Re: [olpc-rdu] Re: internet wireless (650 to 656)
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Paul Reinhartsen
Mar 31, 2008, 12:56:38 PM3/31/08
to olpc...@googlegroups.com
Russell and Steve:
Russell or Steve please note: I'm not sure both of you will get this under the way I sent it. if either of you notice the other didn't get it would you please forward it along? Thanks...
Sorry it's taken me so long to respond but thanks for your help on updating from 656 from 650 (and thus making internet wirelss a reality)...
I did the changeover this weekend and it apparently worked (though there's plenty about the browser I don't get, like where your usual or favorite web sites are once you've typed them in...it seems that only one line ever appears (no history)...
Inj any event I appreciate your help...after being a huge supporter of the program since last year, I ordered a one and one on Nov. 12 at 6 am (thus among the first)...no Christmas delivery, in fact after eight e-mails I finally got a call from them and my unit was delivered in mid-February!) sorry for the exclamation point. It was for my daughter and instead of Christmas she got it for her march birthday.
But even after getting it, I considered sending it back so they could mail it off to another child somewhere. I'm still not sure it's worth the effort...I can't seem to find any adequate instructions for anything about it -- the activity instructions on wiki are beyond me -and I'm not entirely useless on the tech front. Even following the 650 to 656 change, I had no idea about formatting, which was a simple unexplained "given" in the instructions. Of course, even knowing about the 650 to 656 change was beyond me...I don't understand why these things are not more prevelent on the web sites...
In any event, thanks for pitching in with useful help and advice...I still can't do much (and my daughter's only 4 so it's not like she's gonna be teaching me any time soon). I'm hanging in.
let me know if a get-together happens and I'll try to attend.
Paul in Raleigh
On 3/24/08, Russell Harrison <rtl...@gmail.com> wrote:
On Mon, Mar 24, 2008 at 11:18 AM, Paul Reinhartsen
<paul.rei...@gmail.com> wrote:
> To update to 656 w/o internet for the olpc, I got a 1 gig usb storage key
> and went to download the two files needed...however, the instructions say
> the storage key needs to be formatted (I assume for Linux) before
> downloade=ing and offers no hint on how to do such formatting...can it be
> formatted on a windows machine for linux? How? Why don't the instructions
> say so? This is the 50th time since I got the machine that I can't follow
> the instructions for how to use it (nor can any of my friends, family or
> their children)...
Your USB key should have been formated as a VFAT file system (Windows
95) when you get it. This is actually the partition type that the XO
will need so you shouldn't have to do anything to the USB key. The
only thing that may trip you up would be if it wasn't marked a
bootable. I'm pretty sure you can do that in windows the same way you
would format any other disk.
Russell
Steve Holton
Apr 1, 2008, 9:14:48 AM4/1/08
to olpc...@googlegroups.com
Hi Paul-
It doesn't work like a "normal" web browser, if that's what you mean. ;-)
If your work in the Browse activity has you viewing a certain web page, you can name that activity and it is logged to your journal.
From your Journal, you can see the activities you were previously engaged-in, and resume the interesting ones.
Unfortunately, the way the Give One Get One rollout occurred it left many parents in the position of becomming school teacher and tech support bob combined and without the proper training or program rollout support. I could recommend some things, but you've pretty much already got them covered:
- Find a community where you can ask questions and get interactive responses. This is the shortcut to knowledge: build on what other people know.
- Get connected to a school server. You may have to build your own, or you may be able to connect to someone elses.
- Find other kids with XO's so they can share experiences, questions, and answers.
I've had to train myself not to think of the XO as a device for teaching kids about computers, but rather as a device for teaching kids.
In North America, that leaves the XO as a misfit: if my kids want to read Green Eggs and Ham, they can grab a copy off the shelf or borrow one from a friend, or rent one from the Library. Oh, and I suppose they could read a scanned-in copy on their XO (after charging,booting,etc). It's not the best solution for them. But for a child in places like Mongolia where there aren't any printed copies, the scanned-in version starts looking pretty good, considering the same XO will work for any book.
