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[kidsUI] Browser example

Hi all,

Here's the example I suggested. I didn't know about Surfmonkey when I suggested it.
I don't know how many schools buy Surfmonkey, though! :-) I know that this takes us
a bit away from our discussion on kid UIs for Linux, but I'm making a general point
here, that contrary to what Shneiderman says, Agent Interfaces make sense.

And I think it makes a lot of sense in the case of Linux, because Linux comes with
a character, the penguin!
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Here's something I thought up to illustrate why Agents is a good
way of doing business.

Suppose Netscape incorporates a smut-filtering program like the
Net-Nanny into their browser, and creates a Mozilla for kids. Also
suppose that the kiddie version has an animated interface with
cartoon characters for everything. What do you think will happen?

Here's what I think. I think every school will buy it! I also think most
families will buy it. That's a BIG market!

Now, let's try to analyse this. What functionality does this product
provide? Interestingly, quite a bit! First, obviously the browser keeps
smut out of kids way through the built-in Nanny. Second -- this is the
interesting part -- it keeps kids out of businesses' way! A Mozilla for
kids means browser-aware sites can block out anyone who is using the
kiddie browser! That will keep sonny away from not only smut, but
gambling, high-value credit-card transactions and a lot of other stuff
as well. So there is functionality in creating age-specific browsers!

Now, why does this product need an Agent-interface? Can't Netscape
incorporate Nanny into their one-size-fits-all version and declare it a
kiddy Mozilla? Well, it can. But someone somewhere (Disney, Pixar?) will
soon come out with an animated interface and make Netscape look like
Microsoft.
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Sanjay

-------------------------------------
Sanjay Chandrasekharan,
Ph.D Student (Cognitive Science),
Carleton University,
Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada K1S 5B6
Phone: 520-2600 ext 1568

http://wabakimi.carleton.ca/~schandr2