Interface
The desktop metaphor is so entrenched in personal computer users' collective consciousness that it is easy to forget what a bold and radical innovation the Graphical User Interface (GUI) was — and how it helped free the computer from the “professionals” who were appalled at the idea of computing for everyone.
One Laplet Per Child rethinks and simplifies the existing concept of a computer interface for children. Rather than treating the device as a tiny office desk, the interface is designed around learning, collaboration, and play.
Beginning with Seymour Papert's observation that children are knowledge workers like any adult, only more so, OLPC recognised that they needed a user interface tailored to their specific type of knowledge work: learning.
Working together with teams from Pentagram and Red Hat, OLPC created Sugar — a “zoom” interface that graphically captures a child’s world of fellow learners and teachers as collaborators. Instead of files and folders, Sugar emphasizes people, activities, and connections.
The interface makes it easy to see who is online, what friends are doing, and which activities can be joined. Children are encouraged to explore, create, and share — reflecting OLPC’s belief that learning happens best when students are actively engaged with ideas and with one another.
On the Laplet, the interface is clean, bold, and child-friendly: large icons, clear colours, and minimal clutter help first-time users feel confident and in control. As children grow, Sugar grows with them, revealing deeper tools for expression, programming, and collaboration.