Design Team/Meetings

The Design team will be holding regular bi-weekly meetings on Mondays at 15:00 UTC on irc.freenode.net (channel: #sugar-meeting). The meeting is targeted to Sugar core and activity developers, but remains open to anyone interested. Its primary purpose is to open the design approach, making it more transparent and allowing the community to provide feedback on both current and upcoming features. Please add to the agenda below, join in with your ideas, or add them to the Discussion page. See IRC for information on getting there.

In general, discussion focuses on:
 * high level design goals and ideas
 * feedback and discussion of problems in the current design
 * reviews of design proposals

Hint: You can use an online time calculator to convert from UTC to your local time zone or back.

To convert UTC to your local time, use this converter or run:
 * date -d '[current date] [time] UTC'
 * date -d '2008-06-03 14:00 UTC'

Please post discussion materials for the full community. Design Team/Proposals and Features are 2 good places for referencing design ideas.

The Sugar Labs Meetings calendar is available in a variety of formats at these links:.

Proposed agenda

 * Visual clue about secondary palette options mail-list thread Gonzalo
 * Higher-resolution Journal thumbnails for Activities mail-list thread Walter
 * Follow-up Home list view, hover highlight/click results in confusion for favourite icons: See http://bugs.sugarlabs.org/ticket/3147#comment:3 Frederick
 * Follow-up "Examples" support for activities – using the ObjectChooser and/or also the Journal volumes bar to allow activities to provide access to an examples folder inside their bundles.mail-list thread tch
 * Follow-up on lease expiry information display in My Settings -> About My Computer, mail-list thread, wiki proposal recent mockup Anish
 * Follow-up on multi-selection and batch operations on Journal entries feature page mail-list thread
 * Ongoing design review/testing/feedback of Touch features, patches available for testing Simon
 * 

Agenda

 * Home list view, hover highlight/click results in confusion for favourite icons: See http://bugs.sugarlabs.org/ticket/3147#comment:3 Frederick
 * "Examples" support for activities – using the ObjectChooser and/or also the Journal volumes bar to allow activities to provide access to an examples folder inside their bundles.mail-list thread tch
 * Followup on lease expiry information display in My Settings -> About My Computer, mail-list thread, wiki proposal recent mockup Anish
 * Followup on multi-selection and batch operations on Journal entries feature page mail-list thread
 * Design review/testing/feedback of Touch features, patches available for testing Simon
 * Visual clue about secondary palette options mail-list thread Gonzalo
 * Higher-resolution Journal thumbnails for Activities mail-list thread Walter

Minutes
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2012-08-14T16:47:13.html

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2012-08-14T16:47:13

Agenda

 * Lease expiry information display in My Settings -> About My Computer, mail-list thread, wiki proposal. Anish
 * Followup on multi-selection and batch operations on Journal entries feature page mail-list thread
 * Home list view, hover highlight/click results in confusion for favourite icons: See http://bugs.sugarlabs.org/ticket/3147#comment:3 Frederick
 * "Examples" support for activities – using the ObjectChooser and/or also the Journal volumes bar to allow activities to provide access to an examples folder inside their bundles.mail-list thread tch

Minutes
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2012-08-07T16:30:14.html

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2012-08-07T16:30:14

Agenda

 * "Examples" support for activities – using the ObjectChooser and/or also the Journal volumes bar to allow activities to provide access to an examples folder inside their bundles.mail-list thread tch
 * Lease expiry information display in My Settings -> About My Computer, mail-list thread, wiki proposal. Anish
 * Followup on multi-selection and batch operations on Journal entries feature page mail-list thread
 * Home list view, hover highlight/click results in confusion for favourite icons: See http://bugs.sugarlabs.org/ticket/3147#comment:3 Frederick

Minutes
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2012-07-31T16:30:26.html

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2012-07-31T16:30:26

Agenda

 * Multi-selection and batch operations on Journal entries feature page mail-list thread
 * Touch hardware support Activities, Sugar Shell, OSK.
 * Re-assessment of text-to-speech engine options and in particular think about how we can improve upstream voices to cover more of our languages, mail-list thread. cjl
 * "Examples" support for activities – using the ObjectChooser and/or also the Journal volumes bar to allow activities to provide access to an examples folder inside their bundles.mail-list thread tch
 * Lease expiry information display in My Settings -> About My Computer, mail-list thread, wiki proposal. Anish

