Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.os.linux.misc > #15072 > unrolled thread

Any single board computers ready for prime time?

Back to article view | Back to comp.os.linux.misc

Contents

  Any single board computers ready for prime time? pureheart@pacbell.net - 2015-07-19 10:54 -0700
    Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2015-07-19 14:00 -0500
    Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Keith Keller <kkeller-usenet@wombat.san-francisco.ca.us> - 2015-07-19 12:27 -0700
    Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? ray carter <ray@zianet.com> - 2015-07-19 21:14 +0000
      Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2015-07-19 18:21 -0500
        Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Steve Hayes <hayesstw@telkomsa.net> - 2015-07-20 05:15 +0200
          Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-07-20 12:54 -0400
            Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2015-07-20 12:28 -0500
              Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-07-20 13:44 -0400
                Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2015-07-20 17:03 -0500
                  Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2015-07-21 00:28 +0100
      Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Marc Haber <mh+usenetspam1118@zugschl.us> - 2015-07-20 07:55 +0200
    Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? William Unruh <unruh@invalid.ca> - 2015-07-20 09:12 +0000
      Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? pureheart@pacbell.net - 2015-07-20 13:48 -0700
        Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? ray carter <ray@zianet.com> - 2015-07-20 21:35 +0000
        Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2015-07-20 17:03 -0500
          Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2015-07-21 00:30 +0100
            Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2015-07-20 20:12 -0500
          Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Unknown <dog@gmail.com> - 2015-08-07 12:07 +0000
          Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? pureheart@pacbell.net - 2015-08-14 21:26 -0700
            Re: Any single board computers ready for prime time? Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2015-08-15 08:21 -0500

Page 1 of 2  [1] 2  Next page →

#15072 — Any single board computers ready for prime time?

Hi.
After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it fares, if so.

There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm thinking about some like:
Raspberry Pi 2
Banana pi
Beaglebone Black
Hummingboard

One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at a search engine).

Any comments?

pH

[toc] | [next] | [standalone]

#15073

At Sun, 19 Jul 2015 10:54:02 -0700 (PDT) pureheart@pacbell.net wrote:

> 
> Hi.
> After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it fares, if so.
> 
> There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm thinking about some like:
> Raspberry Pi 2
> Banana pi
> Beaglebone Black
> Hummingboard
> 
> One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means in
> the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind on my
> acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at a search
> engine).

No, SATA can be either a solid state drive, like I have in my laptop, or a
rotating magnetic drive, like I have in my desktop. Both my laptop and desktop
have SATA interfaces. SATA means Serial ATA, as opposed to PATA, which means
Parallel ATA, which is also known as IDE. SATA is the successor to PATA (IDE)
and is sort of a 'merger'/successor of SCSI, SAS, and IDE technologies.  
(Note: it is possible to get IDE SSDs as well as SATA SSDs.)

The Raspberry Pi uses a Class 10 micro SD card as a hard drive. The micro SD
card is a ultra small variation of a SD "Flash" card, which is a mini version 
of the (old) Compact Flass (CF) card.  All of these are (more or less) a 
technology similar to USB Thumb/Flash drives. They are a form of solid state 
mass storage device (something like a 'SSD' type device).

> 
> Any comments?

Note that *for all intents and purposes* any modern ATX, MiniATX, or MiniITX
motherboard is *effectively* a SBC, since the days of motherboards that only
had the processor and bus logic, where it was manditory to buy a video card,
sound card, disk controller card, and network card, are long gone. Modern
motherboards have all of the common functions integrated: video, sound, disk
controller, and network, along with things like USB and any other incidental
I/O devices (PS/2, serial and parallel ports, IEEE1394, etc.). I guess that
these motherboards do have some sort of expansion slots and the presumption is
that some people will overbuild the integrated devices, while little SBCs like
the Raspberry Pi, et. al. don't have expansion slots and it is not expected
that on-board integrated devices will be overbuilt.

*I* use a Raspberry Pi 2 as a build box on my LAN.  I use a 'conventional' 
desktop system for my everyday desktop use.  I don't normally connect a 
monitor or keyboard/mouse to the Pi.

> 
> pH
>                                                                                                            

-- 
Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933
Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Linux Administration Services
heller@deepsoft.com       -- Webhosting Services
                                            

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15074

On 2015-07-19, pureheart@pacbell.net <pureheart@pacbell.net> wrote:
>
> One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means in the specs of all these things....a drive connector.

SATA is an interface, not a storage medium.  There are solid state
SATA drives and traditional magnetic SATA drives.  The drive connector
is typically standardized, but there are many SATA connector standards,
so you still need to make sure you have matching connectors on either
end of the cable, the drive, and the controller.

