Contributors program/October 23, 2009

[ AGENDA ]

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

  #1 FoodForce2 - New Delhi, India
  #2 Playing, it`s serious - Kuujjuaq (Quebec) CANADA
  #3 OLPC on Puppy Linux - Bogotá, Colombia
  #4 Kenya OLPC Mathematics: request for more laptops


[ INTROS ]

<CanoeBerry> Apologies the Contributors Program meeting will be ~15min late!
<CanoeBerry> Hang out here if ya can :)
* sandrat  has joined #olpc-meeting
<sandrat> Hi I am here
<sandrat> anyone else in the meeting
<sandrat> I saw the shipment notification!   great.  all wikis have been updated; except the deaf.. and I am waiting for some info from them.
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<sandrat> hello
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<sandrat> hello aa
<aa> hi
<sandrat> i'm reading about epals from email earlier this afternoon
<CanoeBerry> Yikes, coupla more min, can you wait?
<CanoeBerry> Let's start 2:30pm sharp.
<sandrat> Just two of us here i think
<sandrat> I will wait.
<CanoeBerry> great!
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<sandrat> how many are in the meeting?
<CanoeBerry> Finally.
<CanoeBerry> Agenda is here:
<CanoeBerry> http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/devel/2009-October/025959.html
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: ready?!
* kjcole  has joined #olpc-meeting
<CanoeBerry> Pass the drinks Kevin :)
<sandrat> I am here
<CanoeBerry> Lunch too would be nice!
<CanoeBerry> kjcole: any chance you want to party in NYC Nov 21?
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<sandrat> Are you saying you'll provide lunch NYC Nov 21?
<CanoeBerry> Secret: we're very close to arranging a great church to host us, finalizeing later today I think, with Mike Lee's gorgeous poster published tomorrow if all goes 
swell
<CanoeBerry> Haha
<sandrat> which church?
<kjcole> CanoeBerry: I hope to attend. But need to focus long enough to actually *plan*. Shudder.
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: you're the chef!
<sandrat> sorry... i can order in
<sandrat> that's chefing in NYC
<CanoeBerry> kjcole: extraordinary people are coming together, so I'm very hopeful.
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: let's not make food the centerpiece in the church please, but yes snacks great!
<CanoeBerry> Shall we start our real meeting now?
<CanoeBerry> Agenda: http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/devel/2009-October/025959.html
<kjcole> CanoeBerry: Extraordinary people are the only kinds I hang with. ;-)
<CanoeBerry> "Cultivating Brilliance" (TM)
<CanoeBerry> OK, let's begin.
<sandrat> saw the foodforce request?  but don't understand what the request is?


[ PROJECT #1 : FoodForce2 - New Delhi, India ]

