Contributors program/July 24, 2009

[ AGENDA ]

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

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

   * Fast Review of the 2 latest (greatest!) HW/Project Proposals -- please
     join us advocating for and/or reviewing shortcomings of these proposals:

     #1 OLPC-ADNEN Cameroun - environmental/computer literacy - Cameroon
     #2 Wind Shear Detection for Small Airports - Northridge, California, USA


[ INTROS ]

<CanoeBerry> Meeting will start here in 2 min!
<CanoeBerry> Should be very quick today as we only have 2 project to review -- hope you can help -- agenda here:
* bemasc  has joined #olpc-meeting
<CanoeBerry> http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/devel/2009-July/025187.html
<CanoeBerry> Just the 2 projects (Cameroon & LA-area) above when we get started in ~2 min...
* lfaraone  has joined #olpc-meeting
<CanoeBerry> lfaraone: good to see ya
<CanoeBerry> Agenda here: http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/devel/2009-July/025187.html
* sandrat  has joined #olpc-meeting
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: hi & welcome back.
<CanoeBerry> Let's start with Project #1, ok?
<lfaraone> CanoeBerry: you too
<sandrat> Hi.. OK
<CanoeBerry> Again, just 2 projects this week so let's make it quick :)


[ PROJECT #1 : OLPC-ADNEN Cameroun - environmental/computer literacy - Cameroon ]

<CanoeBerry> Project #1 here: (very long, plz forgive _extremely_ long paste)
<CanoeBerry> OLPC-ADNEN Cameroun - Cameroon
<CanoeBerry>     Capacity reinforcement, Monitoring and evaluation of primary schools 
<CanoeBerry> equipped with XO by PAQUEP Project in environmental and computer 
<CanoeBerry> literacy in the context of pedagogical integration of ICT
<CanoeBerry>     http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=43257
<CanoeBerry>     http://upennuac.blogspot.com
<CanoeBerry>     Requests 10 XO's for 12 months
<CanoeBerry>     General Objective: Contribute to the promotion, the pedagogic 
<CanoeBerry> integration of XO and the participation of pupils and teachers in the 
<CanoeBerry> protection of the environment in 12 primary schools of the the PAQUEB 
<CanoeBerry> project an 6 other motivated schools of Adamaoua region.
<CanoeBerry> OK and now the more detailed objectives... (long too!)
<CanoeBerry> Specifique Objectives:
<CanoeBerry>     1. Acquire one mobile library suitcase equip with 10 XO and 10 
<CanoeBerry> guides which can be use simultaneously in several schools to spreading 
<CanoeBerry> IT education by the project team.
<CanoeBerry>     2. Contribute to the spreading of XO and Sugar environment in 12 
<CanoeBerry> primary schools an initiate about 6351 pupils from class 1 to 6  of the 
<CanoeBerry> PAQUEB Project and in 6 other motivated schools of the region.
<CanoeBerry>     3. Not less than 6351 pupils and not less than 130 Teachers will be 
<CanoeBerry> IT literate and will participate to the protection of the environment 
<CanoeBerry> specifically the climate change in their council.
<CanoeBerry>     4. Not less than 6351 productions (photos numeric, mini project, 
<CanoeBerry> posters, point of view, small  articles on the  environmental protection 
<CanoeBerry> and participation of pupil in projects…) are shared with students and 
<CanoeBerry> pupils of others schools of our country and other countries via Internet 
<CanoeBerry> and other means of spreading knowledge.
<CanoeBerry>     5. Reinforce the pedagogic skills of teachers and the head masters 
<CanoeBerry> of the 12 schools of the PAQUEB project and the 6 other motivated 
<CanoeBerry> schools of the region.
<CanoeBerry> Note this team worked very hard to translate their original proposal with volunteers, from French to English..
<lfaraone> That reads like a pilot.
<CanoeBerry> Ask me if you need to see their full proposal on ticket.
<lfaraone> Now, how are they going to get to 6.3k kids in 1yr with 10 XOs?
<CanoeBerry> One strong point is they have worked with OLPCorps team member from Canada/Cameroon and also government.
<CanoeBerry> lfaraone: indeed :)
<lfaraone> CanoeBerry: ah.
<sandrat> I'm not quite shure of the gaols here.  It is a big general objective.  So is it to train, build awareness and  do climate change studies?
<bemasc> Rather than bend the purpose of the Contributors program, it might be better to bend the purpose of their deployment.
<lfaraone> Agreed.
<CanoeBerry> Yes we do need to tease out deliverables..
<lfaraone> "Not less than 6351 production" seems a bit pie-in-the-sky.
<sandrat> It is a lot of schools and a lot of pupils to reach. Is there a specific stragegy for managing that
<lfaraone> *productions
<sandrat> Clearer deliverables would be goog
<sandrat> can't spell today  "Clearer deliverables would be good"
<bemasc> I think there is good potential for them to release, say, french-language, Africa-centric lesson plans.
<CanoeBerry> They have requested a mentor, which is positive..
<bemasc> but this requires further dialogue.
<bemasc> and yes, we should also ask them about their numbers.
<sandrat> Needs more flushing out, but I like their ambition
<CanoeBerry> I wonder who should mentor?
<sandrat> I can do it if you want.
<CanoeBerry> OK: Kacandre has already helped them a lot, but may be too busy?
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: shall we make that official?
<sandrat> Sure, but I'd like group input on any other questions, drill downs they'd like to see
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: you can direct them around making community deliverables with me, yes?
<sandrat> sure
* Skywalker  has joined #olpc-meeting
<CanoeBerry> Skywalker: hi, we're half done!
<Skywalker> Oh man
<CanoeBerry> Just gave very tentative approval for Cameroon's project if they work with sandrat to define what community deliverables they will give back..
<Skywalker> Excellant
<CanoeBerry> Final thoughts on Cameroon's impressive but needing-guidance http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=43257 ?
<sandrat> post the ticket number for me
<sandrat> ooops there it is'
<CanoeBerry> Let's move on.
<CanoeBerry> RT43257 assigned to sandrat.