--keith

-- 
kkeller-usenet@wombat.san-francisco.ca.us
(try just my userid to email me)
AOLSFAQ=http://www.therockgarden.ca/aolsfaq.txt
see X- headers for PGP signature information

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15076

On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 10:54:02 -0700, pureheart wrote:

> Hi.
> After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I
> wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it
> fares, if so.
> 
> There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm
> thinking about some like:
> Raspberry Pi 2 Banana pi Beaglebone Black Hummingboard
> 
> One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means
> in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind
> on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at
> a search engine).
> 
> Any comments?
> 
> pH

The main purpose of such devices, at least for most folks, is to provide 
a system with access to the I/O pins.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15078

At 19 Jul 2015 21:14:05 GMT ray carter <ray@zianet.com> wrote:

> 
> On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 10:54:02 -0700, pureheart wrote:
> 
> > Hi.
> > After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I
> > wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it
> > fares, if so.
> > 
> > There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm
> > thinking about some like:
> > Raspberry Pi 2 Banana pi Beaglebone Black Hummingboard
> > 
> > One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means
> > in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind
> > on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at
> > a search engine).
> > 
> > Any comments?
> > 
> > pH
> 
> The main purpose of such devices, at least for most folks, is to provide 
> a system with access to the I/O pins.

Yes indeed. Devices like the Ardunio family and Raspberry Pi family are mostly
geared to home grown 'smart' devices, including robotics, interactive artwork,
and your classic 'better mousetrap', for all sorts of definations of
'mousetrap'... They are being used in the classroom (at many levels!) to teach
electronics, robotics, automation, and computer programming. Modern desktop
computers are a long way from Kim-1s and S-100 machines (eg Altair 8800) and
have become closed machines suitable for boring stuff like word processing and
E-mail... These new SBCs are something of a return to those (fun) days, but
with a much more modern system and a more accessable development environment.

>                                                              

-- 
Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933
Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Linux Administration Services
heller@deepsoft.com       -- Webhosting Services
                                                                                                    

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15079

On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 18:21:59 -0500, Robert Heller
<heller@deepsoft.com> wrote:

>At 19 Jul 2015 21:14:05 GMT ray carter <ray@zianet.com> wrote:
>
>> 
>> On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 10:54:02 -0700, pureheart wrote:
>> 
>> > Hi.
>> > After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I
>> > wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it
>> > fares, if so.
>> > 
>> > There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm
>> > thinking about some like:
>> > Raspberry Pi 2 Banana pi Beaglebone Black Hummingboard
>> > 
>> > One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means
>> > in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind
>> > on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at
>> > a search engine).
>> > 
>> > Any comments?
>> > 
>> > pH
>> 
>> The main purpose of such devices, at least for most folks, is to provide 
>> a system with access to the I/O pins.
>
>Yes indeed. Devices like the Ardunio family and Raspberry Pi family are mostly
>geared to home grown 'smart' devices, including robotics, interactive artwork,
>and your classic 'better mousetrap', for all sorts of definations of
>'mousetrap'... They are being used in the classroom (at many levels!) to teach
>electronics, robotics, automation, and computer programming. Modern desktop
>computers are a long way from Kim-1s and S-100 machines (eg Altair 8800) and
>have become closed machines suitable for boring stuff like word processing and
>E-mail... These new SBCs are something of a return to those (fun) days, but
>with a much more modern system and a more accessable development environment.

I recall ads from computer magazines of 35 years ago for an "Anything
Board" that sounds similar to the Raspberry Pi etc. 


-- 
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web:  http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15083

On Mon, 20 Jul 2015, Steve Hayes wrote:

> On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 18:21:59 -0500, Robert Heller
> <heller@deepsoft.com> wrote:
>
>> At 19 Jul 2015 21:14:05 GMT ray carter <ray@zianet.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 10:54:02 -0700, pureheart wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi.
>>>> After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I
>>>> wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it
>>>> fares, if so.
>>>>
>>>> There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm
>>>> thinking about some like:
>>>> Raspberry Pi 2 Banana pi Beaglebone Black Hummingboard
>>>>
>>>> One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means
>>>> in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind
>>>> on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at
>>>> a search engine).
>>>>
>>>> Any comments?
>>>>
>>>> pH
>>>
>>> The main purpose of such devices, at least for most folks, is to provide
>>> a system with access to the I/O pins.
>>
>> Yes indeed. Devices like the Ardunio family and Raspberry Pi family are mostly
>> geared to home grown 'smart' devices, including robotics, interactive artwork,
>> and your classic 'better mousetrap', for all sorts of definations of
>> 'mousetrap'... They are being used in the classroom (at many levels!) to teach
>> electronics, robotics, automation, and computer programming. Modern desktop
>> computers are a long way from Kim-1s and S-100 machines (eg Altair 8800) and
>> have become closed machines suitable for boring stuff like word processing and
>> E-mail... These new SBCs are something of a return to those (fun) days, but
>> with a much more modern system and a more accessable development environment.
>
> I recall ads from computer magazines of 35 years ago for an "Anything
> Board" that sounds similar to the Raspberry Pi etc.
>
But those would have been running at 1 or 2MHz, had at best 64K of RAM (if 
that much), probably had no video interface, likely only a monitor in ROM 
(though depending, perhaps Microsoft BASIC in ROM), and lacked any long 
term storage or operating system, and cost a good penny.

