Raspberry Pi

[abaxas]

If you need something more powerful, get a Beagleboard or Pandaboard.

There does seem to be quite a large "misunderstanding" regarding the purpose and aim of the Raspberry Pi, its for education and learning, not for "super cheap linux workstation".

My view is that it's a 'super cheap linux workstation' but without the power for modern web browsing.

Ie a tool to allow for exploration rather than consumption.

[directhex]

My view is that it's a 'super cheap linux workstation' but without the power for modern web browsing.

Ie a tool to allow for exploration rather than consumption.

The CPU core is the same as from the iPhone 1, albeit at 50% higher clock speed.

But really, that's not the main issue.

There are two big problems with Pi's Broadcom SoC

The first is an architecture issue. Unlike x86, ARM is more like one of those blend-your-own-milkshake places. Pick a base instruction set, add on extensions to make it usable. The core instruction set on the Pi is ARMv6. There's talk of running Ubuntu on the Pi... except Ubuntu has required ARMv7 with Thumb2 extensions for a couple of releases now

The second related issue is one of freedom. the boot loader on the Broadcom is built into the GPU - i.e. the GPU takes a kernel image, prepared using a special closed-source tool, then boots it on the CPU. But since we're on ARMv6, we need an ARMv6 distro - and the biggest and best tested, Debian, will never ship kernels that require a closed-source tool to build.

*Any* ARMv7 SoC would have made an enormous difference, even down at the single-core 700MHz range. Say a Freescale i.MX515

[abaxas]

The CPU core is the same as from the iPhone 1, albeit at 50% higher clock speed.

But really, that's not the main issue.

There are two big problems with Pi's Broadcom SoC

The first is an architecture issue. Unlike x86, ARM is more like one of those blend-your-own-milkshake places. Pick a base instruction set, add on extensions to make it usable. The core instruction set on the Pi is ARMv6. There's talk of running Ubuntu on the Pi... except Ubuntu has required ARMv7 with Thumb2 extensions for a couple of releases now

The second related issue is one of freedom. the boot loader on the Broadcom is built into the GPU - i.e. the GPU takes a kernel image, prepared using a special closed-source tool, then boots it on the CPU. But since we're on ARMv6, we need an ARMv6 distro - and the biggest and best tested, Debian, will never ship kernels that require a closed-source tool to build.

*Any* ARMv7 SoC would have made an enormous difference, even down at the single-core 700MHz range. Say a Freescale i.MX515

Debian ships with a kernel that requires closed source blobs for certain hardware.

Also (as you are aware) the GPL status of the linux kernel is always under attack.

[directhex]

Debian ships with a kernel that requires closed source blobs for certain hardware.

Also (as you are aware) the GPL status of the linux kernel is always under attack.

We're not talking about binary drivers (of which there are a bunch), but getting the kernel - any kernel - to boot needing the kernel image to be packed by a binary-only tool for i386. You can't build a new kernel on the Pi and boot it, for example. ARM boot loaders are all terrible, this is more terrible than most.

[DanceswithUnix]

Sounds like it needs a second stage bootloader built with the closed source tool, and then that could boot a vanilla Linux kernel.

[BobF64]

My view is that it's a 'super cheap linux workstation' but without the power for modern web browsing.

Ie a tool to allow for exploration rather than consumption.

Depends what kind of modern web browsing you do, but otherwise youre right, its for exploration and learning.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Due to the stupid import duties in this country the units will be made in the Far East:

http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/509

Some videos of the hardware in action:

http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/509

[Pete301]

I will totally be buying one of these. They look awesome for messing about with

[mikerr]

If you need something more powerful, get a Beagleboard or Pandaboard.

There does seem to be quite a large "misunderstanding" regarding the purpose and aim of the Raspberry Pi, its for education and learning, not for "super cheap linux workstation".

With the Pi costing £22 and Beagleboard / pandaboard costing £150 (as much as a netbook..!) is it any wonder?

You have piqued my interest in pandabaord, as apparently it already runs Android ICS: http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/elec...daboard/38636/

[Pob255]

sorrry couldn't resist it any longer.

[kopite]

Is there any actual release date yet?

I dont know what I`d use it for but I want one lol

[krazy_olie]

All I want right now is a slice of the pie!

[j.o.s.h.1408]

sorrry couldn't resist it any longer.

rather get that then this tiny computer thingy.

this was on the news on bbc just now. apparently its going to help young people get into IT

[directhex]

rather get that then this tiny computer thingy.

this was on the news on bbc just now. apparently its going to help young people get into IT

I think you're young enough to have missed the BBC Model B, and the huge impact it had on computer skills throughout the UK. The surplus of competent UK game developers in the 80's and 90's can be traced back to the BBC and other program-yourself systems of the era

[Zak33]

Hex hits two nails on both their respective heads again.

While I fully fully aplaud the Rpi, to have literally gone the extra few quid, the extra mile, while cutting out maybe a few % of purchases, it would have had a hugely longer life, larger scale of dev potential AND therefore rewarded more people for longer.

And the BBC Model B was a life changing experience. The Spectrum and C64, while amazingly worthy, didn't quite hit the spot with the upper echelons... and the BBC Model B just did.

Me: Spectrum boy.
but I lusted after a B too......

[j.o.s.h.1408]

I think you're young enough to have missed the BBC Model B, and the huge impact it had on computer skills throughout the UK. The surplus of competent UK game developers in the 80's and 90's can be traced back to the BBC and other program-yourself systems of the era

BBC Model B?