So... I bought a new computer ;)

[Zeb_Carter]

Yep, bought a new computer... pic below. It does every thing my big desktop does and it's cool.

 

[NotWise]

Where did you buy that thing? You should have put a ruler or something else for scale.

They're packing a lot of power into small packages these days. Efficiency and active cooling seem to be the key.

I have a 7-year-old work station at my office, with two cpu's each with six processors and at least a gig of ram for every processor. It's huge, weighs a ton, and I think it has six fans. I wonder how small they could make that now.

 

[Heartsongs]

Nice. Size does matter with the physical components. Let us know how it performs.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yep, bought a new computer... pic below. It does every thing my big desktop does and it's cool.

Convert it to cockroach power, stick it in a faraday cage, and you'll survive Armageddon. Funky old cathode ray screen? Don't fuck about: green font on a black screen, it won't strain your eyes .

 

[Hypoxia]

Computing devices used to be big. They've shrunk, so zillions can be stacked in server farms, melting icecaps to mine bitcoins. But human nervous system interfaces will soon be ubiquitous. Humanity's spinal cords will be networked... and hacked.

Enjoy computer hardware while you can. Soon enough, you'll be it.

 

[AlinaX]

I do love some raspberry pie...

 

[Handley_Page]

I do love some raspberry pie...

With loads of nice cream. . . .

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Yep, it's a Raspberry Pi and only two of you saw that.

It actually performs well. Not as fast as my Xeon 6 core, but reasonably well. It can access and external hard drive and play a video on my 50 inch TV without a problem. It also comes with a lot of useful software.

It is a cool little thing and as soon as my KVM switch shows up, it will set on my desk and I will use it, just because it is so cool.

 

[JamesMiehoff]

Is it the Model 4? I just picked one up and it is actually noticeably faster than the Model 3.

Been tinkering with them since they were first announced. I ordered my first one from Farnell the week they were announced. Don't remember the serial number, but it was less than 200.

It was an amazing bit of power for $30 back then. Now there are several competitors, including one from Asus that uses the same form factor.

I haven't found a good editor yet, so I'll stay with Word for now.

James

 

[Hypoxia]

The big USB ports are the giveaway.

I've skipped-over Ras.Pi sites because while looking like fun, I can't really fit a Pi into my life now. I await a mini-laptop kit so I can remain reclining with the keyboard and display IN MY DAMN LAP where they belong, not on some desktop I must hunch over. A laptop isn't mandatory -- attach a SSD and VR display with light pen or other input trick. I showed Tim O'Reilly my holography-tank I/O design at a 1985 confab but he never published it so we're stuck with what we have until direct neural links. Plug me in, Scotti.

My precocious preteen grandkids might find Pi's in their Xmas stockings. Could happen. The cheapest Pi's are now US$5.00, that's five bucks, yow!

 

[Handley_Page]

The big USB ports are the giveaway.

I've skipped-over Ras.Pi sites because while looking like fun, I can't really fit a Pi into my life now. I await a mini-laptop kit so I can remain reclining with the keyboard and display IN MY DAMN LAP where they belong, not on some desktop I must hunch over. A laptop isn't mandatory -- attach a SSD and VR display with light pen or other input trick. I showed Tim O'Reilly my holography-tank I/O design at a 1985 confab but he never published it so we're stuck with what we have until direct neural links. Plug me in, Scotti.

My precocious preteen grandkids might find Pi's in their Xmas stockings. Could happen. The cheapest Pi's are now US$5.00, that's five bucks, yow!

Pi model B+ is four or five times that price over here.
I'm still struggling to understand how to connect a decent keyboard and monitor.
Then I guess, I'll have to learn a new language.
What was that about Word ?

 

[Hypoxia]

Pi model B+ is four or five times that price over here.

The Wikipedia piece I linked above says models cost US$5-$55 so yeah, pay more to get more. Like WiFi, Bluetooth, and core.

I'm still struggling to understand how to connect a decent keyboard and monitor.