<CanoeBerry> Plz all help approve/critique Project #1 here:
<CanoeBerry> FoodForce2 - New Delhi, India
<CanoeBerry>    http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=48940
<CanoeBerry>    http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Food_ForceII
<CanoeBerry>    Requests 1-2 XO-1.5 over 3 months
<CanoeBerry>    Project Objectives:
<CanoeBerry>    FoodForce2 is both a classroom tool, and an outside classroom 
<CanoeBerry> activity. It is a new kind of an educational solution, an “expanded 
<CanoeBerry> school” which grows well beyond the walls of the classroom. The game 
<CanoeBerry> play has been designed in a way to educate the child about certain key 
<CanoeBerry> learning areas. The key learning areas on which the game focuses are:
<CanoeBerry>    1. *Strategy*: FoodForce2 is a strategy game in which decision-making
<CanoeBerry>       skills of a player have a high significance in determining the
<CanoeBerry>       outcome. The Player is suppose to plan and execute a strategy in
<CanoeBerry>       such a way that he can make an optimum use of the resources
<CanoeBerry>       available with him, so that the village can become
<CanoeBerry>       self-sustainable for a long time.
<CanoeBerry>    2. *Sustainable Development*: FoodForce2 teaches player to set limits
<CanoeBerry>       on the consumption of the present available resources so that they
<CanoeBerry>       can be used to address future development issues which are
<CanoeBerry>       critical for sustainable development.
<CanoeBerry>    3. *Trading*: Economic futures of any world community, particularly
<CanoeBerry>       developing world, is affected by their present trading system.
<CanoeBerry>       FoodForce2 assist player to integrate into the trade system and
<CanoeBerry>       multi-lateral trade negotiations. It develops skills for unbiased,
<CanoeBerry>       rule based and nondiscriminatory trading system.
<CanoeBerry>    4. *Technology and its use*: Technology involves the usage of tools
<CanoeBerry>       which affects and controls the environment, and the ability to
<CanoeBerry>       adapt to it. The basic lifestyle in every aspect of our daily
<CanoeBerry>       lives, the kind of housings, our transport, medical facilities,
<CanoeBerry>       fashion and entertainment all depend on technology. FoodForce2
<CanoeBerry>       demonstrates the effect of using technology in the development of
<CanoeBerry>       various facilities like hospitals, housing facilities, education
<CanoeBerry>       and training. It teaches player about the importance of technology
<CanoeBerry>       for development.
<CanoeBerry>    5. *Crisis Management*: A crisis is a major, unpredictable event that
<CanoeBerry>       harms human communities and is accompanied by widespread
<CanoeBerry>       malnutrition, starvation, epidemic and increased mortality. Crisis
<CanoeBerry>       management consisting of understanding, and coping with any
<CanoeBerry>       serious situation, especially from the moment it first occurs to
<CanoeBerry>       the point that recovery procedures start. FoodForce2 teaches
<CanoeBerry>       crisis management by redesigning the village affected by natural
<CanoeBerry>       calamities. In the game choices available to players are
<CanoeBerry>       constrained by economic, social, and physical realities of life in
<CanoeBerry>       a village. And their actions are highly structured by the
<CanoeBerry>       practices of urban planning
...
[BRIEF NETWORK INTERRUPTION ]
...
<CanoeBerry>    6. *Collaboration*: Collaboration is a recursive process where
<CanoeBerry>       different organizations work together for common goal by sharing
<CanoeBerry>       knowledge, learning and building consensus. FoodForce2 demonstrate
<CanoeBerry>       that a community is not supposed to be building in a closed
<CanoeBerry>       environment. Players should be free to interact with the outside
<CanoeBerry>       environment i.e. the other villages, which are being developed by
<CanoeBerry>       his peers.
<CanoeBerry> Sorry for that spewage :)
<sandrat> so it this for the developers of food force to add features?
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<culseg> Food problem solving is difficult, so their game is complex,, send then XOs OK with  me
<CanoeBerry> daveb: welcome!  Can you help us review 4 XO projects quick, to see who gets free XO Laptops?
<sandrat> food force is great . wonderful thing, what is the 'ask'?
<CanoeBerry> Agenda here: http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/devel/2009-October/025959.html
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<CanoeBerry> Why exactly do they need prototype XO-1.5 laptop(s)?
<dirakx1> hello
<CanoeBerry> dirakx1: hi
<sandrat> So foodforce I fully support?  Is this a development project?
<CanoeBerry> Anybody care to co-mentor and justify this FoodForce2 need?
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<CanoeBerry> Caryl: welc!
<culseg> corry I misread the RT , I would send them XOs and wait on 1.5's
<Caryl> Aloooooha!
<sandrat> OK so they are porting/testing foodforce on XO 1.5's?
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<CanoeBerry> So let's get a mentor on board here, Food Force 2 is actively maintained and keeps a solid wiki-presence, but still they need to justify their XO 1.5 needs etc.
<CanoeBerry> Any takers?
<sandrat> I will, co - who is the other co-
<CanoeBerry> Manu Gupta in India presumably.
<sandrat> ok
<CanoeBerry> (Manusheel Gupta)
<sandrat> got it
* tomeu hopes activity developers don't stop testing on the xo-1 for performance
<kjcole> FoodForce2 sounds like a great bit o' work.  And two machines isn't much to ask for.  However I haven't followed closely enough just how beta 1.5 stuff is.  And the limited number of machines...
<sandrat> +1
<CanoeBerry> CONDITIONALLY APPROVED (XO-1.5 prototypes require Ed McNierney's approval to check inventory levels)
<CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XO_1.5_B2
<CanoeBerry> Thanks.
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[ PROJECT #2 : Playing, it`s serious - Kuujjuaq (Quebec) CANADA ]