Minutes
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2012-07-23T14:31:15.html

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2012-07-23T14:31:15

Agenda

 * Standard Help icon and toolbar position #3746, #3721, #3720, 3759
 * Simple messages notification system
 * Database support for 3G modem configuration
 * Journal multi-select
 * Touch hardware support Activities, Sugar Shell, OSK

Minutes
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2012-07-18T15:00:17.html

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2012-07-18T15:00:17

Monday October 31st 2011 - 15:00 UTC
(meeting postponed)

Agenda

 * Write to Journal anytime might be incorporated in your work (JT4sugar)
 * both in Activity Frame palette, and as standard toolbar item where 'Keep' used to be
 * keyboard shortcut which would pop into activity description page
 * Activities temporarily mounting directories in the volumes toolbar to provide material (Walter)
 * 'real' help in all activities (define 'real')
 * a consistent shortcut / help button
 * localisation issues regarding any large quantities of Activity texts
 * Review Design Team IAEP report http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/iaep/2011-September/014080.html
 * PDF export support for Browse (Patch)
 * Icon design, placement of icon
 * Select some of our new standard toolbar icon designs for migration into sugar-artwork
 * Touch UI integration proposals
 * add agenda items here

Agenda

 * postponed
 * Tidied up this Meeting page
 * misc chat in #sugar-meeting

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/2011-10-17#i_2697757

Agenda

 * Memorize toolbar
 * Design/Activity meetings proposal
 * Powerd 'please confirm' screen

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-10-03T15:58:15 minutes

Agenda

 * Memorize toolbar polishing
 * Misc toolbar items

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-09-19T15:05:59 minutes

Agenda

 * Browse tab designs
 * Browse palette changes
 * Empty /$HOME/Documents Journal message

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-09-05T15:03:01

Agenda

 * Issue with transparency and cog badge for cloned activities
 * Browse, always show at least one tab vs. taking up space in toolbar and having a small URL input field
 * Misc toolbar icon tidy ups
 * Save to Journal icons where text file type abbreviations is needed (Write, Labyrinth)

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-08-29T15:02:10

Agenda

 * 0.94 feature list

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/2011-08-15#i_2686952

Agenda

 * Journal/file-system input/output toolbar icon design (mainly related to Turtle Art)

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/2011-08-10#i_2686200

Agenda

 * Activity toolbar standardisation (see Catalog)

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/2011-08-03#i_2683848

Agenda

 * ~/Documents folder patch and a related topic showing remote objects (XS, other XOs) in the Journal (silbe)

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/2011-06-19#i_2675060

Agenda

 * View source activity copy proposals (Walter)
 * View sugar source proposals (Walter)
 * Browse pdf export to Journal
 * General import/export icon design

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-06-12T16:09:29 http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-06-12T17:36:10

Agenda

 * Discussion with Sascha regarding his proposals regarding Neighborhood design related to NetworkManager api support work
 * see email Subject: [DESIGN] NetworkManager / Neighborhood design changes

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-06-05T16:17:34

Agenda

 * Copy-to option: black and white mockup, ml discussion
 * Reword warning in Browse when stopping while there are downloads happening in the background (, thread on sugar-devel)

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/2011-05-29

Agenda

 * Proposal for adding a standard activity "About Dialog" (icarito)
 * Discussion of extra metadata/files that could be good to add ABOUT/README/AUTHORS/MAINTAINER upstream git rep in activity.info (silbe)

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/2011-04-17#i_2658914

Agenda

 * Follow up on a standard tool icon for create-new/modify type Activity functionality (e.g. cog/spanner/scissors discussion) (erikos)
 * Built-in Activity examples UI and/or root fs access (walterbender)
 * Standard system icon use (re Gonzalo's email)

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-04-10T14:41:44

Agenda

 * Feedback for Record Activity toolbar rework. (garycmartin)

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-03-27T15:04:42 minutes

Agenda

 * A standard tool icon for create-new/modify type Activity functionality (e.g. for Memorize, Abacus, et al user customisation) (erikos)
 * use of a scissor (like editing an activity), or the gear like we use in 'view source'?
 * Get rid of Alt-1 for taking screenshots (collides with some applications, e.g. irssi) (silbe)
 * What date should the activities list view show for pre-installed activities? (OLPC#10487, patch discussion) (silbe)

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-03-20T19:01:02 http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-03-20T20:03:00

Agenda

 * Replace Naming Alert: a) switch to Journal detail view b) option in the activity toolbar to do a description and tags (erikos)
 * discussed on 27 February and 20 February, when we agreed to prepare mockups for some of the ideas. These design mockups were reviewed today.