[ PROJECT #2 : Wind Shear Detection for Small Airports - Northridge, California, USA ]

<CanoeBerry> Project #2 is a revision of an earlier proposal, where the applicant called up Caryl & I offering several improvements here:
<CanoeBerry> Wind Shear Detection for Small Airports - Northridge, 
<CanoeBerry> California, USA
<CanoeBerry>     http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=43173
<CanoeBerry>     http://www.csun.edu/~rmehler
<CanoeBerry>     Requests 4+ XO's for 12 months
<CanoeBerry>     REVISED - Project Objectives:
<CanoeBerry>     Both grad students and local public schools should contribute to the 
<CanoeBerry> development and testing of an array of inexpensive sensors that, when 
<CanoeBerry> placed around an airport, will automatically organize themselves into a 
<CanoeBerry> mesh network that can detect and report wind shear:
<CanoeBerry>     July 2009: determine hardware platform and peripherals, obtain same
<CanoeBerry>     August – December 2009: work on network data exchange protocols, 
<CanoeBerry> wind shear detection algorithms
<CanoeBerry>     January – May 2010: system integration, testing, demonstrations
<CanoeBerry>     June 2010: write, publish, wrap up.
<CanoeBerry> Progress made since last application:
* turn-omg  Quit (Success)
<CanoeBerry> --applicant has met with the university's dean to work begin outreach to nearby public schools that will help with testing
<CanoeBerry> --Caryl has helping applicant in this regard too
<sandrat> clear time frame and clear goal and deliverables
<CanoeBerry> --applicant makes clear several grad students (3?) will be actively involved in the very tough work of evaluating XO networking suitable (and non-suitability) for their goals..
<bemasc> So... the XO's mesh networking is sort of barely relevant here.
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: i'm trying to figure that out
<sandrat> modest number of XOs and  productive use of technology-sensors
<bemasc> There are a couple of issues
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: bring it on--we need your input--but first Caryl's endorsement here:
<CanoeBerry> * This can result in exciting new peripherals for the XO
<CanoeBerry> * This will involve local school students working with a univ. prof in "doing science" as they
<CanoeBerry> test the set ups.
<CanoeBerry> * The ruggedness and great screen for reading 24/7 (all light conditions) makes the XO
<CanoeBerry> better than any other currently available hardware for this project.
<CanoeBerry> * The requester is both a scientist and a pilot which makes him perfectly suited for doing this
<CanoeBerry> project.
<CanoeBerry> * The requester has the support of his university.
<CanoeBerry> * This is another way to sneak a few XOs into the LAUSD.
<CanoeBerry> * I live fairly close (by SoCal standards) and can mentor him in person.
<CanoeBerry> +1 for the 4 XOs he is asking for
<bemasc> 1. The sensors need power.  Solar power seems unlikely, given that they need to operate at night and in cloudy conditions.
<CanoeBerry> Caryl aplpogizes she could not attend this meeting in person.
<bemasc> If the sensors are in the middle of a field, or scattered around an airport, then you'll need to run power cables to them... at which point you might as well run ethernet cables and forget the wireless networking.
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: unless airports have electrical infrastructure in place? but yes in the smaller airports you are prob correct.
<Skywalker> How will they XO be used exactly?
* sverma  has joined #olpc-meeting
<bemasc> 2. You can do wifi meshing (802.11s) in Linux on most laptops.
<bemasc> The XO has a special "mesh accelerator" card that avoids using the CPU, but that's just a power-saving measure.
<CanoeBerry> Interesting.. applicant says "built-in 802.11s connectivity and USB ports, it sounds ideal to me for research and prototyping"
<sandrat> are there specs for these sensors.. do they need a lot of power?
* aa  has joined #olpc-meeting
<bemasc> As far as rugged laptops go, the XO is certainly the cheapest... especially if it's free!... but other than that I don't really see the need.
<bemasc> It's also unclear what they'd be likely to contribute back.
<CanoeBerry> FYI applicant's paper is here:
<CanoeBerry> Redundant Array of Inexpensive Sensors for Small Airport Wind Shear Detection
<CanoeBerry> http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Attachment/612919/337987/RAISWP.pdf
<Skywalker> I am not clear what value the xo would add to this project and what value the project would give back to the community
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: on the contribution side, the applicant has agreed to work closely with Caryl in the LA-area, so if the community-building is real (as Caryl now feels) that is a genuine deliverable.
<CanoeBerry> But the other questions remain..
<CanoeBerry> Let's wrap up :)
<sandrat> I trust the relationship
<sandrat> approve
<CanoeBerry> we have a torn jury. certainly bemasc's 2 criticisms above will be extremely helpful to push back on the applicant.
<bemasc> It's a decent proposal, but it doesn't produce anything of use to OLPC.
<bemasc> It would be good to know why they want mesh so much.
<Skywalker> agree with bemasc
<FGrose> network testing would be helpful
<sandrat> Is there a pedagogical side to this?
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: would you consider a brief call or email with the applicant? (while not scaring him too badly if Caryl's important OLPC Los Angeles community-building deliverables are still possible :)
<bemasc> CanoeBerry: sure
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: thanks.  Phone or email is fine.  Just let me know, or go on-ticket:
<CanoeBerry> http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=43173
<sandrat> Did you recevie some curriculum building requests for Kenya last week?
<CanoeBerry> So we have a "Hung Jury" here, and hopefully Caryl & bemasc can sort out a
conclusion by MOnday.


