squeakland September 2009

squeakland@lists.squeakfoundation.org

20 participants
48 discussions

showcase task list
by Timothy Falconer 19 Sep '09

19 Sep '09

Hi everyone, The last two weeks has certainly been a scramble, with an unusual amount of mysterious problems. I had to retrofit the main connection from Etoys to the showcase, which disabled some things that were working before. Here's a quick list of upcoming improvements: * 1) RANKING SYSTEM - right now all shared projects are visible, but early next week every project and comment will require a human to approve it before the showcase will show anything. The details for how this moderation system will work will be described once it's operational. For now just know that the power to rank projects lies with the community itself, based upon an automatic way of determining individual effort and usefulness. * 2) WRITE & DELETE PROTECTION - currently there's a way for people to modify or delete others projects, not on the website itself or within Etoys, but a super secret way we won't talk about here :) * 3) PRIVATE AND GROUP ACCESS - the showcase allows individuals to share projects privately, with either their friends, or with groups that they're part of (classrooms, NGOs, etc). Currently you need to contact us to create a group, but even if you have a group created, this special private and group access isn't wired up as of last week. * 4) TELL A FRIEND ABOUT A PROJECT - you'll be able to add email addresses to a website form, which will send an invitation to those addresses to see your project. Such people will have immediate access, even before a public project is moderated by the rankers. For private projects, only friends and groups can see your projects. * 5) MULTIPLE VERSIONS VISIBLE ON PROJECT PAGE - currently it shows only your most recent version, though I plan to have a collapsable list of earlier versions, any of which you can delete easily. And a quick list of snags that should be quick fixes: * Deleted projects come back to life in five minutes ... this should be a very easy one * Etoys 4 projects uploaded through the website currently don't read in their Project Info (only the stuff on the web form is used) * Clicking previous and next only work within the current page of ten projects. I'd like you to be able to keep clicking next to see all projects. Anyway, these should all be resolved before the final Etoys 4 release. Take care, Tim

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kayne west visits squeakland
by Timothy Falconer 19 Sep '09

19 Sep '09

Here's something you don't see every day: http://kanyelicious.appspot.com/http://squeakland.org Tim

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ANN: Etoys 4 release candidate and beta showcase
by Timothy Falconer 19 Sep '09

19 Sep '09

Hi everyone, After nine months of work by our software team, and several weeks of sprinting by Bert Freudenberg, Yoshiki Ohshima, Scott Wallace, and myself, we're very happy to announce the Squeak Etoys 4 release candidate! What's a release candidate, you ask? Well, it's hopefully the final version, but we want more testing first. It's better than a beta, but not quite ready for real use. We'll be releasing the Etoys 4 final on October 21st. Please help us test the new Etoys! We want to make sure that it's rock solid before getting used in schools and homes throughout the world. You can download the Etoys 4 release candidate here: http://squeakland.org/download It's at the bottom, below the fancy icons, under "Release Candidates." To learn what's new in Etoys 4, you can start by watching an interview with Scott Wallace here: * http://squeakland.org/resources/audioVisual/movie.jsp?id=61#nav You can also learn about the new beta showcase by watching this video: * http://squeakland.org/resources/audioVisual/movie.jsp?id=62#nav For those in a hurry, the Etoys 4 highlights include: * loading and sharing projects directly to the central Squeakland Showcase * fully "license clean", so that it can be included in Linux distros, etc. * improved toolbar and viewer * optional drop-down categories for the project info box * lots of fixes and new translations throughout If you find any problems, you can first try our chat channel: http://chat.squeakland.org/ or post in our forums (or mailing lists): http://squeakland.org/forums/ If you're able to reproduce the error, feel free to add a ticket to our issue tracker: http://tracker.squeakland.org/ We've been pushing ourselves for quite a while, so you might not see much activity this weekend, at least from me & Bert :) We'll respond to your comments on Monday, or earlier if we can't resist peeking in the office door. Special thanks to everyone who made suggestions or helped us test the betas. We'd be nowhere without our community! Take care, Timothy

