Sugar Network/Concept

This page is a guide to basic Sugar Network concepts. See its twin page for a technical point of view. Also, visit the introduction page.

Overview

The whole initiative is tailored by the following decisions:

• The Sugar Network should be useful in off-line environments;
• The scope of provided resources should cover the full complement of low level collaborative behaviors between Network participants; where low level means that resources are shared for all types of collaborative contexts;
• The scope of provided resources should be designed so that the Sugar Network is equally useful operating on-line as off-line;
• The software architecture and interfaces are structured to stimulate a "doing" and "sharing" workflow.

The whole Sugar Network is pictured by the following graphics:

Where: Server is shared data and services, in general. It might be a server accessible from the Internet (on-line case) or various distributed servers located, e.g., in schools (off-line case). See technical pages for more details. Conceptual level logic The design logic and software code structures that reify the Sugar Network concepts. From a conceptual level, these designs and code standards represent a separate entity that operates inbetween the Clients and Servers. From the technical perspective, this level is represented by the Server application programming interface (API) and objects model in particular. Client is the software that allows Network participants to interact with the Sugar Network. These software components let people get access to the Sugar Network, and define how the Sugar Network should appear to users according to their needs. The user experience provided by the client software will vary from need to need, starting from a couple of elements in the existing software GUI (when people even don't suspect they are interacting with the Sugar Network), and extending to clients that represent advanced conceptual elements of the Sugar Network as closely as possible.

Summary

The Sugar Network is about all these:

• Users,
• in different Contexts,
• interacting with Resources,
• to accomplish their Needs.
• When changed, Resources broadcast Events.
• Having Workflows defined that describe the regular behaviour of Users.

Needs

The needs that Sugar Network is trying to support. They might be described by the following selection of Fundamental human needs:

Identity

Each User should be able to create and manage a unique identity in the network. Every interaction of the User with the network should be accounted in the User's metrics, as eventually, this may be part of the User's dashboard. Each User may have an individual reputation, based on other Users' ratings made on his contributions.

Understanding

A User should be able to view all objects and optionally apply filters to control their view based on the resource type, the Network Zoom level, tags, or the associated Users. In this preview, we may be able to offer basic statistics of the object in order to give an analytical perspective to the selection. The User should be able to select the object in order to participate on a deeper level, where he should be able to explore the associated resources. As a User, I might receive events from the objects I'm subscribed to, as well as personal events, like invitations made by other Users.

Participation

Any User may comment on any object, rate any contribution, edit any wiki, create any issue, attach any object to any gallery, become a follower of any object.

Creation

Any User may create a new Context by defining a name, the type of Context, and the Context objective(s). A Context's creator may invite other Users to follow/contribute to his Context.

Users

These are real people that take part in the Sugar Network.

Actions:

• Send private message.

Reputation

Any particular Resource, i.e., contributions of some Users, might be rated by another Users. The Reputation of a particular User depends on how other Users appreciate him or his contributions.

Statistics

Based on tracking of Events, it is possible to measure a particular User's behaviour. This might be useful, e.g., for researchers.

Contexts

In the Sugar Network, Contexts are the classes of content or software that include with them assumptions on how they may be shared or used. A Context describes how Users behave with Resources. A Context represents the Behavior or set of Behaviors that are supported for associated Resources.

There is a predefined general Context, the Global Context, which contains all other Contexts (according to the current zoom level). Thus, Users can interact with all Resources accessible on this zoom level.

Context types may differ. For now, these are the only Context types:

• Sugar Activities,
• Various content (might be .xol libraries).

Resources

The whole experience within the Sugar Network is about a User's interaction with resources. Resources are tied to the current Context and might be of different types:

• Feedback related:
  • Questions,
  • Ideas,
  • Problems,
• Wiki,
• Artifact,
• Development related:
  • Releases,
  • Objectives.

Questions

General question about the Context. A user-friendly interface for asking questions about the current Context. The workflow is much simpler when compared to typical bug trackers (Trac, RT, etc.). It is intended to be more like "forums" or wiki "discussion" pages, just ask your question and wait for answers. Besides, Questions might be treated as a kind of simple knowledge base for the Context (in comparing with bug trackers, Questions are not being closed after getting answers). The most useful Questions might be picked up to compose the FAQ for the Context.

