Comments

**Notebook** · #1

29 February 2012:
The Raspberry Pi computer is just a small green circuit board about the size of a credit card - but it is hoped that it will get thousands of school children interested in programming.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17190334

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17192823

http://www.raspberrypi.org/

Quote:

For up-to-the-minute news on what's happening, follow @Raspberry_Pi on Twitter1.
1(Only until about 6pm GMT, though, because we’re all going to the pub after that!)

I'll buy it jus for that comment!

N.

**tl8** · 02-29-2012, 08:24 AM

It broke both the Element 14 and the RS websites.

I will be getting one when they turn up in Oz. Might try and make an IPTV box.

**Notebook** · 02-29-2012, 08:29 AM

Thats a good sign, at last some interest.

N.

Jarvitä · 02-29-2012, 08:43 AM

I still don't understand the purpose of such a device. It isn't a fully functional microcontroller (some proprietary components, GPIO not easily accessible by users), nor is it a fully functional computer (ARM, severely underpowered). For its intended purpose - teaching schoolchildren programming - used or donated old PCs are much better suited.

**Notebook** · 02-29-2012, 08:56 AM

Initially, I would get it as a stand alone for the Unix system. Always been curious about it, but didn't want to interfere my PC.
Other than that, I imagine as you play with it, something will turn up. At 25$, I've probably bought games worth less than that.

N.

Jarvitä · 02-29-2012, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Notebook

Initially, I would get it as a stand alone for the Unix system. Always been curious about it, but didn't want to interfere my PC.
Other than that, I imagine as you play with it, something will turn up. At 25$, I've probably bought games worth less than that.

N.

Unix? I thought it only runs regular GNU/Linux recompiled for ARM with proprietary graphics drivers?

**Notebook** · 02-29-2012, 09:13 AM

I don't know what chip it runs, the BBC report says it runs UNIX/Debian?

EDIT: I'm probably getting confused between UNIX/LINUX, know nothing about either...

My cloth ears, he says" Debian/Linux"

N.

Jarvitä · 02-29-2012, 09:28 AM

Put that way, it does have interesting implications. A computer system intended for introducing schoolchildren to computing, that only runs GNU/Linux. I heartily approve of this.

**tl8** · 02-29-2012, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jarvitä

I still don't understand the purpose of such a device. It isn't a fully functional microcontroller (some proprietary components, GPIO not easily accessible by users), nor is it a fully functional computer (ARM, severely underpowered). For its intended purpose - teaching schoolchildren programming - used or donated old PCs are much better suited.

Actually there is some GPIO accessible with the expansion header. Number of pins with SPI, I2C and UART.

There is a growing demand for these types of things too. Especially when you want more grunt than a uC but don't want a fully fledged PC.

Not sure what OS support there is, however I do know that Debian will be included.

I can't comment on the Video Hardware, but I fully expect the community will hack around it if needed.

**Artlav** · 02-29-2012, 10:26 AM

Got it pre-ordered on Farnell, despite all the DDoSing.

Debian and Fedora are available at release.
Video hardware can be used through a blob driver.
Summarily, that's a very nice piece of hardware for it's cost, and it is a fully functional computer for many tasks.

**Notebook** · 02-29-2012, 10:45 AM

Excellent, just registered interest on the RS site.

Looking forward to it, haven't been this excited since I bought my SYM...
http://oldcomputers.net/sym-1.html

N.

**tl8** · 02-29-2012, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artlav

Got it pre-ordered on Farnell, despite all the DDoSing.

Debian and Fedora are available at release.
Video hardware can be used through a blob driver.
Summarily, that's a very nice piece of hardware for it's cost, and it is a fully functional computer for many tasks.

I would love to know how it goes. I think I might wait a few months for supply to increase.

jedidia · 02-29-2012, 01:08 PM

Quote:

For its intended purpose - teaching schoolchildren programming - used or donated old PCs are much better suited.

I have yet to see the board that doesn't get fits if you try to teach kids low-level programming on their school's computers. Sure, a bit of visual Basic and C, no problem, but we were never allowed to go any deeper, never learned to touch the system, because, you know, someone had to get the machines back to standard setup again afterwards. I'd say this could be an elegant solution for that problem.

Also, a functional , programmable computer for about 50 Bucks? If I was still twelve, it would only take until my next birthday until I had one. Would have saved my dad a lot of grey hairs too!

Ghostrider · 02-29-2012, 01:52 PM

The concept behind it is to have a device made for hobbyists and hackers, who can hit the metal to their hearts' content. Kits such as this were popular back in the late '70s to early '80s (some of the earlier computers like the Altair and later the MPF series were sold as a kit). It remains to be seen if you can remove today's kids from their PSPs and smartphones and tablets (not to mention my preciousss lawn) and get them to work on those little things.
Well, if the educational aspect fails, a 50 dollars programmable board can come in handy for a lot of projects and assorted lulz and evulz...

Jarvitä · 02-29-2012, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghostrider

The concept behind it is to have a device made for hobbyists and hackers, who can hit the metal to their hearts' content.

Except they can't, because the chip design hasn't been released, the graphics driver is proprietary and the GPIO logic is heavily obfuscated.

