$25 Computer runs Linux

[Winston]

<http://www.elektor.com/news/25-doll..._source=UK&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news>

http://www.raspberrypi.org/


--Winston

 

[Winston]

Cool idea, but I'll bet you a nickel that the real price will be more
like $49 -- and I could easily see as high as $99 -- if they ever
actually start selling the things to the public: They're just not going
to have the volumes, initially, to get the price down to $25 and still
pay their own bills, in my estimation

"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."

--Tom Waits

Honestly, if their goal is to provide "ultra-low-cost computers for use
in teaching computer programming to children... both in the developed
and developing world," I think they'd be better off purchasing some of
the millions of laptops that businesses cast off every year as they
upgrade, wiping their hard drives, installing Linux, and using those
instead -- the companies have depreciated them anyway, so they can
afford to sell them for, e.g., $25, and I'm sure many would love the
opportunity for a little good P.R. as well. ...plus this gets you a
power supply, keyboard, pointing device, and LCD all in one, whereas
these neeed to be purchased separately with the USB key shown.

It's a complicated problem.

Raspberry pi knows that the kids will never see *anything* that is
likely be diverted by adults for their own use. Their USB/HDMI
ARM board is much less likely to be 'repurposed' than would a fully
featured notebook.

Donated machines are guaranteed to be 'three of these, two of
those, twelve of (Oh NO!) these. An unnecessary maintenance
nightmare, yes?

For *hobbyists* it's a *very* neat device, though!

I concur, doctor. Hopefully there is an easy way to expand and
connect it to many different peripherals.

-- Look at how well
Arduinos and Beagleboards have done!

That is a very reassuring trend indeed.

--Winston

 

[Winston]

It definitely implies more maintenance -- you can't just take one image
and duplicate it on each and every hard drive -- but there is value in
learning how to configure/install software across various different
models of PCs as well. I.e., perhaps they could have the older kids deal
with that problem?

Perhaps, though I detect a little 'mission creep' here.

I'm enthusiastic about Raspberry pi's teeny little
computer as a learning tool to the exclusion of
a conventional notebook because of the increased
likelihood that it would remain with the students
and that if the absolutely worst (probable) thing
happened, the whole platform is replaced Very Cheaply.

The small size of the Raspberry pi computer is
far less intimidating; easier to store and carry
than a conventional notebook.

I'm pleased that the instructors can become extremely
competent with a *relatively* simple platform and not
be distracted from supporting the students by
notebooks that were 'gotten rid of'.

Good on them!

--Winston

 

[hamilton]

Perhaps, though I detect a little 'mission creep' here.

I'm enthusiastic about Raspberry pi's teeny little
computer as a learning tool to the exclusion of
a conventional notebook because of the increased
likelihood that it would remain with the students
and that if the absolutely worst (probable) thing
happened, the whole platform is replaced Very Cheaply.

The small size of the Raspberry pi computer is
far less intimidating; easier to store and carry
than a conventional notebook.

You just have to carry a keyboard, mouse, 15" LCD monitor, wall wart for
power.

Yup, just as compact.

In a laptop you do not get to see the computer, here its front and center.

But, the cpu does not a computer make.

A user need to see the output and see the input.

But, with the camera, the computer gets to see you. ;-)
(Hmmm, maybe that's the goal)

hamilton

 

[The Great Attractor]

But, with the camera, the computer gets to see you. ;-)
(Hmmm, maybe that's the goal)

hamilton

Dick Tracy Wristwatch.

 

[hamilton]

Dick Tracy Wristwatch.

uuuummmm, 1984

 

[Winston]

JeffM wrote:

(...)

#Connect the other end of the gadget to an HDMI device
(and good luck if the rest of the family is watching MASH reruns.)

Once the work area is set up with peripherals,
it's a matter of snapping in the USB and HDMI connectors.
Shouldn't take more than say, seven seconds?

