GSoC/GCI Archive
Google Summer of Code 2013


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Tux4Kids is a volunteer project dedicated to creating fun and educational software for children. The project was started by Sam Hart over ten years ago and currently maintains and develops three software programs. The programs take their name from Tux, the Linux mascot. Tux Paint, led by Bill Kendrick, is an award-winning and widely used artistic graphics program. Tux Paint is enjoyable for everyone from the youngest children capable of using computers up through adults. Tux Math (originally written by Bill Kendrick, now led by David Bruce, Tim Holy and Aaditya Maheshwari) is a video game-style math drill program. It covers basic math operations up through topics such as negative numbers, factoring, and order-of-operations exercises. Tux Typing (originally written by Sam Hart, now led by David Bruce) offers word typing practice in the setting of two video game-type activities, as well as phrase and sentence typing for older students. All three programs are SDL-based C apps, licensed under the GPL. They are developed natively on Linux and are included in all major desktop distributions, as well as non-Linux Free Software collections such as the FreeBSD Ports Collection and the MacPorts project for OS-X. Builds are also available for Microsoft Windows and Haiku/BeOS. The aim is to avoid specific platform dependencies so the programs can be made available as widely as possible, including the computing environments that children are most likely to actually encounter in schools. Similarly, all three programs are extensively internationalized using the standard GNU gettext library. Starting this year, we are interested in expanding beyond the traditional desktop application model into web-based and mobile learning games. Potential approaches include javascript/html5 for cross-platform mobile development, and Java language programming for applets, installed applications, and (with some modification) Android devices.


  • Accessibility extensions for TuxMath and TuxType 1- Make TuxMath,TuxType apps accessible for visually impaired persons using native opensource TTS API's Espeak. 2-Develop braille tutor extenion for TuxType. this will enable visually impaired children to learn brailler.
  • Mobile and Visual Programming Game A mobile game that helps the player learn the basis of algorithmic and programming using visual commands
  • TuxBlocks This project will expand the Tux4Kids library to include a cross-platform algebra game, specifically targeting mobile devices and the web. The game will feature a visual representation of equations using boxes for variables, operations and constants. These can be manipulated by the player to solve the given equation. The game builds on Tux Math's current arithmetic exercises, bridging the gap to more abstract, algebraic thinking.