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International Conference "ICT for Development and Education" in Nepal
by SeaGate Institute of Technology 15 Sep '09

15 Sep '09

Kindly participate in the upcoming International Conference on ICT for Development and Education on Oct 29-30. Home Stay if required is possible. We can have a separate session for Squeak Training and Workshop during the time. You will love the weather and the environment out here. Best regards, Madhur

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new OLPC book with Etoys chapters!
by Rita Freudenberg 14 Sep '09

14 Sep '09

Dear Squeakers, I'm glad to announce that the new OLPC book "Class Acts" will include four chapters about Etoys! Thank you so much, Cherry Withers, Bill Steltzer, Bruno Sperb, Fabiana Marella and all the others who through their work and their words did help to make that happen! You did an awesome job last week! Now our Etoys success stories are being told. http://en.flossmanuals.net/bin/view/ClassActs Most of the work has be done by participating in a book sprint organized by Adam Holt from OLPC. http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Class_Acts Thank you, Adam, for all the work you did, motivation, support and warm acceptance! It was a wonderful experience to be part of that effort. Putting together the chapters of the book in about one week is a breathtaking work done by 20+ people. It is now getting finished and then the english version of the book will be available. If you would like to translate it please let me know or contact the OLPC Support Gang in IRC http://forum.laptop.org/chat Greetings, Rita -- Rita Freudenberg Squeakland Foundation http://www.squeakland.org

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Squeak and Etoys talk, Software freedom day, Melbourne
by Tansel Ersavas 14 Sep '09

14 Sep '09

I am giving a talk on Squeak and Etoys in Melbourne on Saturday 19th of September as a part of the activities of the Software freedom day. If you know anybody who would be interested in the subjects please let them know. http://softwarefreedomday.org/melb Tansel

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Download Video From Sqeakland Website
by SeaGate Institute of Technology 13 Sep '09

13 Sep '09

Hi, I wonder whether anyone there knows how to download the video from Squeakland.org. Regards, Madhur

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Re: on having two squeakland websites (Timothy Falconer) (still...)
by Bruno Sperb 13 Sep '09

