k here is my project idea for Gsoc ...

[>^< CrOsS FiRe >^<]

thanks for the reply etan. Well to start off with, my idea is not entirely
new but a fine refinement of some old ideas with additional features (plz
read all the points). The basic project idea is to design an advance virtual
classroom over pidgin. But it is far more advanced than any other virtual
classrooms. The key features would be:
1) It will be specifically optimized for low bandwidth networks. The reason
for this is quite important: Virtual classrooms are rarely used in richer
countries. I really think that such project would really make a mark in
poorer countries, Africa for instance. Developing countries like India (my
country) are trying their best to reach out to poorer parts. A high
Bandwidth internet connection to such remote places/ villages is rare.
2) The classroom would essentially consist a whiteboard,audio and video
streams.
3) A separate dedicated server would consist of collections of various text
books and other neccessary online resources. Student can download any
resource, even during a lecture from this server. (pidgin will also connect
to this server).
4) I have noticed that for several OS certification exams(Such as Redhat
certified engineer), the students need to look at the desktop for best
learning experience. Books are always boring ;) So this virtual classroom
would also consist of a seperate perspective which would stream the
instructor's desktop in live. This approach is already implemented in
various technical institutions such as NIIT, but none for the world wide
web.
5) Yet again, no classroom can teach programming without a computer. There;s
no point in learning theory alone. This virtual classroom will consists of
yet another perspective where student can submit their code online. The
dedicted server (mentioned in point 3) will judge the code with the
predefined test cases .( Just like spoj or topcoder's online judge). In this
way , small programming challenges can also be held which would spread the
excitement of programming.

Well the above were some of the most important pointers of my project idea.
I'm afraid that point#4 would need a higher bandwidth. Optimization
specified in point#1 will be done by compressing the images (of snapshots of
live desktop or white board) on the fly and then transmitting them. This
classroom would be incorporated in the pidgin GTK+ frontend , with libpurple
library as usual.

That's it i guess. Is the idea worth getting accepted ?
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