Andrew Dubber     

March 3, 2010 – 11:39 am

Photo by poportis

Today I start my 30 days of ideas.

The way it works is this: Each day, for the next 30 days, I’ll have an idea for something: a business, a system, a book, a website, a concept, a piece of software, a new sandwich filling – whatever it might be.

I’ll describe it and explain how it works here on my blog… then it’s all yours. You can take the idea and run with it. You don’t need to ask me – or even tell me. I don’t claim any intellectual property.

A community has sprung up around this concept under the banner of Project Idealism, and I hope I can do that community some justice with the quality and originality of my 30 ideas… but they are presented here on an ‘as-is, where-is’ basis. I offer no guarantees as to whether they’re actually any good – or even that nobody else in the world has ever thought of them before. Who knows?

So – disclaimers out of the way, here’s my first idea.

Idea 01: Keymash

Photo by lrargerich

I have a lot of friends who have very young children, and who also do important work on computers. There’s an obvious hazard there, and it’s caused problems for many of them in the past.

The child will sit on their lap while they’re working – or pull themselves up to the computer with its attractive, glowing screen – and start mashing on the keyboard.

It’s understandable. You’re 18 months old, and there’s colour and buttons right there and Mummy or Daddy are clearly having fun with them. Besides – you’re cute, and who’s going to tell you off… even if you do inadvertently delete an important file or find a shortcut key combination that performs a previously unknown and unhelpful function in the software being used?

My idea is for a very simple application that runs in the background on your computer.

When four or more keys are pressed simultaneously, it autosaves what you’re currently working on, minimises or hides all of the open windows – and overlays the screen with colourful patterns, cute animals and moving objects, while simultaneously making entertaining and educational noises and perhaps playing a little tune.

The details aren’t important – the launch mechanism is the key to this.

If you anticipate imminent toddler-damage, you can simply and very quickly mash your hand on the keyboard yourself – or, if you’re away from your computer and your child isn’t – chances are they’ll do it themselves with their little hands.

Your work is safe (or at least, safer than before), and your child has the enjoyment and delight of the interactive and educational toy they were clearly expecting when they started pressing buttons on your laptop in the first place.

Tagged: Children, Software