[IAEP] For Sugar Everywhere, Google-ize!

[C. Scott Ananian]

On Wed, Feb 16, 2011 at 9:46 PM, Chris Ball <cjb at laptop.org> wrote:

> Hi,
>
>   > Stepping back for a moment, the key question is: how can we get
>   > Sugar out of the window manager and network manager and activity
>   > update and UI toolkit business, where it's just not keeping up
>   > (and wasting our efforts), and concentrate on the stuff we're all
>   > really here for: enabling kids to learn and explore and share?
>   > How much can we strip away and still have Sugar?
>
> I agree that this is the right question.  I think we can strip
> everything *other* than:
>
> * Can be appropriated -- translated, modified, discussed.
>   => A "view source" key
>     The ability to modify apps
>     The ability to run your modified apps
>     The ability to reuse a document created in one app inside other apps
>
> * encourages creation rather than mere consumption of content.
>   => Strong authoring tools for:
>     Written documents
>     Vector and bitmap graphics
>     Animation
>     Presentations
>     Stories
>
> * encourages joint collaboration and sharing.
>   => Sharing documents and messages between users
>     Real-time synchronous collaboration between users
>     High-level synchronization of data structures à la groupthink
>
> What do folks think -- did I miss anything important?  Did I list
> anything that doesn't deserve to be listed?


I like your list.  I caution that, in order for "the best" not to be the
enemy of  "the good" (or "the better") we should be honest about how many of
these items are actually accomplished by the current software stack.  I
think any candidate replacement has to improve on what Sugar *can actually
do now*.  It would be nice if "Sugar 2" could accomplish everything, but we
have to be realistic.   So long as each iteration accomplishes a few more of
the "7 new things" we'll be making progress.  Maybe Sugar 3 will get there,
or Sugar 4.  But we can't get stuck thinking what we have is good enough, so
long as it falls short.
  --scott

-- 
                         ( http://cscott.net/ )
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