--Winston

 

[Capt. Cave Man]

[...]if their goal is to provide "ultra-low-cost computers
for use in teaching computer programming to children
[...]I think they'd be better off purchasing some of the millions of laptops
that businesses cast off every year

...but only if they put $0-cost software on those
(the way the HeliOS Project in Austin does).
http://google.com/search?q=HeliosInitiative+Linux
(Those folks have several standardized GNU/Linux images
and aren't greatly bothered by the onesy-twosey nature of donations.)
...and quite some time back
HeliOS completely stopped messing with M$ junk.

The ultra-portability angle seems the selling point of these $25
things.
Taking your assignments and work and apps home with you in your pocket
seems like the way things should be done in the 21st Century.
{image of Elroy Jetson goes here}

No one should confuse this gadget with an iMac or laptop.
To get it going you have to:
# Plug it into a powered USB hub.
# To that hub, connect
1) a USB keyboard
2) a USB mouse
3) a USB NIC or USB WiFi dongle if connectivity is desired
4) any additional USB storage device you want
5) other USB toys??

#Connect the other end of the gadget to an HDMI device
(and good luck if the rest of the family is watching MASH reruns.)

Good observation. I wonder what the throughput to and from the USB HD
drops to after all those brethren are teamed up with it.

Still looks interesting. Let's buy 50 of them and set up a tiny
supercomputer.

Call it a "Well ARMed Midget Computer".

 

[The Great Attractor]

uuuummmm, 1984

Umm, 1984? Yer an idiot. It is not even out yet, idiot. It is a video
transceiver. Show me even ONE that works from "1984".

Folks do that NOW with their cell phones, but are too vane and blind
to be able to drop to a wristwatch sized display.

And hell, if yer going there, then it would be Willy Wonka.

 

[Chieftain of the Carpet Crawlers]

Winston wrote:
http://www.raspberrypi.org/

Joel Koltner wrote:
[...]if their goal is to provide "ultra-low-cost computers
for use in teaching computer programming to children
[...]I think they'd be better off purchasing some of the millions of laptops
that businesses cast off every year

...but only if they put $0-cost software on those
(the way the HeliOS Project in Austin does).
http://google.com/search?q=HeliosInitiative+Linux
(Those folks have several standardized GNU/Linux images
and aren't greatly bothered by the onesy-twosey nature of donations.)
...and quite some time back
HeliOS completely stopped messing with M$ junk.

The ultra-portability angle seems the selling point of these $25
things.
Taking your assignments and work and apps home with you in your pocket
seems like the way things should be done in the 21st Century.
{image of Elroy Jetson goes here}

No one should confuse this gadget with an iMac or laptop.
To get it going you have to:
# Plug it into a powered USB hub.
# To that hub, connect
1) a USB keyboard
2) a USB mouse
3) a USB NIC or USB WiFi dongle if connectivity is desired
4) any additional USB storage device you want
5) other USB toys??

#Connect the other end of the gadget to an HDMI device
(and good luck if the rest of the family is watching MASH reruns.)

  Good observation.  I wonder what the throughput to and from the USB HD
drops to after all those brethren are teamed up with it.

 Still looks interesting.  Let's buy 50 of them and set up a tiny
supercomputer.

  Call it a "Well ARMed Midget Computer".- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If it gets used as a modular basis of several
consumer products like cheap DVR units
or video game systems couldn't scales of
economics allow it to stay modular and allow
some of the same units to be diverted for
educational use and replacement spare parts
for the consumer products?

ie Get Mass Production scale of economics
by using it in several products?

The ARM processor is already used in millions of consumer devices and
washers, dryers, refrigerators, etc.

You are not behind the curve, you never were with it, and have been
guessing ever since. Must have been those years of spousal abuse that
kept you from having time for more noble human pursuits.

 

[Winston]

Skyhook (C) power supply......

Is that the USB-Hub'y looking thing on the right
side of the picture? Nifty!

--Winston

 

[legg]

<http://www.elektor.com/news/25-doll..._source=UK&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news>

http://www.raspberrypi.org/


--Winston

Skyhook (C) power supply......