<CanoeBerry> Onto Project #2 here.. please review:
<CanoeBerry> Playing, it`s serious - Kuujjuaq (Quebec) CANADA
<CanoeBerry>    http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=49132
<CanoeBerry>    [SITE MISSING - NEEDS TO BE POSTED OFF 
<CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects ]
<CanoeBerry>    Requests 2 XOs over 2 months
<CanoeBerry>    Project Objectives:
<CanoeBerry>    We would like to put your laptop in the daycare
<CanoeBerry>    for the older group (4-5 years old) because we have a lack in
<CanoeBerry>    stimulation for kids, educators don`t know how to motivate. We think is
<CanoeBerry>    a good tool for education, stimulation, to find ideas for activities.....
<Caryl> Can we request that the XO-1 be included and maybe send one of each?
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<CanoeBerry> sandrat: can you complete Caryl's request above, clarifying the true needs of FoodForce2?
<CanoeBerry> Thanks Mentor Sandra :)
<Caryl> Thanks
<CanoeBerry> Back to Kuujjuaq now.
<Caryl> Fuzzy proposal and I don't mean warm and fuzzy
<CanoeBerry> OK, who wants to mentor Kuujjuaq so they understand OLPC/Sugar and reconsider a solid proposal?
<CanoeBerry> Anybody?
<kjcole> I second Caryl on that.
<CanoeBerry> Don't blame Canada..
<sandrat> Inuit  villages are deserving .  But I wonder if they shouldn't start with supplying to a smaller number of villages
<CanoeBerry> Any takers?
<CanoeBerry> Going once..
<sandrat> It is a good project, and should get our support\
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: will you support them and get them up to speed?
<Caryl> needs more structure
<CanoeBerry> Going twice..
<sandrat> Oooh yeh you know how the Canadians treat their indigenous peoples
<Caryl> they could end up in closets
<CanoeBerry> Conclusion: PROJECT REQUIRES REVISIONS AND MENTOR
<sandrat> I am pretty busy until mid November


[ PROJECT #3 : OLPC on Puppy Linux - Bogotá, Colombia ]

<CanoeBerry> Onto Project #3, please review...
<sandrat> dont' want to take too much on
<CanoeBerry> OLPC on Puppy Linux - Bogotá, Colombia
<CanoeBerry>    http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=49242
<CanoeBerry>    http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=47337
<CanoeBerry>    [DIRECT SITE MISSING - NEEDS TO BE POSTED OFF 
<CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects ]
<CanoeBerry>    Requests 1 XO over 12 months
<CanoeBerry>    Project Objectives:
<CanoeBerry>    The Primary objetive is develop a Puppy Linux Educational derivative,
<CanoeBerry>    specially builded to run in the XO hardware.
<sandrat> This project should survive are you saying it is up to me
<CanoeBerry> Secondary Objetives:
<CanoeBerry>    - Create a Puppy Linux distribution Extremely friendly, with easy to
<CanoeBerry>      learn GUI.
<CanoeBerry>    - Create a Puppy Linux distribution with a good pack of educative
<CanoeBerry>      applications.
<CanoeBerry>    - Deploy a good repository of Linux learning documents.
<CanoeBerry>    - Develop a small, fast and easy to learn Linux distribution for XO
<CanoeBerry>      hardware.
<CanoeBerry>    - Distibute Pupy Linux for OLPC freely.
<sandrat> ok then
<sandrat> I thought that we approved this already
<CanoeBerry> Thanks all for critiquing the above, considering last week's very similar project we approved in Australia here..
<CanoeBerry> http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=48455
<sandrat> ok
<CanoeBerry> The Australian shipment of 2 XOs delivered just a few hours ago!
<CanoeBerry> Puppies Popular!
<Caryl> can we approve this one and ask that they communicate and try to expand rather 
than duplicate?
<culseg> I have no special skill in Puppy Linux, but I'd be glad to help this project....aids Latin America not just Australia
<CanoeBerry> What do we do?
<CanoeBerry> culseg: will you mentor?
<culseg> sure, I will
<dirakx1> this is an american in Colombia ;), that's new..
<CanoeBerry> If so we should approve.
<CanoeBerry> +1
<sandrat> +1
<kjcole> +1
<dirakx1> +1.
<CanoeBerry> culseg: make sure they work with the Aussie team.
<CanoeBerry> APPROVED.
<Caryl> Having someone in Latin America working on it can mean we would have things in both English and Spanish


