Talk:Ruler

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Feature Requests

How about a protractor? --Walter 22:03, 1 July 2007 (EDT)

Rough drafts exist, but they got pulled for the Trial-2 release. I'll get something back in. MitchellNCharity 13:52, 9 September 2007 (EDT)

Three ways: degrees, decimal radians, and fractional radians. (fractional: PI/6, PI/4, PI/3, PI/2, 2*PI/3, 3*PI/4, 5*PI/6) AlbertCahalan 01:38, 14 September 2007 (EDT)

And how about having a text box somewhere where kids can store down numbers (the lengths or angle measurements)? This way, a kid could summon (resume) the "measurement of his lunch box" activity.

Great idea! And having now done it for Stopwatch, it should be easy. Thanks! MitchellNCharity 13:52, 9 September 2007 (EDT)

In the future, though, probably Sugar should support a second type of applications, installable "floating" Tools, which the user could install and use in any activities. This way, a kid could just use the Ruler within Write to measure and write down the measurements, or use it in Paint to create a drawing with specific measurements. HoboPrimate 11:12, 11 August 2007 (EDT)

A related thought is encouraging people to make widgets available. For example, I should create reusable python code for drawing rules and grids. And, from Stopwatch, for draggable widgets. It would be nice if, say, a music program could reuse the programming blocks in Turtle Art; the turtle could draw in Paint; a math exploration program, could reuse parts of the calculator; etc, etc. So the unit of security and activity could still be the Activity, but there's a library of components to build on. I don't really know what the olpc vision for components and libraries is. MitchellNCharity 13:52, 9 September 2007 (EDT)

Maine and Massachusetts both need that other measurement system. (as does the rest of the USA, along with Liberia, and anybody following instructions written in those places) AlbertCahalan 11:59, 11 August 2007 (EDT)

Do they? If so, when a deployment there is impending, Imperial units might be added. If they can't be talked out of it. MitchellNCharity 13:52, 9 September 2007 (EDT)

Yes. Supposedly Maine and Massachusetts are currently green status. Liberia is currently "plan to include in the post-launch phase" (the almost-green color, which is red for some odd reason). While I understand that many people do find US Customary and Imperial measurement to be gross, it is something that many kids must learn to deal with. AlbertCahalan 01:38, 14 September 2007 (EDT)

Implementation Discussion

The measurements are wrong by a factor of sqrt(2) because the numbers run along a diagonal. A 10 cm object will be measured as 7 cm. AlbertCahalan 11:59, 11 August 2007 (EDT)

The numbers apply to the horizontal/vertical directions. Doing it this way is an attempt to generate discussion/thought. Limited (extremely) user testing suggests kids do indeed, spot, think about, and figure it out. The next draft should make it somewhat clearer (by continuing the labels horizontally (11-15 cm)). Then we'll see how field experience goes. A diagonal ruler could be overlayed on the graph, to make it even clearer. Thanks for the feedback. MitchellNCharity 13:52, 9 September 2007 (EDT)

How about replacing the grid with concentric circles? Place the center at the upper left or upper right. Then you have easy measurement across the diagonal of the screen, which is longer than either edge. There is also no likely way to screw things up. AlbertCahalan 01:38, 14 September 2007 (EDT)