13 Sep '09

Hi everyone, Im afraid it can be a bit too late to talk about this very rich squeakland discussion, but still... :) From our work directly with the kids and teachers with Etoys, I think that the most important thing is to have an environment where everyone can create their space: have a profile, public their projects and INTERACT with others. I think that the reason for the sucess of Scratcht website is the interaction the users are able to do (to publish the project they want, to give it a tag, to evaluate it, to do it with others projects too...)! I have been navigating on the website for a while now, and it is quite amazing how the users are talking to each other, eg: "how did you do this game? Where did you get this music from? How to make the animation like this?", etc. One of our difficulties deepening the use of Etoys inside the school is: we don't have yet a proper place where the teacher and the kids can actually see what other people are making with Etoys, and to interact with them. There are many kids here with many projects inside their XOs that are still there (and talking with colleagues from Uruguai and around, it is the same thing)! One important thing is to consider who are (or will be) the users of the website? I think that an essencial part of the E-toys comunity is the children who are creating projects around the world. If we take that into account, what I would aim is an evironment (inside the Squeakland or not) aimed to easy publication (upload) and download, running the projects online (like the Illinois website, for example) and mainly interaction. May be there are worries about having only finished and more elaborated projects published. I think that the users themselves should have the oportunity to regulate what the website is showing (top viewed, top rated, newest projects, etc). Like Nevit Dilmen said, may be thats too dificult too maintain, to moderate, etc but thats what I think we should go for... All the best, Bruno Sperb queakland-request(a)squeakland.org escreveu: > Send squeakland mailing list submissions to > squeakland(a)squeakland.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.squeakland.org/mailman/listinfo/squeakland > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > squeakland-request(a)squeakland.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > squeakland-owner(a)squeakland.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of squeakland digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: on having two squeakland websites (Timothy Falconer) > 2. Re: [etoys-dev] Etoys documentation TOC (Karl Ramberg) > 3. we have officially overtaken etoys.com in google > (Timothy Falconer) > 4. Re: on having two squeakland websites (Yoshiki Ohshima) > 5. Re: Etoys documentation TOC (Rita Freudenberg) > 6. education meeting notes (Rita Freudenberg) > 7. Re: on having two squeakland websites (Rita Freudenberg) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 06:29:04 -0400 > From: Timothy Falconer <timothy(a)squeakland.org> > Subject: Re: [squeakland] on having two squeakland websites > To: Nevit Dilmen <nevilo(a)yahoo.com> > Message-ID: <52AA14A9-958B-45B5-9939-26BFAE709943(a)squeakland.org> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed; delsp=yes > > > On Sep 2, 2009, at 7:16 PM, Nevit Dilmen wrote: > > >> As an eToys user you can count me as this "few". I strongly agree >> with this idea, and believe eToys has been pretty late in this >> decision. The websites does not necessarily be hosted on seperate >> domains. But all can be handled with subdomains. >> >> village.squeakland.org, projects.squeakland.org, >> forum.squeakland.org, wiki.squeakland.org, blogs.squeakland.org, info.squekland.org >> , www.squeakland.org . etc. >> >> >>> As with all suggestions, I'm open to ideas, but in this >>> particular case, I'd like some serious community discussion >>> about this. I'd like there to be solid, compelling, >>> reasons for such a move. >>> >>> Here are the reasons I'm against "splitting the baby", as >>> IMO would happen if we make two sites. I'll >>> distinguish as squeakland.org (official) and etoysville.com >>> (community). >>> >> I will not go in details below, one by one as you suggested. I would >> instead compare eToys with Scratch which is a project launched later >> than eToys and based on Squeak code. >> >> Scratch has been a huge success perhaps because of it's community >> website. The community website is not a separate domain as suggested >> above but is the main site. It includes areas for official >> announcements but the majority of site is composed of project area >> with