I'm desperate to get one so I thought a thread would be a good way of sharing experiences.
£22.00 seems a bargain for any tech head!
http://www.raspberrypi.org/
£22.00 seems a bargain for any tech head!
http://www.raspberrypi.org/
The Raspberry Pi Club
- Thread starter gethinceri
- Start date
I love this, but then I am from the generation who grew up writing BBC basic in the bedroom just to see if you could make the machine do something no-one else has, I even learnt straight up machine code on the BBC and used it all the way through to my first year of my degree.
This is an attempt to inspire kids in schools in the same way that the BBC Micro used to, getting them to program rather than use spreadsheets and powerpoint presentations. I don't know if it will work, but it is affordable enough for most schools or parents to try if their kids are interested in getting into IT in a proper way rather thn waiting till they are 18 to try and teach them C# and Java...
This is an attempt to inspire kids in schools in the same way that the BBC Micro used to, getting them to program rather than use spreadsheets and powerpoint presentations. I don't know if it will work, but it is affordable enough for most schools or parents to try if their kids are interested in getting into IT in a proper way rather thn waiting till they are 18 to try and teach them C# and Java...
Just invested in one of these £25 computers and got it up and running last night. Many of you will know I'm not exactly computer literate but I bought this in an attempt to get my youngest son off his PS3 and to try actually making a computer do what he wants rather than what someone else tells him to do.
So, any advice on a good way to kick things off and learn some basic programming skills? It runs Linux as the base operating system so is all open source code.
So, any advice on a good way to kick things off and learn some basic programming skills? It runs Linux as the base operating system so is all open source code.
RS Components gethinceri
mine's still not arrived yet I would recommend you start him off on a Visual Basics program whilst this is an MS program there are Linux alternatives, it is relatively easy to learn and embraces most of the functions of more complex programming languages, it is also object orientated and a good way to learn java and C.
There are linux versions available here is one called PureBasic you can download a demo version and if he likes it you can purchase it online.
http://www.purebasic.com/
Good luck...
Edit
He could even create his own game with it..
There are linux versions available here is one called PureBasic you can download a demo version and if he likes it you can purchase it online.
http://www.purebasic.com/
Good luck...
Edit
He could even create his own game with it..
Cheers Mephistopheles 
I will look out for a completely free open source version for you if you would like FB after all Linux is free as is unix and many others even the Apple system is based on GNU although that one isn't free.
By the way most GNU systems are far superior to MS as far as programming goes and in many other ways as well, not least being security against viruses, as they do not rely on dll's.
By the way most GNU systems are far superior to MS as far as programming goes and in many other ways as well, not least being security against viruses, as they do not rely on dll's.
When I worked on Digital Unix it was expensive and not that free at sharing.
In case anyone is thinking about getting one of these...
http://cpc.farnell.com/raspberry-pi...879?in_merch=New Products&MER=e-bb45-00001002
£18.88 is a great price.
http://cpc.farnell.com/raspberry-pi...879?in_merch=New Products&MER=e-bb45-00001002
£18.88 is a great price.
There's a new version of the pi with more power and USB connectivity. http://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-2-model-b/
I'm thinking of getting one, converting an old hard drive I have for to use with it and then I can use it as a low cost internet browser/downloader/media server which means I can clear a lot of the crap off my main PC which I can then turn into a full blown gaming rig without any of the nasty internet stuff which slows a PC down.
If I do happen to come across something harmful during my internetting then it will be easy enough to do a quick OS wipe and start again with no loss of any of the highly valuable and time consuming to install programs.
Does anyone have any advice or experience with setting up a Pi in this way? I know it will be linux based, can normal internal hard drives be used with a pi or would I need to get a USB converter.
I'm thinking of getting one, converting an old hard drive I have for to use with it and then I can use it as a low cost internet browser/downloader/media server which means I can clear a lot of the crap off my main PC which I can then turn into a full blown gaming rig without any of the nasty internet stuff which slows a PC down.
If I do happen to come across something harmful during my internetting then it will be easy enough to do a quick OS wipe and start again with no loss of any of the highly valuable and time consuming to install programs.
Does anyone have any advice or experience with setting up a Pi in this way? I know it will be linux based, can normal internal hard drives be used with a pi or would I need to get a USB converter.
Andyoak
Champion Elect
Kodi TV (used to be XBMC) is actively promoting itself to Pi users as a HTPC media handler.
You could try them:
http://kodi.tv/download/
Let me know how you get on... currently replacing our lounge PC (ASRock HTPC); but it comes with Windows 8.1 so I'm looking out for good PVR software.
You could try them:
http://kodi.tv/download/
Let me know how you get on... currently replacing our lounge PC (ASRock HTPC); but it comes with Windows 8.1 so I'm looking out for good PVR software.
I used XBMC but seems to be very buggy and had a lot of problems actually playing the media I wanted.
Andyoak
Champion Elect
Thanks F1Y... I had a feeling it might be; and it looks (from forums) as if they're moving away from Windows support and increasingly focusing on LINUX based setups.
I'm afraid that in my experience free open source software is buggier than paid for closed system stuff (you get what you pay for); probably because it tries to do too much and has too many cooks. It's a shame; I'd be happy using Win8.1 for music, video, pictures etc. but I do want a PVR without yet another box hanging out the back of the telly.
I'm afraid that in my experience free open source software is buggier than paid for closed system stuff (you get what you pay for); probably because it tries to do too much and has too many cooks. It's a shame; I'd be happy using Win8.1 for music, video, pictures etc. but I do want a PVR without yet another box hanging out the back of the telly.
I use a tv monitor for my pc a 24 inch cheap as chips effort it only cost me 125 quid it is full 1080p HD and it came with a PVR built in I'm surprised that all modern tv's don't have this feature...
The model 2 will run Windows 10 should you so wish.