[ CLOSING REMARKS / RT QUESTIONS ]

<CanoeBerry> Thanks all!
<CanoeBerry> Meeting Done :)
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: we received many requests from Kenya (5 projects)
<CanoeBerry> 3 were Tentatively Approved and 2 were Denied.
<bemasc> CanoeBerry: I really came here to ask: how do I subscribe to a ticket in RT?
<bemasc> I'm the assignee for #39624, but I'm not getting e-mail notifications.
<CanoeBerry> The 3 provisionally approved need to post their progress online -- Mafe & I working with them.
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: you have your RT password, right?
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: let me check RT39624
<bemasc> yeah
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: here's what happening.. you (as owner) get "Correspondence" from Requestor but not "Comments" from volunteers.
* yevlempy  has joined #olpc-meeting
<CanoeBerry> If you also want to be auto-emailed Comments, add yourself as an AdminCC
<CanoeBerry> Or I can add you right now.. under the blue "People" titlebar.
<CanoeBerry> Shall I?
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: eg. i just added you as AdminCC to http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=43173
<bemasc> I'm trying to figure out how to do it, so I can also add myself to #43173
<bemasc> ok
<CanoeBerry> If you get too many Comments, just remove yourself or ask me to remove you..
<bemasc> ok, done
<bemasc> thanks
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: Click on the navy blue "People" titlebar.
<Skywalker> CanoeBerry: I apologise for being late...you can beat me up if you want...adding to my swollen left eyelid.....had some trouble getting online...
<CanoeBerry> Skywalker: no worries :)
<CanoeBerry> Skywalker: just help Sarah please, redesigning/beautifying http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects
<CanoeBerry> OK?
<Skywalker> ok
<Skywalker> just saw her nice design ideas
<Skywalker> will contact her
<CanoeBerry> Skywalker: thanks-- noting she's busy for a week, no rush :)
<Skywalker> Understood ;)
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: i added you as an AdminCC for Morocco's 3D/gaming so you don't miss a thing: http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=39624
<CanoeBerry> bemasc: if overkill let me kno :)
* FGrose  Quit ("Page closed")
<Skywalker> Bye all
<Skywalker> Have a nice weekend :)