The later Raspberry Pi (with the quad core CPU), is around fifty dollars, 
runs a full Linux, has video out, at least 512megs of RAM (I think more) 
and so on.  Except better computers are out there, it would be an 
extremely good computer for the money.

The Raspberry Pi wsa intended as a programming platform, not a single 
board computer.  The company thought of it in terms of a "modern Commodore 
64", except it runs full Linux and thus can run quite a few prgramming 
langauges.  It was cheap because they could make it cheap, but good enough 
to run a full Linux.  Most of the uses we hear about came after it was 
released, because it was a cheap single board computer.

   Michael

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15084

At Mon, 20 Jul 2015 12:54:15 -0400 Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:

> 
> On Mon, 20 Jul 2015, Steve Hayes wrote:
> 
> > On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 18:21:59 -0500, Robert Heller
> > <heller@deepsoft.com> wrote:
> >
> >> At 19 Jul 2015 21:14:05 GMT ray carter <ray@zianet.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>>
> >>> On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 10:54:02 -0700, pureheart wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Hi.
> >>>> After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I
> >>>> wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it
> >>>> fares, if so.
> >>>>
> >>>> There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm
> >>>> thinking about some like:
> >>>> Raspberry Pi 2 Banana pi Beaglebone Black Hummingboard
> >>>>
> >>>> One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means
> >>>> in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind
> >>>> on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at
> >>>> a search engine).
> >>>>
> >>>> Any comments?
> >>>>
> >>>> pH
> >>>
> >>> The main purpose of such devices, at least for most folks, is to provide
> >>> a system with access to the I/O pins.
> >>
> >> Yes indeed. Devices like the Ardunio family and Raspberry Pi family are mostly
> >> geared to home grown 'smart' devices, including robotics, interactive artwork,
> >> and your classic 'better mousetrap', for all sorts of definations of
> >> 'mousetrap'... They are being used in the classroom (at many levels!) to teach
> >> electronics, robotics, automation, and computer programming. Modern desktop
> >> computers are a long way from Kim-1s and S-100 machines (eg Altair 8800) and
> >> have become closed machines suitable for boring stuff like word processing and
> >> E-mail... These new SBCs are something of a return to those (fun) days, but
> >> with a much more modern system and a more accessable development environment.
> >
> > I recall ads from computer magazines of 35 years ago for an "Anything
> > Board" that sounds similar to the Raspberry Pi etc.
> >
> But those would have been running at 1 or 2MHz, had at best 64K of RAM (if 
> that much), probably had no video interface, likely only a monitor in ROM 
> (though depending, perhaps Microsoft BASIC in ROM), and lacked any long 
> term storage or operating system, and cost a good penny.
> 
> The later Raspberry Pi (with the quad core CPU), is around fifty dollars, 
> runs a full Linux, has video out, at least 512megs of RAM (I think more) 
> and so on.  Except better computers are out there, it would be an 
> extremely good computer for the money.

A bare Raspberry Pi 2 Model B board is $35, Add about $15 for the micro SD 
card, $10 each for the case (optional) and power supply...

> 
> The Raspberry Pi wsa intended as a programming platform, not a single 
> board computer.  The company thought of it in terms of a "modern Commodore 
> 64", except it runs full Linux and thus can run quite a few prgramming 
> langauges.  It was cheap because they could make it cheap, but good enough 
> to run a full Linux.  Most of the uses we hear about came after it was 
> released, because it was a cheap single board computer.

But it also has those nifty 40 I/O pins (Pi 2)...  

> 
>    Michael
>    

-- 
Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933
Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Linux Administration Services
heller@deepsoft.com       -- Webhosting Services
                                                                                      

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15085

On Mon, 20 Jul 2015, Robert Heller wrote:

