Re: GUIs und kinder

[Jeffery Douglas Waddell <jeff@smluc.org>]

Hello Leon,

On Tue, 28 Sep 1999, Leon Brooks wrote:

> thudson@cygnus.com wrote:
> > I think
> > that some elements of the current state of GUIs are not
> > well suited to new users and children. Things like
> > double-clicks, etc. I've often thought of a complete
> > desktop environment geared more towards children.
> 
> I've often thought that a different input device, especially for the
> very littlies, would be good.

This is definately true.  I've found 1 track ball so far that I thought
was sufficiently easy for my children to use (although the older one has
since moved to a mouse).  I've dreamed for many years of creating (for
myself) a one handed keyboard that you hold in your hand (wireless of
course) and simply use the digits of your hand in connection with you palm
(it would have to strap to your hand I think) to create all the necessary
letters and numbers, it seems that it would take a little while to get
used to and then be MUCH faster and freeing than conventional keyboards.
I've even tried (so far in vain to make a clay mockup) but I haven't
devoted much time to that project, maybe someday....

> Somewhat easier under X than anything Bill
> offers.

X can currently be navigated with a device on the game port as far as I
know (joysticks, not sure about gravis and other devices, but they are
certainly possible)

> Tracballs are probably impractical, unless the actual mechanism
> can be completely sealed and easily cleaned, else it would quickly grind
> to a halt on slobber, food, and the other disgusting substances which
> abound in a child's world.
> 

I haven't found that to be a huge problem as of yet, but your point is
well taken.

> A large, clumsy nudge-joystick such as once adorned ancient Ataris would
> be good, perhaps with a pair of buttons on the base and one on the stick
> itself. You could interface it very simply through a parallel port
> (parts count: one 74C14, one tantalum capacitor for power filtering,
> plus one switch-and-resistor-and-ceramic-capacitor for each direction
> and button).

Just hook it to the game port and use the joystick.o module ;)

> You could build the body at home from any decent plaster,
> or even papier mache at a pinch, and paint it with enamel to seal it.
> 

That's a little farther than most people will go I'm sure ;)

> > I'm also a musician, and contribute
> > to open source projects developing better multimedia
> > capabilities for linux.
> 
> Great... do you have good references for _useable_ public domain
> GM-based MIDI files?
> 

How are you defining useable (licensing or other issues?).

> > Also the advantage
> > of being X windows based means that cheap obsolete hardware
> > could be used as X terminals, saving more powerful hardware
> > for central file/application servers.
> 
> It also allows you to tee any application or whole session so you can
> monitor it remotely (e.g. while working in the shed, doing dishes at
> other end of house etc) and quickly know (1) if the child needs help and
> (2) if the child gets distracted.

One of the hurdles we will face (and why we need to design games not
dependent on any one component of multimedia) is the fact that many X
terminals do not have the capability of sound.

Thanks for the input,

Sincerely,


Jeff Waddell
jeff@smluc.org