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Raspberry Pi, that is. The tiny computer arrived today. In a tiny box. I do mean tiny. It is less than two inches square and an inch thick for the uncased board with all chips and connectors.
For those of you who don't yet know, Raspberry Pi is an inexpensive ($35) but full powered (750 MHz ARM11 processor, 256MB RAM, ethernet, USB, HDMI and RCA composite video output) computer designed for educational and experimental purposes. It can run Debian and other Linux distributions, or RISC-OS, using a USB power source and a 4GB or larger SDHC card for storage.
Can't test it until I assemble the needed peripherals and cables. USB keyboard and mouse are easy, I have stacks of old ones at work, left from dead machines that were recycled. USB power source I have. I need to get another SDHC card, but those are easy to buy. The main slowdown is that HDMI output. I think I have an old TV in the garage that will take the RCA composite input temporarily, but I'm sure the quality of the image is poor. I have to either buy a new monitor that handles direct HDMI input, or a monitor that takes DVI plus a converter cable, or a conversion box for HDMI to VGA plus audio. Since I have lots of VGA monitors around, I've settled on the latter and bought one off EBay this evening. Will need some cables and ultimately a case of some sort. There are lots of case options available online.
Saw a great horned owl this morning on the way to work. It was just sitting in a dead tree, about 30 feet up. No leaves, so easy to get a good look at it and I'm sure that's what it was. Haven't seen our young screech owls since Saturday night, but we haven't been here to watch every dawn and dusk either. Did see one very large, fat momma raccoon with 3 babies, though. And another weasel started to cross the road in front of me on my way home, but when I slowed down the little guy changed his mind and turned back just like the last one did.
Weather is much more pleasant now, but still no rain. Some clouds today, especially this evening, that looked hopeful but nothing came of it. Now ranked as the most severe drought in Illinois since 1988, which I do remember very well. The 1988 drought is considered the second worst for the state since records began back in the 1880s. I'm afraid hay is going to be very expensive, and we're trying to give away our sheep to anyone who will take them.
For those of you who don't yet know, Raspberry Pi is an inexpensive ($35) but full powered (750 MHz ARM11 processor, 256MB RAM, ethernet, USB, HDMI and RCA composite video output) computer designed for educational and experimental purposes. It can run Debian and other Linux distributions, or RISC-OS, using a USB power source and a 4GB or larger SDHC card for storage.
Can't test it until I assemble the needed peripherals and cables. USB keyboard and mouse are easy, I have stacks of old ones at work, left from dead machines that were recycled. USB power source I have. I need to get another SDHC card, but those are easy to buy. The main slowdown is that HDMI output. I think I have an old TV in the garage that will take the RCA composite input temporarily, but I'm sure the quality of the image is poor. I have to either buy a new monitor that handles direct HDMI input, or a monitor that takes DVI plus a converter cable, or a conversion box for HDMI to VGA plus audio. Since I have lots of VGA monitors around, I've settled on the latter and bought one off EBay this evening. Will need some cables and ultimately a case of some sort. There are lots of case options available online.
Saw a great horned owl this morning on the way to work. It was just sitting in a dead tree, about 30 feet up. No leaves, so easy to get a good look at it and I'm sure that's what it was. Haven't seen our young screech owls since Saturday night, but we haven't been here to watch every dawn and dusk either. Did see one very large, fat momma raccoon with 3 babies, though. And another weasel started to cross the road in front of me on my way home, but when I slowed down the little guy changed his mind and turned back just like the last one did.
Weather is much more pleasant now, but still no rain. Some clouds today, especially this evening, that looked hopeful but nothing came of it. Now ranked as the most severe drought in Illinois since 1988, which I do remember very well. The 1988 drought is considered the second worst for the state since records began back in the 1880s. I'm afraid hay is going to be very expensive, and we're trying to give away our sheep to anyone who will take them.
