November 12, 2009
ATI Cafeteria
5pm onwards

Agenda:

1. Weekly Meeting
2. Game Specifications
   Game Features
   Game Layout
3. Division of Tasks
   Research
   Collaboration
   Blog Updates
   Email Updates

P.S.

I'll expand my minutes after i translate my audio record   =)

For the last few weeks, being acquainted with the XO was of minimal task because the Sugar on a Stick (SoaS) release has made the checking on the XO’s sweet UI simple for me. Although the XO feel is of much getting used to. Exploring the XO at the user level was not complicated at all. Even to others without any idea about the XO laptops, Sugar, and OLPC. The hardest part was the shifting from the processing speed I was used to to that of what the AMD Geode is capable of.

In the first place, the main reasons for requesting 3 XOs were to answer 3 major questions to help us before, during and after developing the specifications for the activity:

1. How is collaboration made between two users or more in the activity being shared?
2. Is it possible to do the activity in 3D without requiring additional memory that could have allowed the child to do another activity?
3. What are the other issues that we are to consider with regards to the limited hardware we are working on?

To answer the aforementioned questions, we only need to conduct simple testing activites at user level which only involved exploring the XO as if you were one of the lucky kids out there having one. In this task, I have been helped by my friends – roommates, co-scholars and classmates. The issues that concerned us were:

1. It lags. For some time, out of the blue, an XO screen just freezes. Pressing any keys or directing the cursor with the touch pad won’t do a thing.
2. The touch pad also becomes stubborn. It’ll be moving the cursor nicely this minute then it starts to go the other way. The cursor has to be gently maneuvered or application of greater pressure on the touch pad is necessary because the problem is either over/under sensitivity.
3. During the sharing of activity, the lagging is more frequent but it happens to at least one of the XO’s sharing at the particular time. As observed in the Maze Activity, for 2 XO’s, they alternately get stuck in the middle of the activity and then most times, one returns only after the other XO has finished the maze. At 3 XO’s, one XO gets stuck, another could possibly do so, then one remains in the game, and at some time after getting stuck, one XO returns and the other follows or they do the getting stuck alternately.

With these observations, we now move a step higher in our development. The next weeks will be devoted in discussing the issues observed, refining ideas, adding new ones and coming up with the final specifications. The squinting of eyes to view the picture is now over. Thus, the time to look at the details is here as we start to figure out how we can hack the XO.

well, we got ‘em named driven, milk and ion.

picture of driven

my roommate helping me out with the box..

the shipment box

and she’s loving her task…

can't stop her

my classmates and their curiosity..

haha..

the maze got the craze..

well..

. .   and surely there will be more to come . .  .

I wasn’t around the department when the XOs arrived so I only got the news only after our class.  Therefore, it took me a lot of effort to get what my instructor was talking about when he told me that something for me was waiting inside the server room.

“DHL said they tried to call you but you didn’t answer it.“

I was still riding a multicab back to Visca when I got that call, wondered who was calling, rejected it since my phone battery’s too low to make the call last more than a minute, and then my phone went off.  I am so sorry for what happened.

and..

right now, i’d love to call a group meeting if not for the fact that it’s curfew time for dormitories.

so..

expect the pics/vids to come up the next week.. =)

Do you believe you could still do something about Global Warming?

The last time I had talked to her was when I joined my classmates on visiting the Marine Lab to look for some thesis ideas,  when I was so enjoying in  forming  my kneadable eraser like it was some piece of clay on top of my new 4B pencil.  I had made it into a mouse, sorta like Stuart Little!  And I was proud of the childishness and joy I found in myself that day.  I left my classmates and we had lunch together then I grabbed her to Baybay with me for just some waste of time.  A sorta waste of time for her.  I got an exam by 2PM, but I gotta send my brother and sister their allowances.  My OJT stipend just got in so, it’s my honor. Then, I let her join me in whatever business I got.  Maybe, she got so amused with my total carelessness that day.  The butter-finger-ness that was so there.  My spending a long time just to buy a pair of scissors.  Then after a couple of weeks, we got to stick around that Thursday.

It was a firm “Yes” that escaped my lips.  Not a hint of doubt.  Never.  I can’t be that negative.  Letting go of the inquiry then I continued on with whatever else I was talking about.  Her handing me of the notes she was reviewing got me shocked with what I was needing to learn -  a lot.  There were many many factors to consider.  She got amused with the expression on my face.  Both the project and my thesis were environment-related.  A future forester should know enough about the contraints I was about to face.

Hours after  (after the exams, meetings and library digging), me and that friend were sitting at the beach.  Enjoying the scenes we capture with our eyes.  A lot to talk about.  Still a lot even after a lot of talk earlier.  I’ve been with her since noon.  Then the topics are still coming in.

Then she said, “remember that I asked you if you believe you could still do something? I asked you because even I, myself , no longer believe that there’s still hope“.  We were talking about the environment that time.  So, a friendly argument settled in.  Me, explaining while I still believe such as she listened to me ending up talking about the project, about our chances, about OLPC, then about the XO laptops to the point that I was tackling hardware.  It was so obvious to her that I was having a hard time trying to explain about the Computer Science part and it also became obvious to me that I no longer need elaborating because she gets my point.

So, why did I ask a non-believing future forester to join the team?

Because I know better that even though she isn’t hopeful, she would not miss a chance to act upon the issues we are facing.

So, i’m proud to introduce my friend, Flordeliza Radam, as one of the new member of the GreenThumb Project.  A non-programmer to help us refine the whole game concept, add fresh ideas and give corrections.

Thank you!

 Unfortunately, I have to have fever last week.  I’m still fresh from sickness so deal with the messiness that is in this entry.  =) Peace! (Can I scream i’m finally 20 years old today here?)

Ahm.. ok, i got shocked, aside from Bon as the users of this blog, i’m totally awed that ate lyn2 considered blogging.  She’s totally not into it if i remembered it right considering that these kind of details don’t escape me.

Anyway, we need to wait a little more for the XO laptops.  It’s stranded in the, i mean, it’s still held by the Customs as of the very moment.  But hey, take note, I’m working on it.  =)

screen shot 1

screen shot 2

I have to read

Ate Mafe’s
“Great and congratulations….:)

So, this is just the beginning…of real work.”

and Kuya Adam ‘s
“I will try to get you your DHL tracking number for both XO Laptops by
Tuesday or Wednesday”

and recheck the email details over and over again to let it sink in me  to convince myself to quit asking if is this really happening for the nth time now.

XO leaf

Originally uploaded by exist-ine

The icon’s simple, childish and it’s just like writing ‘GT’.
Plus the fact that a few weeks ago, that’s exactly how I taught my seven year old brother on how to draw a leaf.
So, I guess that’s all I can say.
Everyone, meet the XO leaf… =)