more than 500.000 projects hosted. The second major part of >> the site is forum and both use unified login. Projects are uploaded >> right from within the application. Projects are shared and hosted >> with Creative Commons licence which allows recycling and use for >> educational purposes. >> >> The official areas of the site include blog, downloads, >> translations, research, info, credits, quotes, news, store, >> donations, conference, scratch day & learning materials. >> >> The important question to be answered is does VPRI or sponsors >> behind eToys project have enough financial and man power resources >> to launch such a major project with huge design, hosting and >> maintenance demands? And are they willing to do so. >> > > > Nevit, > > We *will* be launching a public showcase in the next two weeks, where > users can share directly from Etoys. This is a major feature of the > new release. > > The debate is about whether these public projects show on a separate > website or seperate-looking section. > > I'm in favor of the Scratch way (integrated as a major part of the > main site). Others want the look and navigation to be different than > the main website, to feel like a separate place than the main website. > > I agree that a public showcase has been a long time coming. Our > proposal for last year's website redesign included a Scratch-like > public showcase, with features such as curriculum overlays. This > part was cut largely because VPRI didn't feel they had the manpower to > moderate a public showcase effectively. > > Now that control has been passed to Squeakland Foundation, we're > creating this public showcase as one of our first, top, priorities. > > Take care, > Tim > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:47:47 +0200 > From: Karl Ramberg <karlramberg(a)gmail.com> > Subject: [squeakland] Re: [etoys-dev] Etoys documentation TOC > To: Rita Freudenberg <rita(a)isg.cs.uni-magdeburg.de> > Cc: etoys dev <etoys-dev(a)squeakland.org>, "squeakland.org mailing > list" <squeakland(a)squeakland.org> > Message-ID: <4AA00143.2040001(a)gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > On 2009-09-03 13:01, Rita Freudenberg wrote: > >> Hi all, >> >> as you all know we don't really have an Etoys documentation. So let's >> start writing it. As I wrote earlier I propose to use FLOSS Manuals. >> It is used by the olpc and sugar community for writing manuals and >> books. To get started we should have a TOC outline. Here are my >> suggestions: >> >> 1. Introduction (short description what etoys is about) >> 2. Getting started (technical description on how to install and start >> etoys on different operating systems) >> 3. User Interface (painting tools, halo, viewer ...) >> 4. Tiles (describing every available tile) >> 5. Objects (everything from the supplies bin and object catalogue, flaps) >> >> What am I missing? Of course we can have subchapters and also later >> add main chapters if we find out we need it. Here is the manual for >> TurtleArt so you can get the idea what our documentation could look like: >> http://en.flossmanuals.net/turtleart >> >> What do you think? If we come up with a TOC outline I can send it to >> Anne Gentle from FLOSS manuals to set it up and we can start writing:) >> >> Greetings, >> Rita >> >> > Oh, and I made the UpdatingScreenshotMorph: > http://tracker.immuexa.com/browse/SQ-96 > The nice thing with it is that if you take a UpdatingScreenShot of a > script for example and add in your BookMorph or text > you don't have to make a new screenshot if you change the script or > language because it updates :-) > So if we keep the documentation internal in Squeak as long as possible > this could maybe be helpful. > > Karl > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 16:52:43 -0400 > From: Timothy Falconer <timothy(a)squeakland.org> > Subject: [squeakland] we have officially overtaken etoys.com in google > To: "squeakland.org mailing list" <squeakland(a)squeakland.org> > Message-ID: <E9A8D80A-0C8C-4D56-97EA-0BB81ACEC5B8(a)squeakland.org> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed; delsp=yes > > Hi everyone, > > Something surprising and new . . . > > http://www.google.com/search?q=etoys > > We're #1, ahead of etoys.com. This is a pretty clear indication of > word spreading about us. (Yes etoys.com still sells toys.) > > We're still very low in "educational software" and similar searches > (Alice is on page 6, Scratch much further down). > > Keep linking to us, that's how it works. > > Take care, > Tim > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:01:39 -0700 > From: Yoshiki Ohshima <yoshiki(a)vpri.org> > Subject: Re: [squeakland] on having two squeakland websites > To: "squeakland.org mailing list" <squeakland(a)squeakland.org> > Message-ID: <uws4fy3vg.wl%yoshiki(a)vpri.org> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII > > I finally read the thread... > > >> 8. it's just confusing to have two sites >> > > Maybe this is only the real one and other 9 or 8 items are > concequences of it? > > >> C) squeakland is built on storymill, which is not "free and open >> source" or written in Squeak itself >> > > Did anybody say that? There was "what you write is different from > what I read" aspect in some conversations, but if you are implying > what I wrote sometime before, what I wrote was "an openly-available > platform" so that one developer can control (by that I meant that the > developer can test and look at both the server (like logs and error > messages) and client, and not putting anybody on the critical path. > > But, as people agreed, we go with the plan. So, the question comes > down to "when" we really work on it and make it work. Can you tell me > (or some other developer) when you have quality time so that can work > together? > > -- Yoshiki > > >> And the last reason, which has not been publicly stated, but I suspect >> exists . . . >> >> D) some people are frustrated with me personally and want the freedom >> to change things without me saying "well, what about so and so" >> > > Well, *if* you follow what you wrote below, you probably name "some > people", so that not leaving everybody in the community wondering > "hmm, maybe my body language really sucks and I'm giving wrong > impression on Tim?" > > But no, don't do that. Instead, you should just try to "read" what > is written as it is, and not to "interpret" too much. That is the key > of text-based technical conversation. > > -- Yoshiki > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:13:19 +0200 > From: Rita Freudenberg <rita(a)isg.cs.uni-magdeburg.de> > Subject: Re: [squeakland] Etoys documentation TOC > To: Timothy Falconer <timothy(a)immuexa.com> > Cc: "squeakland.org mailing list" <squeakland(a)squeakland.org>, etoys > dev <etoys-dev(a)squeakland.org> > Message-ID: <4AA0DA2F.3020802(a)isg.cs.uni-magdeburg.de> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > Timothy Falconer wrote: > >> On Sep 3, 2009, at 7:23 AM, Timothy Falconer wrote: >> >> >>> On Sep 3, 2009, at 7:01 AM, Rita Freudenberg wrote: >>> >>> >>>> Hi all, >>>> >>>> as you all know we don't really have an Etoys documentation. So >>>> let's start writing it. As I wrote earlier I propose to use FLOSS >>>> Manuals. It is used by the olpc and sugar community for writing >>>> manuals and books. To get started we should have a TOC outline. Here >>>> are my suggestions: >>>> >>>> 1. Introduction (short description what etoys is about) >>>> 2. Getting started (technical description on how to install and >>>> start etoys on different operating systems) >>>> 3. User Interface (painting tools, halo, viewer ...) >>>> 4. Tiles (describing every available tile) >>>> 5. Objects (everything from the supplies bin and object catalogue, >>>> flaps) >>>> >>>> What am I missing? Of course we can have subchapters and also later >>>> add main chapters if we find out we need it. Here is the manual for >>>> TurtleArt so you can get the idea what our documentation could look >>>> like: >>>> http://en.flossmanuals.net/turtleart >>>> >>>> What do you think? If we come up with a TOC outline I can send it to >>>> Anne Gentle from FLOSS manuals to set it up and we can start writing:) >>>> >>> It's a good list. So this would be more of a reference manual than a >>> getting started guide? (with tutorials) >>> > Yes, a reference manual is what I had in mind. I'm sorry for not making > that clear. > >>> We could link back to the Etoys unit of the courseware for the >>> gentler intro. >>> >> Also, just want to highlight that we actually do have some >> documentation (with even a big PDF): >> >> http://squeakland.org/tutorials/guides/ >> >> Kathleen's work is concise and useful, and should be used where >> possible in the FLOSS version. >> > Definitely, I will not have the same things written again, but collect > it at one place. And since it is a reference manual, it will be shorter > than other materials, but complete. As Bert pointed out "it defines the > boundary of what we consider officially supported, and what not." > > Rita > >> Tim >> > > > -- Bruno Fagundes Sperb cel - 96853758 __________________________________________________ Faça ligações para outros computadores com o novo Yahoo! Messenger http://br.beta.messenger.yahoo.com/

