Software Applications as Activities

   
   
   
   
   
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Ars Electronica's fish/leek/gun thing

While casually mentioning that the OLPC 2B1 Children's Machine will be the $100 dollar €100 euro laptop in his, Ars Electronica's "SIMPLICITY – the art of complexity" symposium, Walter Bender, One Laptop Per Child's President of Software and Content, did take a moment to expound on the innovative software interface and applications of the 2B1.

Apparently the world's children are not going to see a conventional desktop or file system when using a Children's Machine, even though it will be there, hidden from view. They will have a user interface which keeps them always in the presence of their friends.

Software will not be an application as much as an activity where you can always invite creators or critics to view your work. Or as Walter Bender says:

"On button push away from being able to bring other people in to participate in all activities.."
Wow! Now that sounds like an office productivity suite + massively-multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) mash-up I wanna see!

As an example, he explained that while there will be a wiki on the OLPC laptops, some content will be locked down while other sections, and hopefully the actual post margin will be open for margin notes, discussions, and local content, presumably in real time.

I only hope this software suite and technology innovation will be available to us kids (at heart).

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