> At Mon, 20 Jul 2015 12:54:15 -0400 Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:
>
>>
>> On Mon, 20 Jul 2015, Steve Hayes wrote:
>>
>>> On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 18:21:59 -0500, Robert Heller
>>> <heller@deepsoft.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> At 19 Jul 2015 21:14:05 GMT ray carter <ray@zianet.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 10:54:02 -0700, pureheart wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi.
>>>>>> After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I
>>>>>> wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it
>>>>>> fares, if so.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm
>>>>>> thinking about some like:
>>>>>> Raspberry Pi 2 Banana pi Beaglebone Black Hummingboard
>>>>>>
>>>>>> One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means
>>>>>> in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind
>>>>>> on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at
>>>>>> a search engine).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Any comments?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> pH
>>>>>
>>>>> The main purpose of such devices, at least for most folks, is to provide
>>>>> a system with access to the I/O pins.
>>>>
>>>> Yes indeed. Devices like the Ardunio family and Raspberry Pi family are mostly
>>>> geared to home grown 'smart' devices, including robotics, interactive artwork,
>>>> and your classic 'better mousetrap', for all sorts of definations of
>>>> 'mousetrap'... They are being used in the classroom (at many levels!) to teach
>>>> electronics, robotics, automation, and computer programming. Modern desktop
>>>> computers are a long way from Kim-1s and S-100 machines (eg Altair 8800) and
>>>> have become closed machines suitable for boring stuff like word processing and
>>>> E-mail... These new SBCs are something of a return to those (fun) days, but
>>>> with a much more modern system and a more accessable development environment.
>>>
>>> I recall ads from computer magazines of 35 years ago for an "Anything
>>> Board" that sounds similar to the Raspberry Pi etc.
>>>
>> But those would have been running at 1 or 2MHz, had at best 64K of RAM (if
>> that much), probably had no video interface, likely only a monitor in ROM
>> (though depending, perhaps Microsoft BASIC in ROM), and lacked any long
>> term storage or operating system, and cost a good penny.
>>
>> The later Raspberry Pi (with the quad core CPU), is around fifty dollars,
>> runs a full Linux, has video out, at least 512megs of RAM (I think more)
>> and so on.  Except better computers are out there, it would be an
>> extremely good computer for the money.
>
> A bare Raspberry Pi 2 Model B board is $35, Add about $15 for the micro SD
> card, $10 each for the case (optional) and power supply...
>
>>
>> The Raspberry Pi wsa intended as a programming platform, not a single
>> board computer.  The company thought of it in terms of a "modern Commodore
>> 64", except it runs full Linux and thus can run quite a few prgramming
>> langauges.  It was cheap because they could make it cheap, but good enough
>> to run a full Linux.  Most of the uses we hear about came after it was
>> released, because it was a cheap single board computer.
>
> But it also has those nifty 40 I/O pins (Pi 2)...
>
I'm just pointing out the original purpose.

I suspect those I/O pins are there because the cheap "microcontrollers" 
(what are they called now when they have such massive CPU on board?) 
intended for cellphones and the like  happened to have them.  They are
using a microcontroller intended for specific purposes.  I think if the IC 
didn't have those controller pins, the Raspberry Pi would do without.  I 
admit it is useful thing, when I got my KIM-1 in 1979, one reason I 
learned from it was because I could wire up some LEDs and other things to 
the I/O connector and control them.

   Michael

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15088

At Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:44:55 -0400 Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:

> 
> On Mon, 20 Jul 2015, Robert Heller wrote:
> 
> > At Mon, 20 Jul 2015 12:54:15 -0400 Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> On Mon, 20 Jul 2015, Steve Hayes wrote:
> >>
> >>> On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 18:21:59 -0500, Robert Heller
> >>> <heller@deepsoft.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> At 19 Jul 2015 21:14:05 GMT ray carter <ray@zianet.com> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 10:54:02 -0700, pureheart wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> Hi.
> >>>>>> After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I
> >>>>>> wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it
> >>>>>> fares, if so.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm
> >>>>>> thinking about some like:
> >>>>>> Raspberry Pi 2 Banana pi Beaglebone Black Hummingboard
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means
> >>>>>> in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind
> >>>>>> on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at
> >>>>>> a search engine).
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Any comments?
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> pH
> >>>>>
> >>>>> The main purpose of such devices, at least for most folks, is to provide
> >>>>> a system with access to the I/O pins.
> >>>>
> >>>> Yes indeed. Devices like the Ardunio family and Raspberry Pi family are mostly
> >>>> geared to home grown 'smart' devices, including robotics, interactive artwork,
> >>>> and your classic 'better mousetrap', for all sorts of definations of
> >>>> 'mousetrap'... They are being used in the classroom (at many levels!) to teach
> >>>> electronics, robotics, automation, and computer programming. Modern desktop
> >>>> computers are a long way from Kim-1s and S-100 machines (eg Altair 8800) and
> >>>> have become closed machines suitable for boring stuff like word processing and
> >>>> E-mail... These new SBCs are something of a return to those (fun) days, but
> >>>> with a much more modern system and a more accessable development environment.
> >>>
> >>> I recall ads from computer magazines of 35 years ago for an "Anything
> >>> Board" that sounds similar to the Raspberry Pi etc.
> >>>
> >> But those would have been running at 1 or 2MHz, had at best 64K of RAM (if
> >> that much), probably had no video interface, likely only a monitor in ROM
> >> (though depending, perhaps Microsoft BASIC in ROM), and lacked any long
> >> term storage or operating system, and cost a good penny.
> >>
> >> The later Raspberry Pi (with the quad core CPU), is around fifty dollars,
> >> runs a full Linux, has video out, at least 512megs of RAM (I think more)
> >> and so on.  Except better computers are out there, it would be an
> >> extremely good computer for the money.
> >
> > A bare Raspberry Pi 2 Model B board is $35, Add about $15 for the micro SD
> > card, $10 each for the case (optional) and power supply...
> >
> >>
> >> The Raspberry Pi wsa intended as a programming platform, not a single
> >> board computer.  The company thought of it in terms of a "modern Commodore
> >> 64", except it runs full Linux and thus can run quite a few prgramming
> >> langauges.  It was cheap because they could make it cheap, but good enough
> >> to run a full Linux.  Most of the uses we hear about came after it was
> >> released, because it was a cheap single board computer.
> >
> > But it also has those nifty 40 I/O pins (Pi 2)...
> >
> I'm just pointing out the original purpose.
> 
> I suspect those I/O pins are there because the cheap "microcontrollers" 
> (what are they called now when they have such massive CPU on board?) 