.
Watch this mailing list for future announcements. I'm hoping to get a jabber server running, then test out a school server, etc. A meet-up in a park on some Saturday would be fun Right now I'm having trouble putting together the right hardware/connectivity for the project.
--
Steve Holton
sph0...@gmail.com
On Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 12:56 PM, Paul Reinhartsen <paul.rei...@gmail.com> wrote:
I did the changeover this weekend and it apparently worked (though there's plenty about the browser I don't get, like where your usual or favorite web sites are once you've typed them in...it seems that only one line ever appears (no history)...
It doesn't work like a "normal" web browser, if that's what you mean. ;-)
If your work in the Browse activity has you viewing a certain web page, you can name that activity and it is logged to your journal.
From your Journal, you can see the activities you were previously engaged-in, and resume the interesting ones.
But even after getting it, I considered sending it back so they could mail it off to another child somewhere. I'm still not sure it's worth the effort...I can't seem to find any adequate instructions for anything about it -- the activity instructions on wiki are beyond me -and I'm not entirely useless on the tech front. Even following the 650 to 656 change, I had no idea about formatting, which was a simple unexplained "given" in the instructions. Of course, even knowing about the 650 to 656 change was beyond me...I don't understand why these things are not more prevelent on the web sites...
Unfortunately, the way the Give One Get One rollout occurred it left many parents in the position of becomming school teacher and tech support bob combined and without the proper training or program rollout support. I could recommend some things, but you've pretty much already got them covered:
- Find a community where you can ask questions and get interactive responses. This is the shortcut to knowledge: build on what other people know.
- Get connected to a school server. You may have to build your own, or you may be able to connect to someone elses.
- Find other kids with XO's so they can share experiences, questions, and answers.
In any event, thanks for pitching in with useful help and advice...I still can't do much (and my daughter's only 4 so it's not like she's gonna be teaching me any time soon). I'm hanging in.
I've had to train myself not to think of the XO as a device for teaching kids about computers, but rather as a device for teaching kids.
In North America, that leaves the XO as a misfit: if my kids want to read Green Eggs and Ham, they can grab a copy off the shelf or borrow one from a friend, or rent one from the Library. Oh, and I suppose they could read a scanned-in copy on their XO (after charging,booting,etc). It's not the best solution for them. But for a child in places like Mongolia where there aren't any printed copies, the scanned-in version starts looking pretty good, considering the same XO will work for any book.
.
let me know if a get-together happens and I'll try to attend.
Watch this mailing list for future announcements. I'm hoping to get a jabber server running, then test out a school server, etc. A meet-up in a park on some Saturday would be fun Right now I'm having trouble putting together the right hardware/connectivity for the project.
Steve Holton
sph0...@gmail.com
Russell Harrison
Apr 1, 2008, 3:49:49 PM4/1/08
to olpc...@googlegroups.com
On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 9:14 AM, Steve Holton <sph0...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Watch this mailing list for future announcements. I'm hoping to get a jabber
> server running, then test out a school server, etc. A meet-up in a park on
> some Saturday would be fun Right now I'm having trouble putting together the
> right hardware/connectivity for the project.
> Watch this mailing list for future announcements. I'm hoping to get a jabber
> server running, then test out a school server, etc. A meet-up in a park on
> some Saturday would be fun Right now I'm having trouble putting together the
> right hardware/connectivity for the project.
Steve let me know if you'd like some help with this. I've been
meaning to do the same but life keeps interrupting. Perhaps we could
make more progress together.
Russell
Steve Holton
Apr 1, 2008, 3:53:46 PM4/1/08
to olpc...@googlegroups.com
I'll take any help I can get.
Right now I'm missing hardware. The box I was saving just threw a mainboard and I'm researching a replacement.--
Steve Holton
sph0...@gmail.com
Right now I'm missing hardware. The box I was saving just threw a mainboard and I'm researching a replacement.
Steve Holton
sph0...@gmail.com
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