GCompris

GCompris

Developer(s)	Bruno Coudoin (maintainer)
Initial release	2000 (2000)
Stable release	14.07 / July 31, 2014 (2014-07-31)
Development status	active
Written in	legacy: C Python current: C++, QML
Operating system	Linux, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X
Platform	legacy: GTK+ current: Qt
Available in	more than 50 languages
Type	Educational entertainment, Educational software
License	GNU General Public License
Website	gcompris.net

GCompris is a software suite comprising educational entertainment software for children aged 2 to 10. GCompris was originally written in C and Python using the GTK+ widget toolkit, but a rewrite in C++ and QML using the Qt widget toolkit is since early 2014 in process. GCompris is free and open-source software subject to the requirements of the GNU General Public License version 2 and has been part of the GNU project.

The name GCompris is a pun, in the French language is pronounced the same as the phrase "I have understood", J'ai compris [ʒekɔ̃ˈpʁi].

It is available for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows. Binaries compiled for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X are distributed with a restricted number of activities; it is possible to access all the activities for a fee.

Extent

At the time of writing GCompris comprised more than 130 games, called "activities". These are bundled into the following groups:

• Computer discovery: keyboard, mouse, different mouse gestures
• Numeracy: table memory, enumeration, double entry table, mirror images
• Science: the canal lock, the water cycle, the submarine, electric simulations
• Geography: place the country on the map
• Games: chess, memory, connect 4, oware, sudoku
• Reading: reading practice
• Other: learn to tell time, puzzle of famous paintings, vector drawing, cartoon making

Development history

The first version of the game was made in 2000 by Bruno Coudoin, a French software engineer. Since the first release it was distributed freely on the Internet and was protected by the GNU General Public License. The motivation behind the development was to provide native educational application for Linux. Since then, the software has seen continuous improvements, in terms of graphics and number of activities, thanks to the help of many developers and graphic artists joining the project over the years.

External links

• Official website
• Download Windows, Linux and Mac versions
• Source code (Qt)
• Source code (Legacy)