They are still microcontrollers, just wicked 'powerful' microcontrollers.

> intended for cellphones and the like  happened to have them.  They are
> using a microcontroller intended for specific purposes.  I think if the IC 
> didn't have those controller pins, the Raspberry Pi would do without.  I 
> admit it is useful thing, when I got my KIM-1 in 1979, one reason I 
> learned from it was because I could wire up some LEDs and other things to 
> the I/O connector and control them.

OTOH, *MY* reading of the Raspberry Pi forums and looking at the available 
literature (I did a search of my library system's on-line catalog), I see 
*numerious* references to many of the same sort of 'projects' that the Ardunio 
is used for, but at a somewhat higher level.  I really think that the 
Raspberry Pi was never really intended as a 'tiny' desktop computer (although, 
yes, it does work in that role, as it also does as a 'tiny' server as well). 

Note: MicroITX motherboards are getting to be *almost* as cheap as a Raspberry
Pi (< $50), so the idea of a cheap, *very* small form factor desktop or server
is on the horizon, but I don't see the Raspberry Pi and the like actually
filling such a nitch to any broad extent. The Raspberry Pi is just a 'high
end' microcomputer meant for experimentors to build interesting gadgets using
the Linux platform. Unlike the Ardunio, which needs a 'host' development
environment, the Raspberry Pi can be used both as a development platform AND
an operating platform, *out of the box* -- the Ardunio does have the option of
add-ons to provide mass storage and/or network interface, as well as video --
the Raspberry Pi has all of the built-in.

> 
>    Michael
>                    

-- 
Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933
Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Linux Administration Services
heller@deepsoft.com       -- Webhosting Services
                                                                                                   

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15091

On 20/07/15 23:03, Robert Heller wrote:
> filling such a nitch

it's spelt (or spelled) 'niche' and pronounced 'neesh'...

-- 
New Socialism consists essentially in being seen to have your heart in 
the right place whilst your head is in the clouds and your hand is in 
someone else's pocket.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15080

ray carter <ray@zianet.com> wrote:
>On Sun, 19 Jul 2015 10:54:02 -0700, pureheart wrote:
>
>> Hi.
>> After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I
>> wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it
>> fares, if so.
>> 
>> There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm
>> thinking about some like:
>> Raspberry Pi 2 Banana pi Beaglebone Black Hummingboard
>> 
>> One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means
>> in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind
>> on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at
>> a search engine).
>> 
>> Any comments?
>> 
>> pH
>
>The main purpose of such devices, at least for most folks, is to provide 
>a system with access to the I/O pins.

Many people use it as a low power server or, thanks to their HDMI
output, as entertainment device.

Greetings
Marc, who uses a Banana Pi as DNS recursor / DHCP server
-- 
-------------------------------------- !! No courtesy copies, please !! -----
Marc Haber         |   " Questions are the         | Mailadresse im Header
Mannheim, Germany  |     Beginning of Wisdom "     | http://www.zugschlus.de/
Nordisch by Nature | Lt. Worf, TNG "Rightful Heir" | Fon: *49 621 72739834

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15081

On 2015-07-19, pureheart@pacbell.net <pureheart@pacbell.net> wrote:
> Hi.
> After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it fares, if so.
>

Many many people are usingthem. But for what do you want it. It has no
display, it has no hard drive-- just cards. 

> There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm thinking about some like:
> Raspberry Pi 2
> Banana pi
> Beaglebone Black
> Hummingboard
>
> One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at a search engine).

Search engines are easy. 

