
<maraschino> just filed a bug
<CanoeBerry> Let's vote, how does that sound?
<GrannieB2> +1
<maraschino> I'm borrowing machines....so it's up to the owners to follow up
<CanoeBerry> +1
<CanoeBerry> All Please Vote
<CanoeBerry> We need to move on to other projects now.
<CanoeBerry> Calling once..
<CanoeBerry> Calling twice..
<maraschino> The edu team would need guidance on your test processes...please let us know where to go first
<CanoeBerry> Calling thrice..
<CanoeBerry> APPROVED
<maraschino> thanks
<culseg> +1
<CanoeBerry> Thanks!
<GrannieB2> stick around and vote +1 for mine!


[ PROJECT #2 - GSoC Squeakland Education - Buenos Aires, Argentina ]

<CanoeBerry> Plz all look over Project #2 now -- helping critique/mentor/vote for:
<CanoeBerry> GSoC Squeakland Education - Buenos Aires, Argentina
<CanoeBerry>    http://www.pcs.cnu.edu/~rcaton/ESUG/ESUG.html
<CanoeBerry>    http://groups.google.com.ar/group/squeakland-education-gsoc-project
<CanoeBerry>    http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=65377
<CanoeBerry>    [SPECIFIC SITE NEEDS TO BE POSTED OFF 
<CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects ]
<CanoeBerry>    Requests 1 XOs over 4 months
<CanoeBerry>    Project Objectives:
<CanoeBerry>    This project involves developing tools in the Etoys/Squeak environment
<CanoeBerry>    to aid learners, teachers and developers. I plan to use the XO to test
<CanoeBerry>    these tools and assure they work properly in the platform.
<CanoeBerry>    In outline, these tools will be:
<CanoeBerry>    1) Etoys Paint Tool: The current implementation will be improved in
<CanoeBerry>    order to support features like zoom, multiple undo, and a select tool,
<CanoeBerry>    among others.
<CanoeBerry>    2) Graphing of Data: Tiles for creating vertical and horizontal grid
<CanoeBerry>    lines, major and minor tick marks, labels for axes, and a label for the
<CanoeBerry>    graph will be created to allow students to graph data they acquire in
<CanoeBerry>    science and mathematics projects.
<CanoeBerry>    3) Input/Output of Data From/To Files: Tiles will be created to allow
<CanoeBerry>    data from the Etoys environment to be output to a file and for
<CanoeBerry>    information from an external file to be imported into the Etoys
<CanoeBerry>    environment.
<CanoeBerry>    4) Learner and Teacher Feedback: Tiles will be created to allow
<CanoeBerry>    formative feedback to be provided to learners and teachers as a student
<CanoeBerry>    progresses through a project.
<CanoeBerry>    5) Better Translation Support: The translation framework would be
<CanoeBerry>    improved in order to allow different =93.po=94 files instead of one big
<CanoeBerry>    =93Etoys.po=94 file.
<CanoeBerry>    6) Wider Font Support: Currently, Etoys has a set of cross-platform
<CanoeBerry>    fonts to use. It would be desirable to enlarge this set in order to
<CanoeBerry>    include nicer fonts. The problem is that loading lots of fonts would
<CanoeBerry>    make the image too big. Code to address this problem already exists, but
<CanoeBerry>    it needs to be tested and merged with current Etoys code.
<CanoeBerry>    7) EtoyMaker: This tool would let developers select a class name and
<CanoeBerry>    choose the slots and commands they want for their Etoy. It would then
<CanoeBerry>    compile all the necessary classes and methods to generate the Etoys
<CanoeBerry>    tiles, etc. Developers will only need to implement the methods of their
<CanoeBerry>    class, everything else will be generated automatically.
<CanoeBerry> PRE-APPROVED!
<CanoeBerry> OK, onto Project #3 now.
<CanoeBerry> (Buenos Aires contributor above actually got 1 XO-1.5 and 1 XO-1, his needs clarified by Bert Freudenberg)
<maraschino> Richo Moran?


