Hello, somebody from Microsoft forwarded me this link. It immediately 
struck some chord: looks like an excellent way to get money to 
(re)develop (part of) etoys or Croquet (or some extention to it, etc.). 
The really nice thing is: there is no need to use Microsoft-specific 
technology, like they ask in some of their other research proposals or 
contests. And with only 6 pages the proposal is not to heavy. Deadline 
is end of November. Smells like a real opportunity...


> Call for Proposal on  “Create, Play and Learn – Innovative 
> technologies with social and cultural value”
>
>
>
> Microsoft Research Cambridge (MSRC) is pleased to announce the 
> ‘Create, play and learn’ call for proposals (CFP) to solicit, support 
> and generate new ideas and technology applications with leading 
> researchers in partnership with MSRC. We invite grant proposals from 
> researchers at universities and research centres on new forms and 
> applications of computing, who share our desire to completely re-think 
> the relationship between computing, fun, play, creativity and 
> learning.
>
>
> Awards: Microsoft Research will support up to 10 proposals for 
> research grants of up to €100,000 each
> Details: http://research.microsoft.com/ero/SCAT/CfP_propos.aspx

--
Roel Wuyts                                                              
   DeComp
roel.wuyts at ulb.ac.be                               Université Libre de 
Bruxelles
http://homepages.ulb.ac.be/~rowuyts/                                    
Belgique
Vice-President of the European Smalltalk Users Group: www.esug.org