So if you were a bit more forthcoming as to what you wanted to do, you
might get better answers. 

>
> Any comments?
>
> pH

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15086

On Monday, July 20, 2015 at 2:13:54 AM UTC-7, William Unruh wrote:
> On 2015-07-19,  snip  wrote:
> > Hi.
> > After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it fares, if so.
> >
> 
> Many many people are usingthem. But for what do you want it. It has no
> display, it has no hard drive-- just cards. 
> 
> > There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm thinking about some like:
> > Raspberry Pi 2
> > Banana pi
> > Beaglebone Black
> > Hummingboard
> >
> > One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at a search engine).
> 
> Search engines are easy. 
> 
> So if you were a bit more forthcoming as to what you wanted to do, you
> might get better answers. 
> 
> >
> > Any comments?
> >
> > pH

Thanks for all the information from everyone.
My intent would be just to have the fun of bringing it up from scratch and then just use it for day to day browsing/email/youtubing, etc.

Kind of like a homemade Mac Mini.
I would add a monitor, printer, keyboard, etc, and just run it, although Robert Heller says he has one w/ NO monitor, keyboard.

Does that mean he has to remotely shell into it....and if so, what does he see? A command line or a gui?  I guess it matters what is installed.

Separate question.  What good is Android for an OS since I understand that it is normally used on cellular phones.  Hmmm.

Anywwy...short answer: to play with and use a "daily driver" if it would have adequate performance.  I don't play games and am not particularly impatient.

pH

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15087

On Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:48:00 -0700, pureheart wrote:

> On Monday, July 20, 2015 at 2:13:54 AM UTC-7, William Unruh wrote:
>> On 2015-07-19,  snip  wrote:
>> > Hi.
>> > After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I
>> > wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how
>> > it fares, if so.
>> >
>> >
>> Many many people are usingthem. But for what do you want it. It has no
>> display, it has no hard drive-- just cards.
>> 
>> > There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm
>> > thinking about some like:
>> > Raspberry Pi 2 Banana pi Beaglebone Black Hummingboard
>> >
>> > One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA
>> > means in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm
>> > way behind on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for
>> > w/o a look at a search engine).
>> 
>> Search engines are easy.
>> 
>> So if you were a bit more forthcoming as to what you wanted to do, you
>> might get better answers.
>> 
>> 
>> > Any comments?
>> >
>> > pH
> 
> Thanks for all the information from everyone.
> My intent would be just to have the fun of bringing it up from scratch
> and then just use it for day to day browsing/email/youtubing, etc.
> 
> Kind of like a homemade Mac Mini.
> I would add a monitor, printer, keyboard, etc, and just run it, although
> Robert Heller says he has one w/ NO monitor, keyboard.
> 
> Does that mean he has to remotely shell into it....and if so, what does
> he see? A command line or a gui?  I guess it matters what is installed.
> 
> Separate question.  What good is Android for an OS since I understand
> that it is normally used on cellular phones.  Hmmm.
> 
> Anywwy...short answer: to play with and use a "daily driver" if it would
> have adequate performance.  I don't play games and am not particularly
> impatient.
> 
> pH

The RPi model 2 would be a resonable performer. Note that they come with 
no power supply, no case, etc. though adafruit.com and other folks have 
packages.

Yes, it is possible to log in remotely from another computer. What you 
see will depend on how you do it - there are several methods. There are 
several OS implementations available - raspbian (a Debian optimized for 
RPi) is most used.

Other response: so Android is 'normally' used on smart phones. So what? 
It's also used on a number of tablets and the related Chrome OS is used 
on Chromebooks. It's quite functional.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15089

At Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:48:00 -0700 (PDT) pureheart@pacbell.net wrote:

> 
> On Monday, July 20, 2015 at 2:13:54 AM UTC-7, William Unruh wrote:
> > On 2015-07-19,  snip  wrote:
> > > Hi.
> > > After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it fares, if so.
> > >
> > 
> > Many many people are usingthem. But for what do you want it. It has no
> > display, it has no hard drive-- just cards. 
> > 
> > > There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm thinking about some like:
> > > Raspberry Pi 2
> > > Banana pi
> > > Beaglebone Black
> > > Hummingboard
> > >
> > > One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at a search engine).
> > 
> > Search engines are easy. 
> > 
> > So if you were a bit more forthcoming as to what you wanted to do, you
> > might get better answers. 
> > 
> > >
> > > Any comments?
> > >
> > > pH
> 
> Thanks for all the information from everyone.
> My intent would be just to have the fun of bringing it up from scratch and
> then just use it for day to day browsing/email/youtubing, etc.
> 
> Kind of like a homemade Mac Mini.
> I would add a monitor, printer, keyboard, etc, and just run it, although
> Robert Heller says he has one w/ NO monitor, keyboard.
> 
> Does that mean he has to remotely shell into it....and if so, what does he
> see? A command line or a gui? I guess it matters what is installed.