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Re: controverse blog about OLPC
by Carlos Rabassa 11 Sep '09

11 Sep '09

Rita, thank you very much for sending me the link to this article. I finally succeeded in posting a reply. I copy the original posting followed by my reply. I will also translate it and post it in america-latina and in rapceibal. Carlos Here are the copies of what appears in the United Nations sponsored blog: Alanna Shaikh's blog One Laptop Per Child - The Dream is Over Alanna Shaikh - September 9, 2009 - 9:06am The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project started out with big dreams. Founded by Nicholas Negroponte of MIT’s media lab, it promised a hundred dollar laptop that would be sold directly to Ministries of Education in huge lots. The laptop, they promised, was the new pencil. It was going to revolutionize education in the developing world. It didn’t. The laptop never came down to the hundred dollar price that was promised. The huge orders never materialized, and the project was very slow to allow sales to NGOs and charities instead of just governments. They abandoned the human-powered power source. They abandoned the special child-friendly OS. The laptop still didn’t sell to their target market in the developing world. Americans wanted the OLPC. We fell in love with its tremendous promise and adorable shape. (note: I own an OLPC) We were the first market it conquered. OLPC launched a give one-get one promotion that let individuals pay $400 to donate one laptop and receive one for themselves. It was a huge success, except that OLPC wasn’t set up for that kind of customer order fulfillment. Laptops arrived far later than promised, and several thousand orders were simply lost. Once the laptop finally started arriving in the developing world, its impact was minimal. We think. No one is doing much research on their impact on education; discussions are largely theoretical. This we do know: OLPC didn’t provide tech support for the machines, or training in how to incorporate them into education. Teachers didn’t understand how to use the laptops in their lessons; some resented them. Kids like the laptops, but they don’t actually seem to help them learn. It’s time to call a spade a spade. OLPC was a failure. Businessweek called it two years ago. Now, Timothy Ogden, editor-in-chief of Philanthropy Action has made a compelling argument to give up on OLPC. He points out that supporting de-worming programs has more impact on child learning than the OLPC laptops. The laptops were designed without end-user input, they cost too much both to produce and to run, and they’re now being outcompeted by commercial laptops. Only about a million OLPCs have shipped so far. Some people call OLPC Nick Negroponte’s vanity project. I wouldn’t go that far. But it’s not going to change the world, or even affect it all that much. One Laptop per Child got everyone thinking about the education in the developing world. It spawned the commercial laptops that are now out competing it. But that’s all. The dream is over. Add new comment September 11, 2009 - 8:56am — CarlosXO Comments The Dream is NOT over at least in Uruguay. This is a response to Alanna Shalikhʼs post of September 9, 2009 titled “One Laptop Per Child - The Dream is Over” Will not repeat the excellent points brought by previous responses including Mr. Negroponteʼs. This is my own personal view, I am one of the over one thousand volunteers working in Uruguay, in a group called Red de Apoyo al Plan Ceibal, RAP Ceibal. The OLPC plan in Uruguay is well and alive, with no plans to disappear. One important fact: The main opposition candidate in next month presidential elections, has gone to extremes to explain how good the Plan Ceibal is. He publicly recognized it as one of the good projects implemented by the current government. My wife and I lived and worked in New York City for over forty years. During those years we participated ﬁrst-hand in the introduction of two new technologies in our business. In 1983 we introduced the ﬁrst computer in our ofﬁce. In 1997 we started a website and used it as the center for our business. Those two introductions of new technologies were no different from what we see in Uruguay with the XO computers and Plan Ceibal/OLPC. The normal reaction of most human beings to any new technology is fear. And the immediate reaction to fear is rejection. Yes, a lot of people, have a negative first reaction. Particularly the older individuals who have had successful careers for many years without the new technology. Those who repeat their comments without thinking, of course don't help the process of accepting new modern tools. But technology doesnʼt go away so easily. And much the less when young children without prejudices or fears have tested it, liked it and approved it. And much the less when those children are all the elementary school students and every year more and more in high school. They keep the computers after leaving elementary school where they received them as their personal treasure to keep. We should not worry about those rejecting the idea. Pretty soon they will see others succeeding and ﬁnd out they too could succeed. And those detractors will imitate the leaders. Let me ﬁnish with a success story that makes me very proud. We recently had the pleasure and honor of helping a school teacher from Uruguay, Fabiana Marella, make a remote presentation of her paper to Squeakfest USA 2009, an international conference at UCLA, University of California at Los Angeles. Recording of her original presentation: http://squeakland.org/resources/audioVisual/movie.jsp?id=54 Our spanish version of the same presentation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A61ei-W7r4&annotation_id=annotation_127705&… Carlos Rabassa On Sep 11, 2009, at 6:25 AM, Rita Freudenberg wrote: > Hi Carlos, > > I just cam across this articles and wanted to let you know. Maybe > you will send it to other mailing lists? > > http://www.undispatch.com/node/8859 > http://scanlyze.wordpress.com/2009/09/11/nasty-undispatch-blog-attack-on-on… > http://www.undispatch.com/node/8867 > > Greetings, > Rita > > > -- > Rita Freudenberg > FIN-ISG > Otto-von-Guericke-UniversitÃ¤t Magdeburg > http://isgwww.cs.uni-magdeburg.de/isg/rita.html >

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etoys 4.0 code freeze
by Timothy Falconer 11 Sep '09

11 Sep '09

Hi all, Just a reminder . . .Etoys 4.0 code freeze is 7am GMT on Saturday (midnight PT). The installers we create then will be "release candidates" for next Wednesday's release. Take care, Tim

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squeakland September 2009