[ PROJECT #3 - Dominican College OLPC Chapter - Orangeburg/NYC, New York ]

<CanoeBerry> Yep. OK, please all help critique/mentor/vote for Project #3 here:
<maraschino> Great!
<CanoeBerry> Dominican College OLPC Chapter - Orangeburg/NYC, New York
<CanoeBerry>    http://acrosstheseas-irie.blogspot.com
<CanoeBerry>    http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=65417
<CanoeBerry>    [SPECIFIC SITE NEEDS TO BE POSTED OFF 
<CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects ] 
<CanoeBerry>    Requests 10 XOs over 12 months
<CanoeBerry>    Project Objectives:
<CanoeBerry>    * Establish a University Chapter in which undergraduate US and Ugandan
<CanoeBerry>      computer science students collaborate with graduate education students
<CanoeBerry>      (via Blackboard, wikis, email, etc.)
<CanoeBerry>    * Collaboration will be charged with creating/programming XO activities
<CanoeBerry>      in alignment with Ugandan National Curriculum for primary schools.
* sgtpepper  has joined #olpc-meeting
<CanoeBerry> joclemente: can you introduce your work here?
<sgtpepper> sorry for being late
<CanoeBerry> no prob!
<CanoeBerry> joclemente: still there?
<GrannieB2> Blackboard is not open source. Do they know about Moodle?
<maraschino> Do they have a framework for a class in teaching creation/programming of the XOs?
<CanoeBerry> http://acrosstheseas-irie.blogspot.com is an amazing and ambitious start, but we need to hear more details..
<CanoeBerry> joclemente: please fill us in!
<joclemente> yes, here
<joclemente> I need to develop hackers who can create software particular to Uganda needs
<joclemente> we have a computer science dpt that has students who can be put to the task
<CanoeBerry> great that http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_College_%28New_York%29 has 2000 students..
<joclemente> so I need some machines
<joclemente> but not that many students are in Computer Science!
<joclemente> They would be collaborating with our teacher ed students as well
<GrannieB2> did you see my earlier question about using Blackboard which is not open source.... Moodle is an works as well or better
<CanoeBerry> http://acrosstheseas-irie.blogspot.com needs updates, and separately: where will be able to find the students work posted?
<joclemente> yes, i know but all of my work has been email based and not so good for the blog
<CanoeBerry> perhaps Dominican College is locked into Blackboard?
<maraschino> joclemente: have there been efforts to create the content first without the hardware?
<joclemente> I am the Administrator of Bb so it is easy for me to bring in the Ugandans
<culseg> seems like project calls for more powerful machines, but I have no problem supporting 1 0r 2 XOs to try out ideas
<GrannieB2> they probably can change. Many colleges and universities are changing over \
<joclemente> they are not going to change
<CanoeBerry> culseg: yes i like a 2-phased approach -- perhaps 2 XO-1s + 2 XO-1.5s
<joclemente> They want to build it up more
<GrannieB2> Colgate U is in the process of switching now
<joclemente> We host it ourselves, small scale so we can afford it.
<joclemente> when budget gets tight I suppose they will.