By default one gets a bash shell when one slogins in, although I installed tcsh
so *I* get a tcsh shell. I suppose if I really wanted to, I could install
something like vncserver or some such (and no, *I *don't want or need that).
*I* don't use the 'default' account (pi), I created my own username (heller)
and so on, giving me a shell environment similar to what I have on my other
machines (CentOS 5 on my desktop, CentOS 6 on my laptop). Presently I am only
using it as a build box (eg ./configure and make, etc.). I have thought about
using the I/O pins to control things on a model railroad.

I just use ssh/slogin/scp as needed.

> 
> Separate question. What good is Android for an OS since I understand that it
> is normally used on cellular phones. Hmmm.

Android == Linux + GUI front end.
ChromOS == Linux + GUI front end.
iOS     == BSD (Dawrin) + GUI front end.
MacOSX  == BSD (Dawrin) + GUI front end.

The difference between Android and ChromOS is that Android's GUI is optimized 
for a touch screen and ChromOS's GUI is optimized for a 'traditional' 
mouse+keyboard with a non-touch screen.

The difference between iOS and MacOSX is that iOS's  GUI is optimized for a 
touch screen and MacOSX's GUI is optimized for a 'traditional' mouse+keyboard 
with a non-touch screen.

(Yes, the above two statements are identical, except for the 'OS' names.  That 
was intentional.)

> 
> Anywwy...short answer: to play with and use a "daily driver" if it would
> have adequate performance. I don't play games and am not particularly
> impatient.
>  
> > pH
> >                                                          

-- 
Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933
Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Linux Administration Services
heller@deepsoft.com       -- Webhosting Services
                                                                              

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15092

On 20/07/15 23:03, Robert Heller wrote:
> At Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:48:00 -0700 (PDT) pureheart@pacbell.net wrote:
>
>>
>> On Monday, July 20, 2015 at 2:13:54 AM UTC-7, William Unruh wrote:
>>> On 2015-07-19,  snip  wrote:
>>>> Hi.
>>>> After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it fares, if so.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Many many people are usingthem. But for what do you want it. It has no
>>> display, it has no hard drive-- just cards.
>>>
>>>> There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm thinking about some like:
>>>> Raspberry Pi 2
>>>> Banana pi
>>>> Beaglebone Black
>>>> Hummingboard
>>>>
>>>> One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at a search engine).
>>>
>>> Search engines are easy.
>>>
>>> So if you were a bit more forthcoming as to what you wanted to do, you
>>> might get better answers.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Any comments?
>>>>
>>>> pH
>>
>> Thanks for all the information from everyone.
>> My intent would be just to have the fun of bringing it up from scratch and
>> then just use it for day to day browsing/email/youtubing, etc.
>>
>> Kind of like a homemade Mac Mini.
>> I would add a monitor, printer, keyboard, etc, and just run it, although
>> Robert Heller says he has one w/ NO monitor, keyboard.
>>
>> Does that mean he has to remotely shell into it....and if so, what does he
>> see? A command line or a gui? I guess it matters what is installed.
>
> By default one gets a bash shell when one slogins in, although I installed tcsh
> so *I* get a tcsh shell. I suppose if I really wanted to, I could install
> something like vncserver or some such (and no, *I *don't want or need that).
> *I* don't use the 'default' account (pi), I created my own username (heller)
> and so on, giving me a shell environment similar to what I have on my other
> machines (CentOS 5 on my desktop, CentOS 6 on my laptop). Presently I am only
> using it as a build box (eg ./configure and make, etc.). I have thought about
> using the I/O pins to control things on a model railroad.
>
> I just use ssh/slogin/scp as needed.
>
>>
>> Separate question. What good is Android for an OS since I understand that it
>> is normally used on cellular phones. Hmmm.
>
> Android == Linux + GUI front end.
> ChromOS == Linux + GUI front end.
> iOS     == BSD (Dawrin) + GUI front end.
> MacOSX  == BSD (Dawrin) + GUI front end.
>
> The difference between Android and ChromOS is that Android's GUI is optimized
> for a touch screen and ChromOS's GUI is optimized for a 'traditional'
> mouse+keyboard with a non-touch screen.
>
> The difference between iOS and MacOSX is that iOS's  GUI is optimized for a
> touch screen and MacOSX's GUI is optimized for a 'traditional' mouse+keyboard
> with a non-touch screen.
>
> (Yes, the above two statements are identical, except for the 'OS' names.  That
> was intentional.)
>
Was mispelling 'Darwin'  (twice) intentional?

