WiXi

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Revision as of 16:02, 27 February 2007 by 189.145.186.164 (talk) (tmp wixi.cc links.. + OmegaWiki to #db.. +category pedagogical ideas)
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A wixi is a wiki with annotated text. It is intended to facilitate language learning.

http://twext.cc/pix/2b8.png

wixi twexter

wixi'd wikis get text twext.. twext texts provide meaningful, comprehensible input for language learners.. wikis make twext easy to share..

the OLPC will connect kids learning many different languages.. wixi offers a learner-centric environment for kids to construct language learning..

http://twext.cc/pix/WixiJump.gif

if you know pygtk/python and wanna help kids learn, you can help make this wixi program a real-world learning example: http://wixi.cc/hello_world.html


http://twext.cc/pix/MethodOnXO.gif

chunk method

twext uses a simple method to associate chunks of text with chunks of translation.. the method works with regular text and also with lyrics to songs.. and any of many languages: http://wixi.cc/twexter.html

press ESC to stop the animations, RELOAD to restart animations

one way to format twext is with explicit tables.. it works with html, more or less, but not so hot..

http://twext.cc/pix/FormatWithTable.png

must we use tables? there is a problem with tables.. tables constrict larger chunks of translation:

http://twext.cc/pix/FormatWithTableProblem.png

see the problem when table borders removed:

http://twext.cc/pix/FormatWithTableProblemBad.png

css might format twext without tables:

  http://twext.cc/pix/RefocusInOrderToSee.jpg

then we could fit more translation betwixt text.. each chunk of translation would still be centered directly under each chunk of text, but we might:

  • get a little more room for translations and
  • end up with a nicer looking text

http://twext.cc/pix/CSSMeyerwebEdge.jpg http://meyerweb.com/eric/css/edge/ shows some powerful uses of css without tables.. maybe we can find a solution that works on most browsers..

css

wixi.cc is now focused on CSS methods to style twext text.. if you know CSS and would like to help, it's easy to participate.. share your CSS skills and help people learn: http://wixi.cc/css.html


http://twext.cc/pix/XcrollNarrow.png

xcroll may also be useful for regular mediawiki editing

http://twext.cc/pix/TwexterXcrollPreviewFast.gif

XCROLL DEMO by Gerardo Iglesias

xcroll

xcroll will control text and twext input windows, as well a preview window.. controlling multiple windows with a single scrollbar has many potential uses.. if you like sharing JavaScript and DHTML skills and helping people learn: http://wixi.cc/xcroll.html


http://twext.cc/pix/PHPTwexterCore.png
diagram core plan for php twexter

http://twext.cc/pix/PHPTwexterDataAccess.png
diagram data access plan

http://twext.cc/pix/PHPTwexterCycle.png
diagram execution cycle of plugins

http://twext.cc/pix/PHPTwexterPages.png
the end user sees webpages, not plugins

plug-in plan

xcroll editing and css formatting functions can plug in to a simple plan to organize the twexter program.. if you love creating API's for open Python programs, share the love at: http://wixi.cc/plan.html


any language already in twexter can serve as source for translation to add another language.. so Maya can added to Español, then get twext with English.. or Mayañol..

http://twext.cc/pix/TwexterAddMaya.gif

http://twext.cc/pix/InterTwext333.png

any of many languages, dialects and slangs can get twext.. if 30 languages play, 900 learning bridges are possible

addlang

with above functions complete, we can add languages to the system.. the simplest twexter requires only 12 translations to add any language, dialect or slang.. http://wixi.cc/add_lang.html

http://twext.cc/pix/TwextDataBig.png

database

what if 10 languages and 10,000 users wixi twexter? or 100 and 1,000,000? either way, there is a chance that one phat database may emerge.. if you like challenge in the form of database and you like to share, make an instructive real-world example of database management happen at http://wixi.cc/db.html

OmegaWiki

GerardM of http://OmegaWiki.org is considering WiXi as a front-end for the OmegaWiki all-languages-in-ONE-database (which provides dictionary content for OLPC)

http://twext.cc/pix/WixiMenu.png

wixi

wixi integrates twexter into the XO wiki, MediaWiki or any other wiki.. the source text might be fixed, but anyone can edit the translation the wiki way.. http://wixi.cc/wixi.html

http://twext.cc/pix/DelyricSampleSurvive.jpg

delyric

wixi can grow to help anyone, including OLPC kids, turn popular parts of popular songs into fun ways to construct language learning with visualized, twext translated, legal and transformative "fair use": http://wixi.cc/citage.html

http://twext.cc/pix/Google.png

http://twext.cc/pix/100.png

google has a program called the "summer of code" which pays computer science students $4,500 to develop free software..

if you are already developing wixi and twexter for the OLPC, you may have a better chance of winning Google's SOC in 2007, earning an introduction to some of the smartest developers on earth and delivering a unique, original application for language learning kids..

grants

google summer of code

twexter was an OLPC candidate for Google SOC 2006, but students had less than a day to prepare.. the deadline for student applications is in early May 2007, so this year you have 3 months to prepare :) http://wixi.cc/grants.html

Related work

See also

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