<GrannieB2> You miss my point. It is propriatry software
<joclemente> yes but we will post activities to the website
<GrannieB2> sorry about the spwlling
<GrannieB2> my glasses are broken
<joclemente> the bb is used for class and these students would all be enrolled in a class
<maraschino> joclemente: are the students just starting to learn Sugar/Phython? Would you be able to have them start without the hardware first?
<GrannieB2> Moodle will do that
<joclemente> the CS prof is talking about Java. Is he off base?
<joclemente> That is why we need the machines to see how it can work
<culseg> you all need to study Sugar more before you leap
<GrannieB2> can you check out some machines from one of the OLPC libraries to find out?
<joclemente> True. What do you suggest for the prof as a starting point?
<maraschino> jocelemente: yes I understand, but it is better to develop outside of using the XOs first.
<GrannieB2> that's what my "Roadshow" does, but NY is too far away
<joclemente> What machines do you use to develop then?
<maraschino> joclemente: Please have them check out James Simmons book as a starting point
<joclemente> sounds like a plan- it is on Sugar? Will it have any application outside of OLPC?
<CanoeBerry> http://en.flossmanuals.net/ActivitiesGuideSugar
<joclemente> thanks
<GrannieB2> Do you know about Sugar on a Stick?
<CanoeBerry> His other new book is looking hot too:
<joclemente> yes, and I used it in Uganda
<maraschino> joclemente: his making ebooks is a great start for learning how to make an activity.
<joclemente> When you develop software, you are using another operating system or SOAS?
<CanoeBerry> http://en.flossmanuals.net/ReadingandSugar/Introduction
<joclemente> thanks so much for the links
<maraschino> I would vote for maybe 1 or two machines...just in case the students blast through the book and be ready for testing with an actual XO
<joclemente> anyway, i think they should have some "real' machines to work on too. I did not find that things worked the same using SOAS
<maraschino> you can use a Linux machine
<culseg> will you consider downsizing your proposal?
<joclemente> don't know if we have a linux machine. Can find out. Pardon my question but will Sugar then work within that
<CanoeBerry> let's conclude, giving Dominican College what they can to dig deeper -- 2 XO-1.5s or what?
<maraschino> vote for 2
<CanoeBerry> OK, 2
<CanoeBerry> for now
<GrannieB2> +1 for 2 for now
<culseg> okay for 1-2
<GrannieB2> But please... give Moodle a try!
<joclemente> that is a good start and I will have them look into other ways to use Sugar
<CanoeBerry> please all vote/recommend how we can help Dominican College jump aboard
<CanoeBerry> Calling once..
<CanoeBerry> Calling twice..
<CanoeBerry> Calling thrice..
<joclemente> of course I vote for 2
<CanoeBerry> APPROVED for 2 XO-1.5s, more to follow as this group posts/blogs and hopefully joins out OLPC NYC community in person!
<CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC_NYC
<CanoeBerry> Onto Project #4...
<GrannieB2> Maybe they can develop a college currivulum for others to emulate their work
<CanoeBerry> Please all critique/mentor/cote for:
<CanoeBerry> *vote for:
<joclemente> That is a good idea
<joclemente> thanks!