RL

 

[legg]

Is that the USB-Hub'y looking thing on the right
side of the picture? Nifty!

--Winston

Supposedly, all working off the 9V battery....

Especially like that red wire wandering off towards the monitor.

Are the six connections to the processor assembly for field
programming?

Might get more serious responses with a preliminary paper spec.

Is that a web camera? Funny priorities in that budget.

RL

 

[Winston]

legg wrote:

(...)

Supposedly, all working off the 9V battery....

I see a rectangular box roughly the size of a 9 V battery
but it has a USB connector on one end. Sound interface?
I dunno about that but the computer, keyboard and mouse are
powered from USB.

(...)

Might get more serious responses with a preliminary paper spec.

I think this is more in the way of a conventional 'press release'.
They are fishing for contributions.

Is that a web camera? Funny priorities in that budget.

Just an illustration of what *could* be done.
Nothing wrong with that!

--Winston

 

[Winston]

legg wrote:

(...)


I see a rectangular box roughly the size of a 9 V battery
but it has a USB connector on one end. Sound interface?
I dunno about that

Found it! Network interface. That red cable is an RJ-45:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...27&cm_re=usb_interface-_-33-127-127-_-Product

--Winston

 

[hamilton]

legg wrote:

(...)


I see a rectangular box roughly the size of a 9 V battery
but it has a USB connector on one end. Sound interface?
I dunno about that but the computer, keyboard and mouse are
powered from USB.

Its a USB to Ethernet device. 10BaseT old style.

(...)


I think this is more in the way of a conventional 'press release'.
They are fishing for contributions.

Looks like a standard camera, that would be used inside of a web camera.


Yes, more information would be nice.

My SWAG:

The powered USB hub shows the keyboard and mouse plugged into the top.
The Ethernet box below that on the left side.
The host port of the cpu board plugged into the port next to the power
into the hub. ( USB hubs always have a single dedicated host input)

I would like to know what the 6 wires are for soldered to the top of the
board. The silkscreen states TP21, TP22 and GND.

hamilton

PS: My guess is this is faked.

 

[Winston]

hamilton wrote:

(...)

PS: My guess is this is faked.

Based on ...?

--Winston

 

[hamilton]

hamilton wrote:

(...)


Based on ...?

--Winston

Why didn't the Rasberrypi.org site show the backside of the board ?

Why didn't they state which vendors processor they are using ?

Why didn't they show a complete block diagram of the board, with part
numbers ?

Why have a camera on the first pass of the board and not a case ?

The $25 price tab is just too hard to believe.


hamilton

 

[Winston]

hamilton wrote:

(...)

Why didn't the Rasberrypi.org site show the backside of the board ?

It wasn't a hobby article. I saw it as a conventional press release.
Raspberrypi hopes to uncover investors. That's the main purpose of
the release.
"The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a UK registered charity"
(1129409)

Why didn't they state which vendors processor they are using ?

Doesn't matter for the purposes of the press release, yes?
There is enough 'sizzle' in the phrase "700MHz ARM11"

Why didn't they show a complete block diagram of the board, with part
numbers ?

See above. Raspberrypi is looking for investors, not hobbyists.

Why have a camera on the first pass of the board and not a case ?

The camera module is only there to show how the board might be used.
The example is provided as a means to stimulate the imagination
of potential investors. Sales tool.

The $25 price tab is just too hard to believe.

Who knows? A non-profit producing electronics at-cost might
be able to do that in large production runs. Their BOM
does not look to be enormous.

David Brabin is the guy behind the computer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Braben

--Winston

 

[Chieftain of the Carpet Crawlers]

I would like to know what the 6 wires are for soldered to the top of the
board. The silkscreen states TP21, TP22 and GND.

Probably a JTAG for the BIOS chip.

hamilton

PS: My guess is this is faked

What is? The whole board? The pins? You could be a bit more vague...
just not today.