[ PROJECT #4 : Kenya OLPC Mathematics: request for more laptops ]

<CanoeBerry> Onto Project #4:
<culseg> yes, of course
<CanoeBerry> Please review this final project of the week..
<CanoeBerry> Kenya OLPC Mathematics: request for more laptops
<CanoeBerry>    http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=43623
<CanoeBerry>    http://wiki.laptop.org/go/User:OLPC_Mathematics
<CanoeBerry>    http://hoclaptop.blog.com
<CanoeBerry>    Requests 7 XOs over 6 months
<CanoeBerry> Project Objectives:
<CanoeBerry>    The primary goal of this project is to develop a project that will
<CanoeBerry>    aid teachers in Kenyan Primary Schools teach the basic concepts of
<CanoeBerry>    Mathematics in sync with the Kenyan Primary School syllabus using
<CanoeBerry>    the XO laptop. The specific objectives of this project are:
<CanoeBerry>    1. To improve the ability of children to memorise and enhance the
<CanoeBerry>       use of the basic Mathematical operations, that is +, -, ÷ and ×
<CanoeBerry>       using the XO laptop applications.
<CanoeBerry> 2. To improve children's ability and understanding of the measurement
<CanoeBerry>       and calculation of area, circumference and perimeter of
<CanoeBerry>       2-dimensional figures and the Surface Area and Volume of
<CanoeBerry>       3-dimansional objects with the aid of the XO laptop.
<CanoeBerry>    3. To aid the children in the proper understanding of the topics of
<CanoeBerry>       ratios, percentages and proportions according to the Kenyan
<CanoeBerry>       Primary School syllabus.
<CanoeBerry> All help criticize & advocate for the above!
<Caryl> How many do they already have? What were they supposed to do with them? Have they done it?
<CanoeBerry> They seem to have 3.
<CanoeBerry> The question is whether they are making steady progress and deserve 7 more.
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<kjcole> They seem to come up a lot.  This is the same bunch that wanted to do something with deaf kids that I never heard back from...
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<CanoeBerry> sandrat: can you introduce your project plz?
<Caryl> irc is very slow this morning
<sandrat> sorry got lost.  This group has been working steadily since August
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: kjcole just asked about the communications troubles not hearing back from this same Kenyan group's deaf project.
<sandrat> They went to classrooms last week and reported very positively on their first days working with kids
<sandrat> our group is raising funds for them as the trip to the villages is expensive for their teams
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: math details?
<sandrat> I think that 7 will give them 10 to do real classroom trials during the rest of this term
<sandrat> then they would like to keep them, revise curriculum according to findings for the next term in Jan
<CanoeBerry> This group's leader is arguably the most impressive of the bunch, but if you could review what he's accomplished (OLPC Math) over the last 2-3 months we need that.
<sandrat> yes,  Mark is a very sharp, the driving force, and introduced his math curriculum
<CanoeBerry> Plz explain.
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<CanoeBerry> The math curriculum if poss.
<CanoeBerry> Oops we lost Sandra :|
<CanoeBerry> Opinions? Conclusions?
* sandrat (n=97cb7050@olpc.osuosl.org) has joined #olpc-meeting
<CanoeBerry> Hiya
<sandrat> sorry . got kicked out of irc when I tried to paste from their website the details
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: can you review the math curriculum and how that helps the XO/Sugar community?
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: large pastes are blocked on purpose here.
<sandrat> The are using the Kenyan syllabus. we have a lot of interest from some of the ministers in kenyan gov.  proving that XO can implement the curriculum will be a big win in the coujntry
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: politics we understand. do you have math details?
<sandrat> mark is smart and can do it.  They are demonstrating how XO activities can support this curricluum