HDMI or RGB video; mini-plug audio; USB or Bluetooth keyboard (they're down in the US$15 neighborhood). But I want a VR headset and motion-detection input for portability! Hmmm, I could use my obsolete Visio 8-inch Android tablet for display; and a cheap Bluetooth keyboard sits unused. Build an Erector Set frame to hold the components, wrap with duct tape, and there, I've got my Pi laptop (sort of). Only use it for sedition.

Then I guess, I'll have to learn a new language.

Every code monkey's second language is profanity. Practice, practice, practice...

What was that about Word ?

Pi ships with a minimal Win10 AFAIK. Then there's that Linux stuff. I've tried since 1993 and have NEVER achieved a clean Linux install. Perhaps I'm cursed. YMMV.

Too bad Chas Schultz didn't include a Linux character in Peanutz.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Is it the Model 4? I just picked one up and it is actually noticeably faster than the Model 3.

Been tinkering with them since they were first announced. I ordered my first one from Farnell the week they were announced. Don't remember the serial number, but it was less than 200.

It was an amazing bit of power for $30 back then. Now there are several competitors, including one from Asus that uses the same form factor.

I haven't found a good editor yet, so I'll stay with Word for now.

James

Pi comes with Open Office installed. It does Word docs.

Pi model B+ is four or five times that price over here.
I'm still struggling to understand how to connect a decent keyboard and monitor.
Then I guess, I'll have to learn a new language.
What was that about Word ?

I just plugged my keyboard and mouse into the Pi and they worked right off the bat. Now if you have PS2 keyboard and mouse, that will be difficult, so you should really step into the twenty-first century and get a USB keyboard and mouse.

The Pi 3 B+(which is what I have, and it only cost me $35US) comes with Open Office installed. And you don't have to learn a new language unless you want too. The raspberian desktop is very similar to Windows. It also boots faster and shuts down faster.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

The Wikipedia piece I linked above says models cost US$5-$55 so yeah, pay more to get more. Like WiFi, Bluetooth, and core.

HDMI or RGB video; mini-plug audio; USB or Bluetooth keyboard (they're down in the US$15 neighborhood). But I want a VR headset and motion-detection input for portability! Hmmm, I could use my obsolete Visio 8-inch Android tablet for display; and a cheap Bluetooth keyboard sits unused. Build an Erector Set frame to hold the components, wrap with duct tape, and there, I've got my Pi laptop (sort of). Only use it for sedition.

Every code monkey's second language is profanity. Practice, practice, practice...

Pi ships with a minimal Win10 AFAIK. Then there's that Linux stuff. I've tried since 1993 and have NEVER achieved a clean Linux install. Perhaps I'm cursed. YMMV.

Too bad Chas Schultz didn't include a Linux character in Peanutz.

When you buy a Pi, it comes with a micro SD card that it uses as a disc drive. The operating system is already installed. It is a linux system, but it has a GUI like windows. And yeah I guess it kinda looks like Win10.

I have a Linux partition install on my big desktop and I did it all by myself. Of course it was an easy install - Linus Mint Cinnamon 19.0. It does everything for you, partitioning the disc drive, setting up the dual boot window for you, etc. The only thing I don't like is that it assumes I want to boot to Linux first and always.

I guess if I learned Linux, I could change that GNU window.

 

[Hypoxia]

When you buy a Pi, it comes with a micro SD card that it uses as a disc drive. The operating system is already installed. It is a linux system, but it has a GUI like windows. And yeah I guess it kinda looks like Win10.

All I know, I found in Wikipedia:

Operating system:
FreeBSD
Linux
NetBSD
OpenBSD
Plan 9
RISC OS
Windows 10 ARM64
Windows 10 IoT Core​

(details here)

 

[oggbashan]

The UK price of computers and parts is very high compared with in the US, but is far cheaper than in France.

For example I can buy a basic UK spec keyboard for about £4. The equivalent in France is ten Euros for a UK or US spec keyboard or fifteen Euros for a French keyboard - AZERTY with accents.

Word in France is much more expensive and has French language menus but if things go wrong, the error messages are in US English.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

All I know, I found in Wikipedia:

Operating system:
FreeBSD
Linux
NetBSD
OpenBSD
Plan 9
RISC OS
Windows 10 ARM64
Windows 10 IoT Core​

(details here)

Should have read farther down the page...

