Re: [Tuxpaint-devel] An experimental tablet for TuxPaint

[Bill K. <nb...@so...>]

On Tue, Jun 03, 2008 at 10:27:36AM +0800, Shih-Chin Yang wrote:
>    Dear all:
>    I found Tuxpaint to be a very good software for kids, but it might be a
>    bit difficult for kids to use mouse to draw on TuxPaint,
> 
>    I have been working on a technology to offer an economic tablet for kids.
>    For the prototype, you could see the video demo at
> 
>    http://www.imareader.com/coopaint.html

WOW!  So I've thought about this a bit, lately.  I'm not sure if you're
familiar with the Koala Pad touchpad for 8-bit computers back in the early
1980s, but after looking at:

  * Wacom drawing tablets
  * Digital Arts & Crafts Studio drawing tablet [a recent product, for Windows]
  * My son's Manga-Doodle magnetic drawing toy

... I started thinking that a much simpler, much cheaper drawing pad should
exist for kids.

It would not need pressure sensitivity, tilt, or multiple inputs.  I figured
that the technology behind the Koala pad (a pressure-sensitive pad that
provided X/Y coordinates -- which you could use with your fingers, and not
just with a stylus -- and a button for 'clicking') would be sufficient.

I'm very curious to learn more about your tablet's features.
Does it do pressure?  Is a stylus required, or can you use your fingers?
What platforms does it (or will it / can it) support?  (Linux?  OS X?)

$39 is a little steep, compared to the $50 or 55 we paid for the
Digital Arts & Crafts Studio (that included software).  But on the
other hand, it looks like you've got an enormous surface area for
drawing compared to the lowest-end Wacom tablets (and your device is
not 'kid-oriented' and goofy, and sounds like it would work with any
software -- the DACS device is meant only for DACS software, though I
hope to change that, some day :^) )


<snip>
>    I plan to make a product using the technology, but think I had better to
>    do some market research before doing. Do you think if parents would buy a
>    $39.99 tablet for kids to explore their creativity using TuxPaint?

Feel free to pose this same question to our 'tuxpaint-users' mailing list.
Also, I assume you don't mind if I share the link to your site, since you've
already posted it here, to a public forum. :)

Thanks, and good luck, and keep in touch!

PS - Have you tested using your device on top of an LCD screen or laptop?
(Since it's transparent, I can see it acting as an alternative to
tablet PCs or 'touchscreens'.)

-- 
-bill!
bi...@ne...
http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/