Friday, November 24, 2006
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
New ways for interacting in games
A new videogames console has been devised by Nintendo. Its name - Wii - has in itself a meaning of how this product can be an innovative one.
At first, a less costly and powerfull videogames console can be somewhat too high risk for Nintendo. However, we (look at this... Wii!) need to know how the market reaction will be, for what really is a huge innovation given by the game commands as they provide beyond the use of wireless and all the hype: the sensing of gesture.
Regarding this, one can expect to play not just with its head and mind, but also, getting out of the sofa and start using movement and some physical exercise to interact with the play. We have already some authors that defend videogames for enhancing mind - now they can also defend videogames for physical exercise.
That what I saw, and that why I may expect a change in the home videogames console market. Stay alert to see how other known brands movements will be, as the case of Microsoft and Sony, and theirs XBox360 and PS3 videogames consoles.
For a quick look of this Nintendo offer, see www.wii.com.
At first, a less costly and powerfull videogames console can be somewhat too high risk for Nintendo. However, we (look at this... Wii!) need to know how the market reaction will be, for what really is a huge innovation given by the game commands as they provide beyond the use of wireless and all the hype: the sensing of gesture.
Regarding this, one can expect to play not just with its head and mind, but also, getting out of the sofa and start using movement and some physical exercise to interact with the play. We have already some authors that defend videogames for enhancing mind - now they can also defend videogames for physical exercise.
That what I saw, and that why I may expect a change in the home videogames console market. Stay alert to see how other known brands movements will be, as the case of Microsoft and Sony, and theirs XBox360 and PS3 videogames consoles.
For a quick look of this Nintendo offer, see www.wii.com.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
UFPUV - our SAKAI implementation
UFPUV, means UFP for University Fernando Pessoa, and UV for Virtual University.
The local elearning initiative is the official site for supporting elearning, blearning and presential (or face to face) electronic support.
There are two sites to explore:
- The UFPUV site: elearning.ufp.pt
- The UFPUV Wiki site: elearning.ufp.pt/wiki
Here it is the UFPUV skin for SAKAI, do you like it?
The local elearning initiative is the official site for supporting elearning, blearning and presential (or face to face) electronic support.
There are two sites to explore:
- The UFPUV site: elearning.ufp.pt
- The UFPUV Wiki site: elearning.ufp.pt/wiki
Here it is the UFPUV skin for SAKAI, do you like it?
Friday, October 27, 2006
European Sakai Day & Lubeck
We, at UFPUV, have participated at the European Sakai day at begining of September 2006.It was a nice one day workshop where we have the opportunity to meet some of the Sakai guys and also to take an introduction in deep Germany as Lubeck reveals itself a nice place to visit.
For those who like to travel, I think it is a place to visit (see more info in Wikipedia) and a nice photo which I took from one of its squares.
Monday, October 23, 2006
SAKAI and elearning
As a result of being involved in a local elearning project at my university, we have choose a free community software as the platform technology for delivering our offer.
Back to October, 2004, choose Sakai as our elearning platform was an act of faith, but also a strong believe that their its were in fact better than the ones from other alternatives. Then, Sakai was just in its first version and little or almost no documentation and references were available.
This means that we needed to work it a lot. Results from use test and run, we find our way across some problems as the use of portuguese characters, the Webdav compatibility, the interface issues, and some other issues that were first hand problems and that they are now past history. Anyway, we were able to provide a month later, a pilot test for an academic year. It start with just two classes from one of us (first semester), and grows to almost 60 professors involving more than 120 classes (overall, it reaches 1000 students and teachers), gathered between the most entusiasthic tech guys, from diverses areas such as nursering, environment, linguistics, and of course, technology.
After this first year pilot, our top administration saw the potential and provide us with resources and an official virtual university hat that allow us to start production for a second year with more resources and better hardware. From begining, 2004/05, as pilot, to a one year in production (2005/06) leaves us to the establishment of the UFPUV, the Virtual University of Fernando Pessoa University:
http://elearning.ufp.pt.
In the begining of the new year (2007), we will have more news and further advances in using not just the technology, but also the elearning concept in order to take full advantage of SAKAI and try to innovate in its use.
Try the following Youtube video for a description of SAKAI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SkGi_tKBL4
To know more about SAKI, visit http://sakaiproject.org/
Back to October, 2004, choose Sakai as our elearning platform was an act of faith, but also a strong believe that their its were in fact better than the ones from other alternatives. Then, Sakai was just in its first version and little or almost no documentation and references were available.
