Posted on 05/06/2011 10:37:09 AM PDT by LibWhacker
David Braben is a very well-known game developer who runs the UK development studio Frontier Developments, but is just as well known for being the co-developer of Elite.
Over his career his studio has brought us the Rollercoaster Tycoon series, Thrillville, Lost Winds, and most recently Kinectimals. In the background, however, Braben has been trying to tackle another problem: getting programming and general learning of how computers work back into schools.
Braben argues that education since we entered the 2000s has turned towards ICT which teaches useful skills such as writing documents in a word processor, how to create presentations, and basic computer use skills. But that has replaced more computer science-like skills such as basic programming and understanding the architecture and hardware contained in a computer.
His solution is not to create his own course, but instead to manufacture a very low cost PC that can be given to kids for free and courses built up around their use. When we say low cost, we mean so low even the OLPC would be impressed.
Braben has developed a tiny USB stick PC that has a HDMI port in one end and a USB port on the other. You plug it into a HDMI socket and then connect a keyboard via the USB port giving you a fully functioning machine running a version of Linux. The cost? $25.
The hardware being offered is no slouch either. It uses a 700MHz ARM11 processor coupled with 128MB of RAM and runs OpenGL ES 2.0 allowing for decent graphics performance with 1080p output confirmed. Storage is catered for by an SD card slot. It also looks as though modules can be attached such as the 12MP camera seen in the image above.
We can expect it to run a range of Linux distributions, but it looks like Ubuntu may be the distro it ships with. That means it will handle web browsing, run office applications, and give the user a fully functional computer to play with as soon as its plugged in. All that and it can be carried in your pocket or on a key chain.
This tiny, cheap PC is going to be distributed through a new charitable foundation called the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It will also promote computer science studies in schools.
As for when the Raspberry Pi device will become available, Braben says he hopes to be distributing it within the next 12 months.
Bookmarking both your posts. Thanks.
One would have thought that as each new version of Windows comes out, it would build on the previous version. But nooooo, Gates doesn’t make things that simple. I have a Windows CD but “someone” apparently wrote the wrong serial number on it and it won’t accept it so I’m going to have to scrounge around for another one.
On top of this, I also use a VPN connection to protect my IP address. That's three layers of virtualization for web browsing or internet posting.
-PJ
Braben has developed a tiny USB stick PC that has a HDMI port in one end and a USB port on the other. You plug it into a HDMI socket and then connect a keyboard via the USB port giving you a fully functioning machine running a version of Linux. The cost? $25..."
Geez, I'm runnin' in place, and I'll never catch-up, but thanks, guys. I'll keep tryin'.
What-the-hell, I needed help to even turn this 'puter ON before I found FR, and now, I can crawl --- faster .............. ................................................................ FRegards
For $119 to $249 you can get a full fledged PC with the same or better processor.
http://www.globalscaletechnologies.com/c-2-globalscale-technologies-products.aspx
http://www.globalscaletechnologies.com/c-5-dreamplugs.aspx
http://www.globalscaletechnologies.com/t-openrdudetails.aspx#
etc, they have plenty of models.
Hah, I haven’t opened it in a year, but I ended up using a VirtualBox image and installed Roller Coaster Tycoon on it.
Agree with your costing basis, that’s why I posted the links above, full packaged PCs without need for a USB KM switch, without SD or MicroSD card needed, etc.
About equivalent in price, but the globalscaletechnologies.com systems are built as a consumer package.
Find the Online ‘Virtual PC’ and download. Then download the zip for Windows 98/ME and unpack that then open it with the Virtual PC. I had a cad system which I used extensively even with Windows XP. Windows 7 wouldn’t even open it. Now, with a virtual Windows 98/ME computer I can open ands use the cad system. Next step is figuring out how to send images to the real printers connected to my computer. DX files are not recognized by Windows 7 ... I hate Microsoft.
Thanks, FRiends. Y’all are great! Have this all bookmarked.
What version of Windows is that? I had bad key number for my 98SE cd but since MS no longer supports it, they don’t protect the keys anymore and are easy to find. The only difficult ones are the current versions (XP, Vista, and 7) for obvious reasons.
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