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GPL Edutainment Software
haxot writes "I'm the technologist at a local library. In our lab, I've managed to get some recognition for tools such as GIMP and Open Office, and even such toys as Bomberman and BZFlag. Now I'm turning towards the children's computers, which are mostly filled with ancient, buggy, rather boring games that try to be interactive TV shows rather than something entertaining. I'm looking for good OSS games and education suites (preferably multi-platform — I want to be ready for an OS switch to Linux). I'm not picky about the license; I'd just like the software to actually have that 'neat' appeal. Some examples I've found already are Gcompris and Tux Paint. My focus is the 2-year-old to 8-year-old range, but I'm happy to hear teen-oriented suggestions too. Since it's a public library, however, I can't have any software on the computers that is risqué, gory, or violent."
Sqeak is a Smalltalk-like language and environment, runs on many platforms and has a package called e-Toys. It's on the OLPC
I believe they have other education software too so here's a link for you to search for yourself:
http://www.squeak.org/Features/Education/
LoB
"Anyone who stands out in the middle of a road looks like roadkill to me." --Linus
Tell that to my 10-year-old son. He does great with it, and he teaches himself by watching tutorials on Youtube.
Let us not become the evil that we deplore.
I remember SimHealth...
:)
Wasn't that the one funded by some US health org to try and get people to fix the health problem in the US, Canada, and other places facing the same situation?
Of course, I don't think anybody got a "good" score in that game. We went after it for years and barely got close.
SimEarth was fun too. A bit less "educational" from a quick glance, but playing in it you do understand concepts of how species need some things and will adapt to satisfy needs and how they react to other species, how the planet reacts to events, etc.
SimCity, however, is without a doubt the most "educational". It teaches you that everything you do is wrong and you better try harder to make it right.
I'd find a machine and see what you think of Edubuntu ("Linux for Young Human Beings").
http://www.edubuntu.org/UsingEdubuntu
My daughter is 3-1/2 and loves the stuff on Linux. She was typing her name on TuxPaint before she turned three but we had to click on the icons for her to set it to text or other modes since the mouse was too big and unwieldy.
So I bought her a laptop mouse which is perfect for her small hand. Big mistake. She will now sneak into the computer and start up "Paint Penguins" (TuxPaint), draw something, print it and come show us.
If she's bored with that she plays "Running Penguins" (SuperTux) or "Bubble Penguins" (Frozen Bubbles) or steals my Blackberry to show where Nana lives on Google Maps.
If she finds my bank-account numbers I'm in trouble. But seriously, Linux has plenty of edutainment software available and Edubuntu packages it in one place. It it also designed for classroom (and therefore, I suppose, library) use with features like centralized-management (LTSP) and such.
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"You are not remembered for doing what is expected of you." - Atul Chitnis
Keep the games boring so that the kids read some books!
Engineering is the art of compromise.
BRL-CAD and Google will probably take it slow. I can't wait to see what it develops into in 2-3 years. The big boys in the CAD market have had their way for far too long - let's see what a few thousand developers can make this into.
If nothing else, it should light a fire under some asses.