I agree that this could be used to pry into kids business, but no more so than classical file systems (files are still there). I disagree that motivated kids can defeat surveillance if used that way (target market is kids that have never seen a computer).

This is only a file system.  It stores days that otter file systems store. It won't be making new tracking info, will it? It is a way to organize information that is already there. This system organizes it in a way that is meant to be reviewed by parents and teachers for education. They will review and grade them regardless of file system.

This will no more encourage surveillance practices than traffic cameras (which monitor large portions of the population) encourage a police state.
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-----Original Message-----
From: "Allen S. Rout" <[log in to unmask]>

Date:         Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:19:30 
To:[log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: OLPC...


>> On Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:49:57 -0500, Brian Bartholomew <[log in to unmask]> said:

>> This doesn't sound like surveillance, more like a portfolio. A way
>> for the kids to come home and say "hey mom, look what I did in
>> school today!"

> The idea of a portfolio is that you self-select a small subset of
> your work that's the best, and then advertise yourself with it.

> The idea of surveillance is that all your work is available for
> inspection all the time, and you have no choice about it.


I think they're not working hard enough at it to make the surveilance
goal (as opposed to the 'backup their work' goal) plausible.

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Emulating_the_XO/Help_and_tips#To_erase_the_Journal

>  rm -r ~/.sugar/default/datastore 

I certainly agree that this can be used to pry into the kids'
business.  I'm not confident that's an evil thing in the default case,
though I do think it admits abuse.

I think motivated kids will blow through any serious surveilance
attempts.