Allow Distance UI to layout on a 800x480 display

[garycmartin]

Uruguay are rolling out a cheaper laptop called Olidata to the teachers (30,000). With a 800x480 pixel screen it has a much lower resolution and a different aspect ratio than XO laptops. See attached screen shot for where the Distance UI could do with some more flexibility to improve layout at this low resolution.

[garycmartin]

Screenshot provided by Esteban

[RafaelOrtiz]

@gary, is there an example of an activity that supports this display ?

[garycmartin]

Replying to RafaelOrtiz:

@gary, is there an example of an activity that supports this display ?

I'd like to think many do. The UI tweaks needed will be very dependent on what the activity layout requirements are, some will only be cosmetic, the more high priority cases will be where real UI functionality is lost beneath the fold. Speak should be fine; Moon should be OK if you accept the need to scroll the information panel to see all the text; Labyrinth should be fine (canvas is scaleable); Turtle art/blocks should be OK as well (but might want to double check all the block palettes fit on screen, though there is a horizontal layout option if needed); Terminal should be fine; Log should be fine; Browse should be fine; Clock should be fine; Calculate should be fine; Write should be fine; etc. I think it's a case of testing the activities a deployment is primarily interested in. OT: I'd like feedback on Physics, Maze and other pygame based activities, if you have or know someone with an Olidata handy you can test with.

[RafaelOrtiz]

Replying to garycmartin:

Replying to RafaelOrtiz:

@gary, is there an example of an activity that supports this display ?

I'd like to think many do. The UI tweaks needed will be very dependent on what the activity layout requirements are, some will only be cosmetic, the more high priority cases will be where real UI functionality is lost beneath the fold. Speak should be fine; Moon should be OK if you accept the need to scroll the information panel to see all the text; Labyrinth should be fine (canvas is scaleable); Turtle art/blocks should be OK as well (but might want to double check all the block palettes fit on screen, though there is a horizontal layout option if needed); Terminal should be fine; Log should be fine; Browse should be fine; Clock should be fine; Calculate should be fine; Write should be fine; etc. I think it's a case of testing the activities a deployment is primarily interested in. OT: I'd like feedback on Physics, Maze and other pygame based activities, if you have or know someone with an Olidata handy you can test with.

Will do when possible, for now I have to rely on olpc-uruguay list for such tests.
In distance case (and others if possible, tamtam is more complicated) the option of an scalable canvas IMO is the best way to proceed.