-- 
New Socialism consists essentially in being seen to have your heart in 
the right place whilst your head is in the clouds and your hand is in 
someone else's pocket.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15094

At Tue, 21 Jul 2015 00:30:32 +0100 The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:

> 
> On 20/07/15 23:03, Robert Heller wrote:
> > At Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:48:00 -0700 (PDT) pureheart@pacbell.net wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> On Monday, July 20, 2015 at 2:13:54 AM UTC-7, William Unruh wrote:
> >>> On 2015-07-19,  snip  wrote:
> >>>> Hi.
> >>>> After reading up a bit on the Raspberry Pi, single board computer, I wonder if anyone is using such a thing as their daily machine and how it fares, if so.
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> Many many people are usingthem. But for what do you want it. It has no
> >>> display, it has no hard drive-- just cards.
> >>>
> >>>> There end up to be a *lot* of SBC's out there, but specifically, I'm thinking about some like:
> >>>> Raspberry Pi 2
> >>>> Banana pi
> >>>> Beaglebone Black
> >>>> Hummingboard
> >>>>
> >>>> One of these with a solid state drive (I assume that's what SATA means in the specs of all these things....a drive connector....I'm way behind on my acroynyms and still don't know what DPMI stands for w/o a look at a search engine).
> >>>
> >>> Search engines are easy.
> >>>
> >>> So if you were a bit more forthcoming as to what you wanted to do, you
> >>> might get better answers.
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Any comments?
> >>>>
> >>>> pH
> >>
> >> Thanks for all the information from everyone.
> >> My intent would be just to have the fun of bringing it up from scratch and
> >> then just use it for day to day browsing/email/youtubing, etc.
> >>
> >> Kind of like a homemade Mac Mini.
> >> I would add a monitor, printer, keyboard, etc, and just run it, although
> >> Robert Heller says he has one w/ NO monitor, keyboard.
> >>
> >> Does that mean he has to remotely shell into it....and if so, what does he
> >> see? A command line or a gui? I guess it matters what is installed.
> >
> > By default one gets a bash shell when one slogins in, although I installed tcsh
> > so *I* get a tcsh shell. I suppose if I really wanted to, I could install
> > something like vncserver or some such (and no, *I *don't want or need that).
> > *I* don't use the 'default' account (pi), I created my own username (heller)
> > and so on, giving me a shell environment similar to what I have on my other
> > machines (CentOS 5 on my desktop, CentOS 6 on my laptop). Presently I am only
> > using it as a build box (eg ./configure and make, etc.). I have thought about
> > using the I/O pins to control things on a model railroad.
> >
> > I just use ssh/slogin/scp as needed.
> >
> >>
> >> Separate question. What good is Android for an OS since I understand that it
> >> is normally used on cellular phones. Hmmm.
> >
> > Android == Linux + GUI front end.
> > ChromOS == Linux + GUI front end.
> > iOS     == BSD (Dawrin) + GUI front end.
> > MacOSX  == BSD (Dawrin) + GUI front end.
> >
> > The difference between Android and ChromOS is that Android's GUI is optimized
> > for a touch screen and ChromOS's GUI is optimized for a 'traditional'
> > mouse+keyboard with a non-touch screen.
> >
> > The difference between iOS and MacOSX is that iOS's  GUI is optimized for a
> > touch screen and MacOSX's GUI is optimized for a 'traditional' mouse+keyboard
> > with a non-touch screen.
> >
> > (Yes, the above two statements are identical, except for the 'OS' names.  That
> > was intentional.)
> >
> Was mispelling 'Darwin'  (twice) intentional?

I flunked spelling.  English orthography is mostly crazy, esp. for words that 
are not base level Anglo Saxon words...

> 

-- 
Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933
Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Linux Administration Services
heller@deepsoft.com       -- Webhosting Services
               

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15135

On Mon, 20 Jul 2015 17:03:07 -0500, Robert Heller wrote:

> Android == Linux + GUI front end.
> ChromOS == Linux + GUI front end.
> iOS     == BSD (Dawrin) + GUI front end. MacOSX  == BSD (Dawrin) + GUI
> front end.

rPi is amazing.
Even the old-2-USB model can fetch google info: using 1-USB for the
3Gdongle and the other for keybrd [or mouse under X & wily].

The SD price/technology is perhaps more significant than the CPU.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#15150

<snip>
> -- 
> Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933
> Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
> http://www.<snip>.com/  -- Linux Administration Services
> heller@<snip>.com       -- Webhosting Services

Thanks for all the information. I had not realized that Android == Linux.
(I have done some trivial C programming, so I like the '==')
I really appreciate all that I have learned about Linux over the years from reading your posts.
Questions like mine must seem tedious to you, but I sure appreciate it. Now if I could only *remember* all the things I've learned here over the years!

pH

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

Page 1 of 2  [1] 2  Next page →

Back to top | Article view | comp.os.linux.misc

csiph-web