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-03-13T15:05:59

Agenda

 * Housekeeping discussion (trying to keep realtime meeting agenda items on things that benefit from realtime)
 * Journal backup UI (Patch from Martin Abente, Patch from Sascha Silbe, Backup and Restore activities by Sascha Silbe) (silbe)

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-03-06

Agenda
Discussed topics:
 * Size issue with icons in Random Layout (Home View) (walterbender)
 * mock-ups
 * Replace Naming Alert: a) switch to Journal detail view b) option in the activity toolbar to do a description and tags (erikos)
 * discussed last week, agreed to prepare mockups for some of the ideas.

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-02-27

Agenda
Discussed topics:
 * Remove 'Keep' Button: Replace by 'copy to' functionality in the Journal (erikos)
 * The Notion of Keeping
 * Remove button and add 'Copy to >' functionality to the Frame palette for the activity. This preserves ready access from current activity, but minimizes unintentional copying. (FGrose)
 * possible copy-to-journal icon
 * CPU and memory resource indicator for the Frame (silbe)
 * Features/Resource monitoring (action item)
 * Replace Naming Alert: a) switch to Journal detail view b) option in the activity toolbar to do a description and tags (erikos)

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-02-20T16:30:07 minutes

Agenda
Discussed topics:
 * Size issue with icons in Random Layout (Home View) (walterbender)
 * Speaker frame device: pop up palette on left-click instead of toggling mute (silbe)
 * Don't hide Register menu item upon successful registration (silbe)
 * Journal entries on external media: Invalidate preview if the data file was changed? (silbe)
 * 'Watermark' the image with 'Changed'. (Even an old image may help identify the object.) (FGrose)

Followup discussion:
 * Updating the Human Interface Guidelines
 * A printable version can be prepared by selecting 'Printable version' in the 'Using the Wiki' section of the sidebar.

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/meetings/2011-02-13T14:01:43 minutes

Agenda

 * http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/devel/2010-July/029187.html
 * Designs for the proposed Start new/Resume functionality in Home view.

Log
meeting log

Agenda

 * Sugar 0.86 Design

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting.log.20090816_0941.html log minutes

Agenda

 * Sayamindu's dictionary dialog.
 * See http://www.mail-archive.com/sugar-devel@lists.sugarlabs.org/msg04042.html
 * Jameson's accelerators proposals.
 * See Design_Team/Proposals
 * Printing proposal from several people.
 * See Print Support, http://www.mail-archive.com/sugar-devel@lists.sugarlabs.org/msg03984.html, http://www.mail-archive.com/sugar-devel@lists.sugarlabs.org/msg03991.html
 * Martin's clock proposal.
 * See http://www.mail-archive.com/sugar-devel@lists.sugarlabs.org/msg03934.html

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting.log.20090509_1013.html minutes

Agenda
We discussed design goals for the next release 0.86. Design mockups will be created in response to the high-level features listed below (potentially in advance of SugarCamp 2009 on May 16th), to further illustrate the design intent and allow for integration with the development schedule.

High-level feature recap:
 * polish activity list in Home
 * support filtering/searching via tags in Home
 * add list views to groups/neighorhood
 * make groups dynamic (like neighborhood)
 * extend activity chat
 * add overlay chat to groups/neighborhood
 * design a bulletin-board _activity_
 * remove management from activity list, ensure _all_ installed activities are in Journal
 * new toolbar design

Concrete design/development tasks:
 * 1) design mockups to make the frame more discoverable
 * 2) design mockups to polish the new toolbars
 * 3) Home list view: remove the date column and enable alphabetical sort. Label versions "Version x"
 * 4) Design mockups for tagging/filtering/search within Home view
 * 5) Draft changes to activity.info file to support tagging
 * 6) Design mockups for overlay chat in groups/neighborhood (should also include revising the activity chat..which exists but not as earlier designs proposed)
 * 7) Design mockups of bulletin board activity
 * 8) Design mockups for list views in groups and neighborhood

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting.log.20090419_0911.html

Agenda

 * Discussion of the Home view and whether to abandon the notion of favorites for a single consolidated view
 * See Design Team/Proposals.
 * Unify look of web services

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting.log.20090321_1009.html

Agenda

 * Marketing Team

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting.log.20090310_1100.html http://www.mail-archive.com/iaep@lists.sugarlabs.org/msg03132.html

Agenda

 * Continue discussion of revised, and thorough, mockups for overlay chat in activities.
 * ways in which this chat system can extend into the other zoom levels
 * short term and long term goals.
 * Development roadmap and prioritize design activities for next build

Log
Logs: Design Team/Meetings/09.03.01

Agenda

 * Continue discussion of revised, and thorough, mockups for overlay chat in activities.
 * ways in which this chat system can extend into the other zoom levels
 * short term and long term goals.

