Changes

[[Image:friends.jpg|right|thumb|240px|The Groups view: Members of the currently selected group and their current activities are visible from this view. Hovering over a “missing” XO reveals an "away message."]]

[[Image:friends.jpg|right|thumb|240px|The Groups view: Members of the currently selected group and their current activities are visible from this view. Hovering over a “missing” XO reveals an "away message."]]

The Groups view takes a small step back from the child's Home space, opening up to include their circle of friends, their classmates, and any other groups to which a child belongs.  The Friends group essentially represents a spatially viewable and editable buddy list. From here the child can add or remove friends and move individuals around, perhaps arranging them logically.  The Class group is defined dynamically, and includes all others in the same class, and their teachers as well.  This group provides the perfect space for working and sharing with classmates, posting projects for class critique, or to pick up the homework assignment the teacher posted to the class Bulletin Board.

The Groups view takes a small step back from the child's Home space, opening up to include their circle of friends, their classmates, and any other groups to which a child belongs.  The Friends group essentially represents a spatially viewable and editable buddy list. From here the child can add or remove friends and move individuals around, perhaps arranging them logically.  The Class group is defined dynamically, and includes all others in the same class, and their teachers as well.  This group provides the perfect space for working and sharing with classmates, posting projects for class critique, or for picking up the homework assignment the teacher posted to the class [[OLPC Human Interface Guidelines/The Laptop Experience/Bulletin Boards|Bulletin Board]].

In additional to several special classes of groups, children may also generate groups on their own.  This might provide a way for a close group of friends to keep up with each other's activities, or for a group of aspiring photographers to share photos. In a classroom setting, this provides a way for the children to create temporary groups for working on classroom exercises, or long term groups for extended projects.  To create a group, a child can search for or select any number of individuals on the mesh, or a subset of an existing group.  Each of these individuals will receive an invitation to join the group, and upon accepting the invitation will have the group name added to their list of Groups, where they can see and chat with group members, and post to the group Bulletin Board.  Although one person creates a group, groups are not managed.  Instead, people may choose to leave a group on their own, and anyone in the group may invite other members into it.  When this happens, all current group members receive introduction notifications, making them aware of the new member.  This open model simplifies the interaction and encourages the learning of natural social dynamics instead of attempting to enforce them via rules and restrictions.

In additional to several special classes of groups, children may also generate groups on their own.  This might provide a way for a close group of friends to keep up with each other's activities, or for a group of aspiring photographers to share photos. In a classroom setting, this provides a way for the children to create temporary groups for working on classroom exercises, or long term groups for extended projects.  To create a group, a child can search for or select any number of individuals on the mesh.  Each of these individuals will receive an invitation to join the group, and upon accepting the invitation will have the its name added to their list of Groups, where they can see and chat with members, and post to the group Bulletin Board.  Although one person initially creates a group, groups are not managed.  Instead, people may choose to leave a group on their own, and anyone in the group may invite other members into it.  When this happens, all current group members receive introduction [[OLPC Human Interface Guidelines/Activities/Activity Basics#Notifications|notification]], making them aware of the new member.  This open model simplifies the interaction and encourages the learning of natural social dynamics instead of attempting to enforce them via rules and restrictions.

Groups have several advantages.  First, it allows the children to view their friends, classmates, and other groups, and allows them to freely chat with them as well.Additionally, each group will have its own private Bulletin Board where members can post notes and share Objects.  Finally, all of the members of the selected group — a child's friends, for instance —receive [[OLPC Human Interface Guidelines/Activities/Activity Basics#Invitations|invitations]] whenever the child starts an activity from the Groups view, making collaboration implicit. Moreover, this view allows the child to see what activities their class, friends, and other groups are presently engaged in, providing the opportunity to [[OLPC Human Interface Guidelines/Activities/Activity Basics#Joining Activities|join]] any non-private activities. Already, you can see how this view changes the usual method of application launch, allowing one to start new networked activities or join existing ones directly.

Groups have several advantages.  First, it allows the children to view their friends, classmates, and other groups, and allows them to freely chat with them as well. Additionally, each group will have its own private Bulletin Board where members can post notes and share Objects.  Finally, all of the members of the selected group — a child's friends, for instance —receive [[OLPC Human Interface Guidelines/Activities/Activity Basics#Invitations|invitations]] whenever the child starts an activity from the Groups view, making collaboration implicit. Moreover, this view allows the child to see what activities their class, friends, and other groups are presently engaged in, providing the opportunity to [[OLPC Human Interface Guidelines/Activities/Activity Basics#Joining Activities|join]] any non-private activities. Already, you can see how this view changes the usual method of application launch, allowing one to start new networked activities or join existing ones directly.

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