Software ideas

Projects and proposals    +/-
Content ideas	Content projects
Hardware ideas	Hardware projects
Software ideas	Software projects

This page is a brainstorming space for ideas which may eventually become Software projects. Keep in mind that the projects here are merely proposals or ideas. If you would like to add a new project idea, try to be reasonably thorough in your description.

When brainstorming, try to let your mind run free. When reading and looking for a project to start, keep in mind that we are looking for projects that encourage Playful Learning instead of Edutainment.

Application Classes

This section discusses whole application-classes that might be useful to have available on the OLPC laptops. That is, these are "requirements"-focussed ideas for what type of thing we want to provide:

• Mathematics
  • Simple Calculations
    • Basic Calculators
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Financial tools
      • Budgeting
      • Loan calculators
      • Accounting software
  • Higher mathematics
    • Scientific calculators
    • Graphing Calculators
    • Typesetting/equation editing
    • Algebraic solvers
    • Geometric exploration (e.g. PyGeo)
    • Fractal explorers
• Language
  • Initial literacy (local language)
  • Second-language literacy (WiXi?)
  • Story-book reader (illustrated story reader)
  • Audio-book reader
  • Dictionary (including meanings)
  • Thesaurus
• Science
  • Starfield explorers
  • Chemical simulators
  • Physics simulators (Newtonian)
  • Biological simulators (population simulators)
  • Genealogy software
  • Dynamic system simulators (e.g. ecological simulators, economic simulators)
  • Geography (mapping) software, coordinates, maps, data-overlays, GIS operations
  • Data collection tools
• Physical Education and Training
  • Training program tracker
• Art and Expression
  • Vector graphic creation (illustration)
  • Raster graphic creation (painting, sketching)
  • Collage operations (eToys?)
  • Programmatic creation (Logo or the like)
  • Video creation
  • Performance broadcast (school plays and the like)
• Music
  • Voice training
  • Score display and creation (TamTam?)
  • Instrument tuning e.g. guitar
• Communications
  • VoIP phone
  • Conferencing system, virtual classroom, shared presentations
  • Email client (gmail-for-children?)
  • Voice-mail (voice email and standard voicemail)
  • Web-page editor (wikidpad?)
  • Televised video (streaming video viewer)
• Educational
  • Role-playing systems
  • Mind-mapping systems (outliners, free-form note-taking tools)
• Games (see also [Games])
  • Game console emulators (needs content)
  • Strategy games
  • Simulation games
  • eToys games
• Technology
  • Microcontroller programmers/compilers (e.g. for irrigation systems, art installations and general automation)
  • CAD/CAM applications
• PIM
  • Clock
  • Contacts
  • Scheduling
  • Todo

XXX Teaching Software should be integrated in here somewhere, as should System Software

Porting Existing Software

This section explores existing applications that could be ported to the laptop in order to provide the functionality for the children. The List of PyGTK Applications is a good place to start. If you are porting an application, you'll want to contact the author and add an entry to the Software projects page describing the porting effort (and providing contact information for it).

Mathematics

• Calc for more basic tasks, BC for more difficult ones, and SC or a GUI based spreadsheet, perhaps.
• LaTeX, this is free and quite powerful editor
• Mathematica for children, for modeling and calculating

Updates

• An update/software manager to handle updates and new software that come out after the laptop is given to the child