Agenda

 * We'll focus on possibilities for overlay chat in activites, presenting both short term and long term ideas, and discuss how this could later be extended to the neighborhood.
 * [[Media:Overlay_chat_sketch.pdf | Overlay chat sketch (PDF)‎]]

Log
http://meeting.sugarlabs.org/sugar-meeting/2008-12-04#i_2382400

Agenda
We'd like to hold a meeting this week while the topics discussed at the recent SugarCamp are fresh in our minds. Though this is not part of the usual meeting cycle, I think it's important enough to merit an extra meeting. Due to Thanksgiving on Thursday, we'll hold it on Wednesday instead.

Short Term Roadmap Definition
To capitalize on the extremely valuable discussions at the recent SugarCamp in Cambridge, we'd like to take some time to define a rough feature roadmap for the Sugar OS within the OLPC 9.1 timeframe. As a starting point for this discussion, we should likely review the various design proposals presented on the last day of the conference.


 * Groups
 * Resuming activities from Home
 * Enhancing the Journal
 * Improving Toolbars
 * Encouraging Naming/Tagging

Logs
http://meeting.laptop.org/sugar-meeting.20081126_1018.html

Visual Clipboard API
For reference, please see the clipboard specification. For a more targeted list of features and goals, please see the clipboard planning page.

We had a fairly long discussion about this, which didn't seem to get too far. Fortunately, a follow-up between Marco and I clarified some points, and we agreed that it should be possible to implement the majority of the goals across the system using the "formats" allowed in the GTK protocols, and falling back to sane defaults when extra info isn't provided.

Some references:
 * http://www.pygtk.org/pygtk2tutorial/ch-NewInPyGTK2.2.html#sec-Clipboards
 * http://www.pygtk.org/pygtk2tutorial/ch-DragAndDrop.html
 * http://www.pygtk.org/pygtk2tutorial/ch-ManagingSelections.html

Advancing the Journal
I'd like to have a conversation regarding the current iteration of the Journal, future plans, and the steps we hope to take toward them in the next major release so we can scope our goals. The latest mockups (though slightly out of date) can be seen here.

Due to the lengthy clipboard discussion, we didn't hit this topic today. We'll pick it up first thing next week.

Icon reviews
We discussed three icons today.

Settings (control panel): By popular demand, a wrench was chosen as the base for this icon, though it was also proposed that a wrench and screwdriver could be clearer. It was agreed that the wrench is a simpler icon, and a more generic metaphor which could be used to represent "settings" throughout the system. A few visual tweaks made many happier with the wrench, but since this isn't a major change they can come post 8.2.

View Details (Journal): The old designs for this button closely resembled a play button (but with an open triangle, akin to a greater than (>) symbol), which some found confusing. The new proposal is an ellipsis [...] icon, to indicate the idea that more info is available, but omitted in the abbreviated list view. This works nicely within the [wiki.laptop.org/go/Designs/Journal new Journal designs], since the icons will occasionally appear within a string of icon-annotated text. All present agreed the latter was a better direction. This change could make 8.2.

Access Point: Recent experience reports have indicated that the removal of an identifier of the connected AP is frustrating. The proposal discussed is shown, which wraps the former AP icon (the circle) in "parenthesis" (meant to indicate radio signal). This retains the primitive circular shape of the current access points, but illustrates which is connected in a way which alludes to the wireless activity LED. The point was discussed that the other LED is actually more semantically correct, but not as suitable as an icon.

Additionally, these were proposed, using antennae to make the purpose of the icons clearer. We may wish to elicit feedback about these alternatives from teachers and kids to see which convey the notion of wireless connectivity the best. The triangle proposed here was used once, and subsequently removed due to some distaste for the shape in this context, but it may still convey the idea better with the antenna. This change is strongly desired for 8.2.