This means that we needed to work it a lot. Results from use test and run, we find our way across some problems as the use of portuguese characters, the Webdav compatibility, the interface issues, and some other issues that were first hand problems and that they are now past history. Anyway, we were able to provide a month later, a pilot test for an academic year. It start with just two classes from one of us (first semester), and grows to almost 60 professors involving more than 120 classes (overall, it reaches 1000 students and teachers), gathered between the most entusiasthic tech guys, from diverses areas such as nursering, environment, linguistics, and of course, technology.
After this first year pilot, our top administration saw the potential and provide us with resources and an official virtual university hat that allow us to start production for a second year with more resources and better hardware. From begining, 2004/05, as pilot, to a one year in production (2005/06) leaves us to the establishment of the UFPUV, the Virtual University of Fernando Pessoa University:
http://elearning.ufp.pt.
In the begining of the new year (2007), we will have more news and further advances in using not just the technology, but also the elearning concept in order to take full advantage of SAKAI and try to innovate in its use.
Try the following Youtube video for a description of SAKAI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SkGi_tKBL4
To know more about SAKI, visit http://sakaiproject.org/
Sunday, September 24, 2006
About Portugal - my country
Portugal is one of the European countries. It is also one of the oldest nations with rich history and offers a lot of interesting sites to visit and deserves your interest in knowing more about it.
It is a small country, both in population and territory, but with a worldwide language (portuguese) and a rich culture that is widespread and with strong influence in history all over the world.
You can read more of my country in http://www.portugal.org
It is a small country, both in population and territory, but with a worldwide language (portuguese) and a rich culture that is widespread and with strong influence in history all over the world.
You can read more of my country in http://www.portugal.org
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Holidays are also a nice time to write a book
Holidays are, among other things, a nice time to be with the family. As a result, we can enjoy our mutual presence on 24 over 24 hours a day. This is very nice and as the word "we" means four guys for us, this is quite nice and enjoyable.
However, this year I need also to finish a book that I was payed for. This means that some of the time has to be spended on writing.
Near the pool, in spare times, or in early morning, always with a concern to not take much time from family time, I was able to finished the job.
It is a 160 pages book about Electronic Business in portuguese that provides a broad introduction to the theme. I realised also, hollidays are a productive time to write as I was abble to finished the writting within six weeks.
You can take a glance on the book cover, as it is currently being edited and is schedule to be published in December this year.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Getting a sea landscape, not to close
One of the better ways to relax is to have a nice drink and a sea landscape sight.
I do not know why the sea make me such an effect. It is true that the phrase The Sea's Effects on Mind is part of a well know book by Michael Stadler.
However, in my case, there is a concrete explanation. As time allows me to retire at home, I have a nice place to be with a first line balcony where I can work, read and rest and have the sea as a "wallpaper".
During the past years (a decade), I realise that the sea is closer from home and the coast has been eroded in a visible way. Thus, sea is now almost two meters closer of my home. There's another 298 metters to get wet - hope it stills my life for that, but I believe that in a future not so far away, the place where I have so many good moments will be water covered and part of the Atlantic sea.
Anyway, you can see for yourself the cenary and why I like it, even considering the risk of getting wet...
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Plans for my Blog
I again.
I have some plans for my blog. They are quite simple ones.
I will try to post a nice and useful hint / idea / proposal, once a month.
Will see at the end of two years, if we have 24 or so posts into this blog.
Meanwhyle, the first two posts are "empty" ones, more oriented to my blog aims that of any utility.
oopss... sorry for that...
I have some plans for my blog. They are quite simple ones.
I will try to post a nice and useful hint / idea / proposal, once a month.
Will see at the end of two years, if we have 24 or so posts into this blog.
Meanwhyle, the first two posts are "empty" ones, more oriented to my blog aims that of any utility.
oopss... sorry for that...
Friday, March 24, 2006
Starting...
After a two year long period writting a blog on my native language, I want to test how an English one can be different.
Is the English language the real world "esperanto" language or we can expect in near future to see chinese and other languages as world substitutes?
Well... as far as I can go for now, lets see what an English blog can provide as a global experience.
Is the English language the real world "esperanto" language or we can expect in near future to see chinese and other languages as world substitutes?
Well... as far as I can go for now, lets see what an English blog can provide as a global experience.
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