The Raspberry Pi Foundation provides Raspbian, a Debian-based Linux distribution for download, as well as third-party Ubuntu, Windows 10 IoT Core, RISC OS, and specialised media centre distributions.[126] It promotes Python and Scratch as the main programming languages, with support for many other languages.[127] The default firmware is closed source, while an unofficial open source is available.[128][129][130] Many other operating systems can also run on the Raspberry Pi, including the formally verified microkernel, seL4.[131] Other third-party operating systems available via the official website include Ubuntu MATE, Windows 10 IoT Core, RISC OS and specialised distributions for the Kodi media centre and classroom management.[132]

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I just tried to boot up using a new flash drive I just flashed with the current copy or Windows 10 IoT Core. It didn't boot, but then I read that it would only work on a Pi 4 I guess I'll have to order one.

 

[JamesMiehoff]

I just tried to boot up using a new flash drive I just flashed with the current copy or Windows 10 IoT Core. It didn't boot, but then I read that it would only work on a Pi 3 I guess I'll have to order one.

It did boot, but the IoT core doesn't have a user interface. It is not Windows. You have to write an application in Visual Studio and ship it over. Then it will work.

At this point, Win10 is just for headless server apps.

The $5 Pi's are pretty well stripped down. 512MB RAM slower and older Broadcom CPU. They are for devices where an Arduino is too small, but you don't need all the horsepower of a full sized PI.

You can get laptop kits for PIs, but I prefer to just hook it up to a 32 inch TV via HDMI and use a wireless mouse & keyboard combo (Logitech) and I'm good to go.

James

 

[Bramblethorn]

I am happy for you that you have a big desktop. I don't know more about PC, which characteristics are the best or many others. I had an amount of money with that I had to buy a PC and I didn't know what to buy. Thanks, that I came across [spam link deleted] when I searched about the components of PC and they offered me the best components. I didn’t spend a lot of money but it still works perfectly every day.

Spammer reported.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Spammer reported.

Wait, what?

This thread bumped yesterday with a strange, partial repeat of words from my post up near the top of the thread. I paid it no attention, just thought the poster had some kind of a brain fart with an unfinished thought. And now you've quoted a completely different post, which has now gone, as has the one I saw. I wonder if the site is fending off a bot attack - which might explain the dramatic vote purges some folk are seeing.

When we see a new account, VladTheLad, we know it's election day.

 

[jaF0]

OK, but now I'm curious about the Pi.

I'm using a nearly 10 year old laptop with a new-ish SSD drive and running Win7.

I'm nervous about the remaining lifespan but new notebook prices aren't fun.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Wait, what?

This thread bumped yesterday with a strange, partial repeat of words from my post up near the top of the thread. I paid it no attention, just thought the poster had some kind of a brain fart with an unfinished thought. And now you've quoted a completely different post, which has now gone, as has the one I saw. I wonder if the site is fending off a bot attack - which might explain the dramatic vote purges some folk are seeing.

Yeah, that other bump was also a spammer. I'm seeing a few of the ones who post a response with no link then go back to edit in the spam later. Some of them have managed to keep the spam links up for months because the edit is less visible than the initial post, but I don't know how effective it is at actually getting clicks.

No idea whether that's connected to story-side shenanigans, but it feels like there's a bit of a wave of spammers at the moment.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yeah, that other bump was also a spammer. I'm seeing a few of the ones who post a response with no link then go back to edit in the spam later. Some of them have managed to keep the spam links up for months because the edit is less visible than the initial post, but I don't know how effective it is at actually getting clicks.

That makes sense - so I saw it mid-process, before the "return and insert link" bit got done. Interesting - thanks for the explanation.

 

[Bramblethorn]

That makes sense - so I saw it mid-process, before the "return and insert link" bit got done. Interesting - thanks for the explanation.

I've started checking posting history when I see one of those replies that looks slightly off, especially when it's from a new-ish account with less than 100 posts or so. The current lot seem to like to trickle spam in over time.