The rest of non-developers needs are covered by Ideas and Problems. The developers needs are covered by the Objectives and its advanced view in particular.

Actions:

• Create a Question;
• Discuss the Question;
• Vote for the Question;
• Create a Solution;
• Discuss a Solution;
• Vote for a single Solution;
• Vote given by Question creator means an answer for the Question.

Ideas

Any ideas regarding the Context. A user-friendly interface to propose your idea to the current Context developers. The workflow is much simpler, compared to typical bug trackers, just offer your suggestion, look how other people will rate it and wait for the implementation.

The rest of non-developers needs are covered by Questions and Problems. The developers needs are covered by the Objectives and its advanced view in particular.

Actions:

• Create an Idea;
• Discuss the Idea;
• Vote for the Idea;
• Create a Solution;
• Discuss a Solution;
• Vote for Solutions;
• Context team member attaches one of Objectives to one of Solutions, the Idea's status becomes the same as Objective's.

Problems

Report a problem with the Context. A user-friendly interface to complain about an error that the User encountered when working with the Context. The workflow is much simpler, compared to typical bugs trackers, just complain and wait for a fix.

The rest of non-developers needs are covered by Questions and Ideas. The developers needs are covered by the Objectives and its advanced view in particular.

Actions:

• Create a Problem;
• Discuss the Problem;
• Vote for the Problem;
• Create Solution;
• Discuss a Solution;
• Attach one of Releases as a Solution;
• Vote for a single Solution;
• Vote given by Problem creator means a fix for the Problem.

Wiki

A collection of Wiki pages that use MediaWiki markup language, wikitext. Pages might be represented by a tree of pages. There is all time the root page. The idea to have a root page is to let it possible to merge these wiki pages to the standalone MediaWiki server.

Actions:

• Create new Wiki page in hierarchy of pages;
• Upload arbitrary file to place a link on it on Wiki pages.
• Discuss the Wiki;
• Vote for the Wiki;

Todo:

• Modify existing page;
• View the history of modifying.

Artifact

A collection of binary objects, of types depending on Context type, associated the the Context. Such artifacts might be, for example, Journal objects created by Sugar activities.

Actions:

• Create new Exhibit.
• Discuss the Exhibit;
• Vote the Exhibit;

Todo:

• Simplify creating new Exhibit having a UI way to fast share just created activity object, e.g., from in Naming alert or from Journal.

Implementation

For software Contexts, this Resource is about released versions of this Context software. This is exactly what User can execute. There might be several implementations with different stability levels. By default, Users execute only recent stable version, but it is possible to choose any version.

Actions:

• Context owners can create new Implementation;
• Launch.
• Discuss the Release;
• Vote for the Release;

Todo:

• Support Experiments workflow when people can make a copy of existing Context and start experimenting with the code and use on regular basis, e.g., share with the rest of Sugar Network.
• Convenient method to attach log reports with errors to the particular Release, e.g., "Share the log" button on activity fail dialog.

Objectives

These are the exactly objectives that Context is trying to achieve. This type of Resources has two faces:

• The view for Users that are not the part of Context implementers, they see this Resource as a list of, e.g., features that Context is trying to provide;
• The full functional project management interface for people who are owners of the Context and take care of implementation.

Actions:

• Create by Context owners;
• Discuss the Objective;
• Vote for the Objective;

TODO:

• Context management functionality.

Comments

All kinds of resources might be commented by any users. The Sugar Network does not provide any restrictions or permissions, the model is leaving responsibility to a viewer.

Events

If some Resource has been changed, e.g., as a result of User interacting, Resource sends global notifications. These notification might be seen while investigating this particular object or by Following this Resource. In the last case, events will go to followers' queue of global events.

Events might be personal, e.g., personal invitations or personal messages.

Workflows

These are kinds of workflows that Roles can take part in. The particular activity might involve several Users and several Roles.

Support

A need for general help from the local community supporters.