<sandrat> using calc.   let me get it again and paste it into notepad first
<sandrat> demonstrate to them how the Write and Record activities were able to do, and introduced them to Calculate, GeoQuiz, Chat and the Wiki. After that I asked them to write some of the things
<CanoeBerry> Where are you pasting from again?
<sandrat> from the blog site put up by mark koech
<CanoeBerry> http://hoclaptop.blog.com is beautiful (and vital indeed!) but we need a public site showing the meat.
<CanoeBerry> The meat of this particular project.
<sandrat> it is their report.  Could be more specific in terms of math. But somewhere it talks about the math concepts I think in the wiki page
<sandrat> Mark will keep this updated
<CanoeBerry> OLPC cannot issue $2000 worth of laptops plus as much as $1000 in shipping/coordination costs w/o specifics.
<CanoeBerry> We need specifics, thanks.
<sandrat> I will stay on top of it with him.   called him today but it was late
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<sandrat> what specifics..  you mean do you want a copy of the curriculum
<CanoeBerry> Deliverables are defined in our FAQ here:
<CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Contributors#FAQ
<sandrat> I can get the specifics in just a minute.. give me one second
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<sandrat> Ok  got kicked out agin
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<CanoeBerry> sandrat: just to review, deliverables mean a monthly conversation towards your milestones.
<CanoeBerry> Web-published milestones.
<CanoeBerry> With actual dates.
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<CanoeBerry> sandrat: beyond our phone call earlier today (monthly progress towards your actual milestone dates) here's the summary:
<CanoeBerry> From the FAQ..
<CanoeBerry> What is expected of me or my organization in giving back to the OLPC/Sugar community?
<CanoeBerry>         A: Try to contribute as much as possible in time and talents back to the community: 
<CanoeBerry>                 * Ongoing email updates and progress photos/videos & screenshots, and/or an informative blog you keep off of http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects
<CanoeBerry>                 * Completed community assets such as documentation, commented source code, hardware prototypes, field test data, or outreach materials to draw attention to your work.
<CanoeBerry>                 * Academic papers, conference talks, media coverage and friendly networking are most appreciated by our community! 
<CanoeBerry> Let us conclude for the day.
<CanoeBerry> Any others willing to co-mentor Kenya's "OLPC Mathematics" please?!
<CanoeBerry> Magic Mentors, step up now, change the world starting right here.
<CanoeBerry> Or email later.
<CanoeBerry> sandrat: can you put an email address on http://wiki.laptop.org/go/User:OLPC_
Mathematics so others might help?
<CanoeBerry> Last call for comments regarding the "OLPC Mathematics" in Kenya.....
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<CanoeBerry> Conclusion: REVISING, let us hope this project can be reviewed again next week when further milestones around this high-potential project are published here:
<CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/User:OLPC_Mathematics
<CanoeBerry> MEETING ADJOURNED, thanks all!


[ CLOSING REMARKS ]

* daveb (i=daveb@you.dontlike.us) has left #olpc-meeting
* Caryl_1  has joined #olpc-meeting
<Caryl_1> somehow I got stalled.  Are we still in meeting?
<Caryl_1> what is happening/happened?
<kjcole> Caryl_1: Ajourned.
<Caryl_1> ok
<Caryl_1> bye


#olpc-help excerpt:

<sandrat> here is some specifics : to improve the children's ability to understand the  measurement of area circumference
<sandrat> I need some assistance in getting photos up on the wiki
<sandrat> I'm asking Alan Papert to mentor.. he's pretty good stuff
<sandrat> I'll see him later today
<sandrat> Email updates?   to contributor@laptop.org???
<sandrat> sure  I'll put them up there.  It looks as if this site lost some of the earlier data. I added some data today