20 Graduates from PyXO

Couple of weeks ago, Mohammad Nawahda started a dynamic team to make sure PaleXOers get the proper training about Python to ensure they have what it takes to start developing some great local activities and customizing others. We called it PyXO.

Hanna Kreitem managed to book a room in BZU CCE at Al Masa Building in Ramallah. There, we had 5 three-hours sessions, in which we explored, played with, practiced and hacked around python, GTK and Sugar.

Attendees were around 20 on average. Mostly are PaleXO members, some open source lovers, others joined PaleXO when they learned about what we do. I was amazed of how excited the guys were about Python and enthusiastic about starting building their very first activity and games.

The Python-effect was shown on the guys that came back everyday to learn more and more about it. They simply loved it. Sundous Hussien even started to brainstorm about games and activities that they want to start developing. Simply the idea was to capture and develop kids creativity by creating their future using a game, Sundous calls, Future Time Machine.

Started by introducing Python and it's inline interpreter. Playing around with Numbers, Strings then moving to more advanced structures, Lists, Dictionaries and Tuples. The following picture shows one of my favirote examples, which is calculating big numbers on the fly!

We also moved with learning how to build a Graphical User Interface (GUI) using GTK+ and PyGTK. We also moved on with a real life example by rebuilding Translate Activity that we built sometime ago. Starting with a standalone (non-sugar) program and then move on with how to make it run on Sugar, packaging it and installing it on Sugar.

Now that we are done with the basic training, we hope that software development will be moving much faster in the community and we hope we would come up with some great activities that would help kids learn better.

We will be having some small meetups to play around more with Python and Sugar and to start actually working and implementing some Activities. Meanwhile, we'll start to brainstorm about ideas that can be implemented.

At the end, we really would like to thank BZU CCE, Marwan, Nehad and Hanna Kreitem for helping us getting a place where we can gather and give the sessions.

Want to help? Have Ideas for Activities? Leave us a comment.

Installing Sugar on your non-XO Laptop

There's a couple of ways you can do that, either using Virtual Machines and install the OS on it, or you can just use your already existed Linux distribution and install Sugar on it, so if you are already using any Linux distribution I would recommend that.

I've successfully installed Sugar on Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid after some troubleshooting. So here's what you need to do in order to get Sugar running on your system.

First, if you don't have Ubuntu 8.10 installed yet, please do install it. Then you need to enable the download manager in ubuntu to install from the main server, as in the following snapshots:

(a) System --> Administration --> Software Sources.


(b) Check the Universe repository to enable it, if it is not already enabled.

(c) Set "Download from:" to "Main server".




You may have to enter your password to access it:



Now, Open a Terminal and type the following commands (This will need an internet connection and it might take a while, up to two hours for slow connections):

$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
$ sudo apt-get -f install
$ sudo apt-get --fix-missing install
$ sudo apt-get clean
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get upgrade

Reboot your computer and then type:

$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Reboot again.

After you finish all of the above, you can install Sugar (If you tried installing Sugar before updating and upgrading then you might run into few troubles).

Alternatively you can use the update manager: System --> Administrator --> Update Manager, then click on "Check". Then you will either be prompted to upgrade, or do a partial upgrade, either way continue (Upgrade). If it says your system is up to date then your ready to install Sugar :-). You will also need to enter your password at this point.

Open Synaptic Package Manager, Search for Sugar, then Mark Sugar Package for Install, when you mark it, it will ask you if you want to mark all the things needed, Press Yes, Mark All. Also, mark "sugar-activities". Follow the pictures.


Open the Search menu by clicking the Search button at the top of the Synaptics window.


Then type Sugar in the "Search" field - Make sure that the "Look in" field is "Description and Name".



Then mark Sugar for installation - Note that you may have to scroll down to find it, it doesn't necessarily show at the beginning of the result list even though it should -.



Then Click Apply. (Remember this also needs internet Connection).

When it's all done, reboot your computer. And before you login choose a different session as in the pictures:


Then Choose "Sugar" as your session:



Then Login normally. Vowala! You're all set. Play arround! Some snapshots:



If Activities didn't show on the above figure, then you might want to change the view to the List View, and you can add an activity to the Favirote View you need to star it. You won't have all the activities above, but no sweat you can always install them when your in the mood ;-).

Note that after your done having fun with Sugar, most likely the next time you try to login into Ubuntu you'll be logged into Sugar, this is do to the fact that your "Session" option will be "Last Session" which is Sugar, so don't be fooled by the Ubuntu screen, make sure you click on "Session" & the chosen option is "GNOME" to boot into Ubuntu.


Reference: http://en.flossmanuals.net/Sugar/Installing (Some of the pictures are taken from there too)

Local-Suggestion: I suggest we hold a Sugar Installation Festival in Birzeit University, so the PaleXO members can get it in their Laptops, and anyone else in the University or from schools want to do it on their laptops. What do you think?