
Raspberry Pi makes the sub-$100 PC a reality - ukdm
http://www.geek.com/articles/chips/raspberry-pi-makes-the-sub-100-pc-a-reality-20120112/
======
Malic
Funny. I thought that happened in 1981 - thirty years ago:
<http://oldcomputers.net/zx81.html>

Ok, ok, the Raspberry Pi could kick a room full of ZX81's around the block -
it IS an impressive little board. My point is that the Raspberry Pi is a
sub-$100 computer isn't the impressive part. The impressive part is what a
sub-$100 computer can do _today_ in comparison to what _yesterday's_ sub-$100
computer can do.

~~~
meric
I thought the impressive part is what a sub-$100 computer can do today in
comparison to what yesterday's $2000 computer can do.

~~~
ctdonath
Both contrasts are impressive. I had a $100 ZX-80 kit and a $2400 original IBM
PC (inflating to $200 and $5000 today's cash). Of course, what an RPi can do
in contrast to both is thrilling. The point, however, is something we're
losing these days: the utter freedom to do a complete ground-up software
reconfiguration on a moment's notice with zero concern for cost or disruption.
How many today have a computer which they would think nothing of erasing the
primary storage and trying anything on a whim - and without having spent
nontrivial cash for that ability? Unlike our familiar hard-drive based systems
where the main storage is huge, not cheap, and hard to swap, old 5.25" floppy-
based systems had the ability to have complete OS configurations, swappable &
bootable in seconds, on media costing pocket change. Sure some of us can
emulate the experience to some degree, or as result of substantial costs
already spent have tinkerable hardware around, but few - especially the kids
the RPi is intended for - have robust systems at hand which can be messed with
that fast & cheap with little thought.

Let my toddlers at the home computer with no supervision? Nope (not after
deleting several apps off my iPad). Give each an RPi and let 'em have at it?
Oh yeah - where do I order? and can I get one in pink and one in OD green?

------
GiraffeNecktie
A tiny ultra cheap (almost throwaway) PC might also open up some interesting
possibilities for scientific research. For example, for placing
sensor/processor combinations in places where they are likely to be lost or
destroyed.

~~~
Florin_Andrei
> _placing sensor/processor combinations in places where they are likely to be
> lost or destroyed._

Well, you could already do that with microcontrollers. An AVR is pretty
powerful actually, and costs a buck a pop.

But of course there will be cases when an AVR would not be enough, so the Pi
might be the better choice.

~~~
joezydeco
The Pi would be overkill for that type of application. You're not going to be
decoding video in a disposable chip.

------
forgotAgain
Seems like all of the component prices were underestimated including the
Raspberry PI board itself as noted in one of the comments to the original
posting. Also they forgot the AC power adapter. A case would be a welcome
nicety as well.

~~~
WestCoastJustin
You can power the box via 5v USB (<http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/260>).
I guess, if you have a monitor that supports USB then you could power this
machine and a hub. So you don't need the external power adapter.

~~~
forgotAgain
So where is the power to the 5V USB come from? There has to be an external
AC/DC converter or an external battery.

~~~
semanticist
I believe their plan is to use a standard MicroUSB mobile phone charger. If
your mobile phone isn't an iPhone, then you probably have one already.

