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  • Author Author: mistertee
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Some basic presentations on getting started

mistertee

There is some useful stuff on Element 14 on using the Raspberry Pi for some great appliacations.

 

However for an absolute newcomer, some of this is daunting as it assumes a certain amount of basic knowledge.

 

This can keep a lot of this information "out of reach" of a large chunk of potential users. In the interest of getting people started off on the Raspberry Pi, we have put together a couple of presentations.

 

These are on Slideshare.

 

This one is on getting started and getting to the raspberry on the screen

 

This one is on using Python to turn an led on and off and reading the status of a switch.

 

image

 

Enjoy.

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  • There are a lot of serious errors and misconceptions in the "getting started" presentation.

    For example, slide 3 says:

     

    "With a PC, one has to use software such as Visual Basic to do any programming. This not easy for a newcomer. The Pi in Raspberry Pi refers to Python which is an easy to learn programming language."

     

    One certainly does _not_ have to use Visual Basic to do any programming on a Windows PC.

    Python is readily available for the Windows PC.

    http://www.python.org/getit/windows/

    as is just about every other programming language.

     

    If someone intends to use their computer to do programming,

    a PC is a very good platform.  It can run both Linux and MS Windows,

    and it is many times faster than the RPi, which is a big advantage.

     

    Edited to add:

    Eben says:

    “This stuff, you could do it on any old PC,” ...

     

    http://www.element14.com/community/docs/DOC-50625/l/broadcom-teaches-kids-to-program-in-an-hour-using-raspberry-pi

  • in reply to Former Member

    Speed at the expense of cost, size and power consumption is not always good. If speed is not required, then it makes sense to use lower power, size and cost to achieve the task efficiently.

  • in reply to mistertee

    > If speed is not required, then it makes sense to use lower power, size and cost to achieve the task efficiently.

     

    What task are you talking about?   My quote from your slide 3 was under the heading "Programming:",

    which is the task I was talking about.  Programming is a very compute-intensive task, which involves

    running compute-intensive compilers and/or interpreters, debuggers, IDE's, and web browsers looking

    up documentation and advice.  These tools involve human interaction, where even a slight delay in response

    time can be frustrating and discouraging.  Programming is not the kind of task where "it makes sense

    to use lower power, size and cost to achieve the task efficiently".

     

    I hope you will read more than the last line of my previous post.

Comment
  • in reply to mistertee

    > If speed is not required, then it makes sense to use lower power, size and cost to achieve the task efficiently.

     

    What task are you talking about?   My quote from your slide 3 was under the heading "Programming:",

    which is the task I was talking about.  Programming is a very compute-intensive task, which involves

    running compute-intensive compilers and/or interpreters, debuggers, IDE's, and web browsers looking

    up documentation and advice.  These tools involve human interaction, where even a slight delay in response

    time can be frustrating and discouraging.  Programming is not the kind of task where "it makes sense

    to use lower power, size and cost to achieve the task efficiently".

     

    I hope you will read more than the last line of my previous post.

Children
  • in reply to Former Member

    Definition of programmng: "The purpose of programming is to create a set of instructions that computers use to perform specific operations or to exhibit desired behaviors".

     

    A program can be just 10 lines of code to switch a light on and off.

     

    I rest my case.

  • in reply to mistertee

    > A program can be just 10 lines of code to switch a light on and off.

     

    Yes, one's first program will likely be something trivial like turning a

    light on and off.  But as I'm sure you are aware, 10 lines is not typical

    for any program beyond one's first program.

     

    Even one's first program benefits greatly from a typical PC that can

    run a web browser comfortably with multiple windows open to read/watch

    tutorials and copy/paste examples.

     

    I certainly hope you will read more than the last line of my original post.