02-29-2012, 09:13 AM	#7
Notebook Orbinaut	I don't know what chip it runs, the BBC report says it runs UNIX/Debian? EDIT: I'm probably getting confused between UNIX/LINUX, know nothing about either... My cloth ears, he says" Debian/Linux" N. Last edited by Notebook; 02-29-2012 at 09:16 AM.

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02-29-2012, 08:24 AM	#2
tl8 Moderator	It broke both the Element 14 and the RS websites. I will be getting one when they turn up in Oz. Might try and make an IPTV box.

02-29-2012, 08:29 AM	#3
Notebook Orbinaut	Thats a good sign, at last some interest. N.

02-29-2012, 08:43 AM	#4
Jarvitä Orbinaut	I still don't understand the purpose of such a device. It isn't a fully functional microcontroller (some proprietary components, GPIO not easily accessible by users), nor is it a fully functional computer (ARM, severely underpowered). For its intended purpose - teaching schoolchildren programming - used or donated old PCs are much better suited.

02-29-2012, 08:56 AM	#5
Notebook Orbinaut	Initially, I would get it as a stand alone for the Unix system. Always been curious about it, but didn't want to interfere my PC. Other than that, I imagine as you play with it, something will turn up. At 25$, I've probably bought games worth less than that. N.

02-29-2012, 08:58 AM	#6
Jarvitä Orbinaut	Quote: Originally Posted by Notebook Initially, I would get it as a stand alone for the Unix system. Always been curious about it, but didn't want to interfere my PC. Other than that, I imagine as you play with it, something will turn up. At 25$, I've probably bought games worth less than that. N. Unix? I thought it only runs regular GNU/Linux recompiled for ARM with proprietary graphics drivers?

02-29-2012, 09:28 AM	#8
Jarvitä Orbinaut	Put that way, it does have interesting implications. A computer system intended for introducing schoolchildren to computing, that only runs GNU/Linux. I heartily approve of this.

02-29-2012, 09:37 AM	#9
tl8 Moderator	Quote: Originally Posted by Jarvitä I still don't understand the purpose of such a device. It isn't a fully functional microcontroller (some proprietary components, GPIO not easily accessible by users), nor is it a fully functional computer (ARM, severely underpowered). For its intended purpose - teaching schoolchildren programming - used or donated old PCs are much better suited. Actually there is some GPIO accessible with the expansion header. Number of pins with SPI, I2C and UART. There is a growing demand for these types of things too. Especially when you want more grunt than a uC but don't want a fully fledged PC. Not sure what OS support there is, however I do know that Debian will be included. I can't comment on the Video Hardware, but I fully expect the community will hack around it if needed.

02-29-2012, 10:26 AM	#10
Artlav Aperiodic traveller	Got it pre-ordered on Farnell, despite all the DDoSing. Debian and Fedora are available at release. Video hardware can be used through a blob driver. Summarily, that's a very nice piece of hardware for it's cost, and it is a fully functional computer for many tasks.

02-29-2012, 10:45 AM	#11
Notebook Orbinaut	Excellent, just registered interest on the RS site. Looking forward to it, haven't been this excited since I bought my SYM... http://oldcomputers.net/sym-1.html N.

02-29-2012, 11:20 AM	#12
tl8 Moderator	Quote: Originally Posted by Artlav Got it pre-ordered on Farnell, despite all the DDoSing. Debian and Fedora are available at release. Video hardware can be used through a blob driver. Summarily, that's a very nice piece of hardware for it's cost, and it is a fully functional computer for many tasks. I would love to know how it goes. I think I might wait a few months for supply to increase.

02-29-2012, 01:08 PM	#13
jedidia shoemaker without legs	Quote: For its intended purpose - teaching schoolchildren programming - used or donated old PCs are much better suited. I have yet to see the board that doesn't get fits if you try to teach kids low-level programming on their school's computers. Sure, a bit of visual Basic and C, no problem, but we were never allowed to go any deeper, never learned to touch the system, because, you know, someone had to get the machines back to standard setup again afterwards. I'd say this could be an elegant solution for that problem. Also, a functional , programmable computer for about 50 Bucks? If I was still twelve, it would only take until my next birthday until I had one. Would have saved my dad a lot of grey hairs too!

02-29-2012, 01:52 PM	#14
Ghostrider Orbinaut	The concept behind it is to have a device made for hobbyists and hackers, who can hit the metal to their hearts' content. Kits such as this were popular back in the late '70s to early '80s (some of the earlier computers like the Altair and later the MPF series were sold as a kit). It remains to be seen if you can remove today's kids from their PSPs and smartphones and tablets (not to mention my preciousss lawn) and get them to work on those little things. Well, if the educational aspect fails, a 50 dollars programmable board can come in handy for a lot of projects and assorted lulz and evulz...

02-29-2012, 04:51 PM	#15
Jarvitä Orbinaut	Quote: Originally Posted by Ghostrider The concept behind it is to have a device made for hobbyists and hackers, who can hit the metal to their hearts' content. Except they can't, because the chip design hasn't been released, the graphics driver is proprietary and the GPIO logic is heavily obfuscated.