

From $100 MIT handcrank laptops to a $25 Raspberry Pi - fbea
http://www.stradagest.com/2012/01/02/look-how-far-tech-has-come-from-100-mit-handcrank-laptops-to-25-raspberry-pi/

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MrFoof
I think comparing the Raspberry Pi to the original OLPC concepts is rather
misguided. The OLPC is a computer that can be used immediately. It's turnkey.
It has a display, and input devices, and comes in a case.

The Raspberry Pi reminds me more of the Heathkits my father used to buy, but
we're talking more of the radio kits as opposed to the 25" television sets.
It's a computer, yes, but it's not the entire puzzle -- it's just a piece. If
you build a radio, you want more than just sound -- you want something to
easily change the frequency, more usable controls, a case, and a power supply
that's a bit more manageable. The OLPC gives you all of that as part of the
kit (and in the case of the OLPC, preassembled), whereas with the Raspberry Pi
you've got to piece together the rest of the system. There's nothing wrong
with that, but it does limit its accessibility if you're trying to get kids to
program. Sure, there's something to be learned buy gathering up all the
components, but it's limited, as it's not much more than plugging in some
cables with standardized connectors.

The Pi may have more horsepower, but it's basically just an engine. Don't get
me wrong, it's a great idea, but there's quite a bit more involved so someone
can really explore what the hardware is capable of when compared to the OLPC.

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wisty
It might be a better platform to get kids to program. It's probably easy to
get it connected to a big TV, and it's cheap enough to mess around with.

But you're right to say that the price comparison is pretty meaningless.

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tmcw
Raspberry Pi is the bees knees because it's near-hypeless. They get it, they
know that they can make it. There are no silly 3D illustrations of it doing
magical things, and they refused pre-orders because they had enough financing
to make them. And, heck, they have lots of people with real uses for the thing
who will order it.

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sethbuzz
OLPC == hype, true. But it's not like OLPC took pre orders either.

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shazow
Perhaps a better competing use for a $25 Raspberry Pi is Apple's Airport
Express ($99 retail).

I would love to make every one of my USB peripherals be decoupled from my
computer. Printer, scanner, external hard drive, etc.

All you'd need to do is a $10 USB Wifi dongle, slap it into an enclosure, and
resell it for $75 as a more customizable Airport Express. Bonus points if it
prints from and scans into my Dropbox or Google Docs.

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sethbuzz
OLPC Tried to make a $100 /computer/ (laptop, and got pretty close (~$185).
And Raspberry is making a $25 development board. I applaud Raspberry Pi and
their intentions. But putting all of the necessary devices to make this also a
/computer/ will probably cost at least $100.

Without contrasting $25 and $100 pricepoints, what else is the author trying
to say?

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rorrr
OLPC has a display, a battery, and (AFAIR) a radio to communicate with other
OLPCs in the area.