• You need to be a part of a community with local support, thus, you will have the default place to complain, the Home Context;
• Go to Browser and click Home Context button;
• Try to search if your problem was already reported using text search string or tags;
• If search is not successful, describe your problem in Problem (as well for Questions and Ideas) entry widget as full as possible;
• The supporters will be notified and and will reply with request for further information or with an answer;
• On the Network screen, you will be notified about gotten reply.

Something goes wrong with the system and it is not clear where the problem is.

• You need to be a part of a community with local support, thus, you will have the default place to complain, the Home Context;
• Since there is no any ideas what the place in the system is affected, thus, no way to decide what Context to choose to complain, go to Browser and click Home Context button;
• Try to search if your problem was already reported using text search string or tags;
• If search is not successful, describe your problem in Problem (as well for Questions and Ideas) entry widget as full as possible;
• The supporters will be notified and and will reply with request for further information or with an answer;
• On the Network screen, you will be notified about gotten reply.

Something goes wrong with the system and it is possible to specify the place where it happens.

• Go to the Browser and try to find the Context that is associated with problem place; use Tags and full text search; after finding, click its Home button;
• Try to search if your problem was already reported using text search string or tags;
• If search is not successful, describe your problem in Problem (as well for Questions and Ideas) entry widget as full as possible;
• Any Context Contributor can reply with request for further information or with an answer;
• On the Network screen, you will be notified about gotten reply.

Provide supporting materials.

• Skilled people, somewhere on the Mothership level, create a set of Wiki pages;
• Since initial Sugar Network won't support Wiki editing, using special tools these wiki pages will be uploaded to the Sugar Netowork to some Context, e.g., to Home Context;
• Teachers/students can all time get these materials going to the Home Context and click Wiki.

Sugar activity fails to start or fails on exit.

• The activity fail dialog should have a complain field, describe your problem in there as full as possible;
• If Submit button was clicked (might be default), the repost with text message and activity logs will be attached to particular Release of the Context;
• Context Contributor, browsing uploaded reports, can reply with request for further information or with an answer;
• On the Network screen, you will be notified about gotten reply.

Content

Sharing arbitrary education related media content.

• Teacher (or any other User) creates new (or reuse existing) Wiki Context;
• Set appropriate, to the purpose, Tags and Context description;
• Create initial Wiki page, populate it and attach media content;
• Students, using Tags and full-text search, explore the Context in the Browser;
• Being in the Browser, activate the found Context and being moved to the Wiki page.

Sharing Activity object.

• In after-creation dialog, there should be a button to share newly created object with the Network;
• Journal should have a way to share any object by one click.

Sugar activities

Fast launch of an activity.

• Go to the Browser and explore the activity you want to start, maybe using the Activity Tag or full-text search;
• Click found entity.

Launch particular activity version, e.g., to help with testing non-stable version or fallback to previous one because the recent doesn't work for you.

• Go to the Browser and explore the activity you want to start, maybe using the Activity Tag or full-text search;
• Click Home button for found entity;
• You should find the list of Releases with the recent stable Release chosen, select any version you want;
• Click the Launch button, or run it from the Browser, to run newly selected Release.

Networkless

Sugar Network is all about being connected to a Sugar Network server, placed in the Internet (on-line case) or in a schoolserver (off-line case). But limited workflow is supported for server-less case.

Being at school and connected to its Network server, prepare Contexts to work at home when Network won't be accessible:

• Go to the Browser and explore the Context you want to work at home;
• Pick up these Contexts (depends on implementation);
• Being at home when Network is not accessible, you will see all picked up Context in the Browser;
• Limited functionality (depends on implementation) will be supported for these Contexts.

Teaching

TODO

Developing

Fork me.

• Go to the Browser and explore the activity you want to start, maybe using the Activity Tag or full-text search;
• Click Home button for found entity;
• TODO

Todo

• Support translation workflow for Contexts, it might be different workflow, e.g., for Wikis, and Sugar Activities;
• Class type for Contexts to support regular class behaviour from teachers' pov.
• Support coding workflow for Contexts.

Getting involved

• Submit your bug report or feature request.
• Browse our implementation discussions, and post your feedback. (You should join this discussion list in order to avoid having your messages postponed for moderation.)

See also

• Stack Exchange family of Q&A websites.
• Get Satisfaction technical support platform.
• IdeaTorrent.
• Curriki, Open Curricula Community.