[ PROJECT #4 - Roadshow In A Box Expansion - Pray, Montana; Los Angeles, California ]

<CanoeBerry> Roadshow In A Box Expansion - Pray, Montana; Los Angeles, California
<CanoeBerry>    http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Roadshow_in_a_Box
<CanoeBerry>    http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=65468
<CanoeBerry>    [SPECIFIC SITE NEEDS TO BE POSTED OFF 
<CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects ]
<CanoeBerry>    Requests 3-6 XO-1.5s over 24+ months
<CanoeBerry>    Project Objectives:
<CanoeBerry>    The purpose of the Roadshow In A Box project is to bring awareness of
<CanoeBerry>    the XO to as many educators, developers, and people interested in
<CanoeBerry>    deployments as possible. The machines are used for demonstrations,
<CanoeBerry>    presentations and workshops at conferences and schools, exhibit
<CanoeBerry>    booths at expos, and showing to individuals who are interested in
<CanoeBerry>    becoming a part of the OLPC community. Currently we have only one
<CanoeBerry>    XO-1.5 which is checked out to the computer lab director at Montana
<CanoeBerry>    State University. We want to expand this part of our project so that
<CanoeBerry>    our "clients" can see and try the latest hardware.
<GrannieB2> That's mine!
<joclemente> have to go! thanks all!
* joclemente (a7ce9e62@gateway/web/freenode/ip.167.206.158.98) Quit (Quit: Page closed)
<CanoeBerry> joclemente: thanks! plz post to your blog soon!
<GrannieB2> any questions for me?
<CanoeBerry> Can you introduce fast?
<maraschino> GB: are the XOs going to be housed in a lending library when they're not on the road?
<CanoeBerry> Why 3? Why 6?
<GrannieB2> I "house" them  I currently have 9 working XO-1s  4 are checked out.
<CanoeBerry> GrannieB2: Please explain the need for 3 versus 6 XO-1.5s?
<GrannieB2> I need enough to be able to take them to expos, conferences, etc and still check some out
<culseg> I thought lending libraries were in batches o 10 X)s
<maraschino> GB: how often would you go "on the road"? How many volunteers are with you at each time?
<GrannieB2> I take them in a roll aboard. s fit nicely
<GrannieB2> I meant 6
<maraschino> GB: last question was more on how many eyes per laptop
<maraschino> while on the road
<GrannieB2> My next big gig is in Nov at the CUELA tech fair
<culseg> reads like a great project to me!
<GrannieB2> I am also available to go out to colleges and universities and to lend them.
<CanoeBerry> Let's settle on a number.
<GrannieB2> Right now there are 2 at MSU in Bozeman and 2 at Moorpark College in CA]
<culseg> +1 for 6 XOs
<CanoeBerry> More votes please.
<GrannieB2> I plan to pass the XO-1s on to other SoCal projects, keeping just one or 2
<CanoeBerry> maraschino: plz vote!
<maraschino> +1 for 4 XOs
<CanoeBerry> sgtpepper: vote?
<CanoeBerry> Calling once..
<CanoeBerry> Calling twice..
<sgtpepper> +1
<CanoeBerry> Calling thrice..
<GrannieB2> I'd like to vote for 5 b/c they will fit
<GrannieB2> +1 for 5
<CanoeBerry> sgtpepper: do you recommend a partic number of XO-1.5s?
<CanoeBerry> +1 for 5
<CanoeBerry> APPROVED
<sgtpepper> 5... I think is important that there are enough eyes to watch for them
<maraschino> that's my concern as well.
<GrannieB2> I haven't lost any yet...been doing this almost 2 years
<maraschino> :-)
<GrannieB2> I have an elaborate check out system


[ CLOSING REMARKS ]

<CanoeBerry> Thanks all, meeting adjourned and hope to see you all in person in NYC Aug 21, at the Harlem classroom in Sept and/or for our big community/realness OLPC-SF/Sugar event Oct 21/22 to 24 in San Francisco!
<sgtpepper> GrannieB2: of course.. and I'm sure you're extremely careful
<CanoeBerry> Meeting Adjourned -- great wkd to all!
<GrannieB2> ID required and all that stuff!
<sgtpepper> but you never know
<maraschino> I think it's more of when you're on the road...events could get really big
events
<maraschino> goodness! It is easy to lose time when you're playing with the green machines.
<CanoeBerry> PS those near Rhode Island, please attend 16-year-old Dulce's big OLPC fundraiser here:
<CanoeBerry> http://olpcextravaganza.blogspot.com
<maraschino> That's good....hope to see more OLPC-SoCal events soon
<CanoeBerry> http://olpc.ticketleap.com/olpc-extravaganza
<GrannieB2> which reminds me... how about a "realmess summit" at SCaLE in LA in Feb?
<CanoeBerry> Aug 21 in Warwick/Providence, RI
<CanoeBerry> Saturday 8 days away.
<CanoeBerry> GrannieB2: make sure all the SF folks have SCaLE details at their fingertips when we arrive in SF Oct 21/22-24!
<GrannieB2> I can't be there in Oct.  I hate to tell you, but I will be on Maui.
<GrannieB2> But.... I'll send lots of details to Sameer
<maraschino> How could you trade the fog for those nasty sand and sun?
<GrannieB2> He picked the one weekend out of the 3 that I already had planned
<sgtpepper> Maui... I envy you
<GrannieB2> We plan to attend the Maui ukulele festival while we are there!
<maraschino> Yes yes rub it in Grannie. hahaha.
<maraschino> we will miss you in SF. I was hoping to finally meet you.
<GrannieB2> maybe we should meve the summit to Maui!
<GrannieB2> just come to SCaLE in LA in Feb