Raspberry Pi 500+ https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45370304 - 1 day ago, 285 comments
https://www.foxipex.com/2024/10/26/virtual-keyboard-over-usb...
But these days, I'm struggling to think of a use case. For casual users it makes more sense to get a regular mini-PC or laptop, and for hacking... well, what exactly would you be hacking on that makes this form factor preferable?
There are also limited game option, which is good from parent's perspective.
I have at different times put out windows, mac & rpi as "lounge computer" used by kids (5, 7, 9 and their friends) and their main complaint with rpi is DRM issues, that's pretty much it.
Kids who have used multiple devices understand they can physically look different and the things you click on are in different places. Also updates can move stuff around. Things are just randomly different sometimes for fundamentally un-knowable reasons.
The operating system primarily exists to provide a button that launches a web browser; computers as a skill is ability to open the things you want despite bad ui/ux.
A browser is a thing that if you type in "crazygames" lets you play games. The other important buttons / magic words are "netflix" / "disney" / "youtube". Spotify also a core request.
Median child (<12) doesn't know what an operating system is, advanced kids will know about "apple" being different from "windows" but usually won't have a coherent mental model of why that would be. Engineer's kids know what Linux is.
I see nothing good in limited game option. It was inspiring to play game and then want to also program some game. Or to crack that game. DOS games are easier to penetrate with ArtMoney and IDA than modern garbage with closed source servers. So it makes sense which games are playable on device, not playability of games as is.
Parents may spend some time with kids in network DOS games, discuss how it was to experience it first. And that Raspberry Pi, what is it good for? It does not have DOS legacy, it does not have Amiga legacy. It is disconnected from all great stuff of the past, and does not have own charm. Its games are either emulators or some open source games ported to ARM. An architecture that is new on desktops and who knows how long will it be. There is Windows ARM, but it does not run on Raspberry Pi. There is Mac OS ARM, but also won't run. Proprietary ARM is pushed to be replaced by RISC-V, so should we tie ourselves to ARM if it is doomed?
I mostly see Raspberry Pi in hardware. MT-32Pi for Roland sound emulation in ITX-Llama. PiStorm for fast CPU emulation in MiniMig. Not primary CPU for desktop. I don't know what to discuss with kids in Rasperry Pi. No past and no future.
I think the raspberry pi is still a nice niche for when you need the combination of GPIO and fast processing (like a small AI model or something). But it really is a very small niche. If you just need GPIO but don't need to do much with the data, just pump it to WiFi or something? Just get an ESP32 (or pico pi though I prefer the ESP). Need a small light energy server? Just get a N100 nuc style box with 16/256 for 90€. Need to actually work on it? Get a Chuwi laptop for 180€
The pi used to be great to embed into electronics projects. But it's no longer cheap and it's overpowered, microcontrollers have WiFi now and cost a few bucks. And usually a full Linux environment isn't needed.
It also used to be a great little cheap server but Intel now makes cheaper and faster options and on AliExpress you can buy them with more memory and storage and PSU and case included for a price the pi goes for without those things.
It was nice while it lasted. But during the long shortage during the pandemic (and them prioritising OEMs so we were stuck with scalper prices) most of us makers and techies have moved on to better options.
Can you think of a name or model by any chance?
I really like them, I have a really old Chuwi atom-based laptop of more than 10 years old that's still working fine, even the battery still lasts a few hours. It was even cheaper and I mainly got it for the makerspace (not too much of a problem if a soldering iron rolls up against it) but it was surpisingly capable. It was reviewed by Anandtech at the time (which no longer even exists).
I don't normally buy laptops at all, I prefer mini-desktops. So this is still my only personal laptop.
It seems that they are Gateron KS-33 Blue low profile switches[1][2], so you can look for keyboards that come with those preinstalled.
[1] https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-500-plus/
[2] https://core-electronics.com.au/guides/raspberry-pi-500-plus...
If you're looking at configurations that look very different aesthetically, keep in mind you can replace with aftermarket keycaps.
There are several variants of the "K3"; some configurations will have swappable switches, others not. Beware.
If you want software hackability as well, you'd probably go with one of the QMK/VIA versions.
arkensaw•4mo ago