The Raspberry Pi is an affordable computer that is the size of a credit card. It can be used by plugging it into a TV or PC monitor. You can use a standard mouse and keyboard with it.
Although it is a small little device, it helps people, both young and old, to start learning about computing and exploring the many things that can be done with it. You can learn how to start programming with languages such as Python and Scratch. With the Raspberry Pi, you can do everything that a desktop PC can, including:
- Playing games
- Playing HD videos
- Browsing the Internet
- Making spreadsheets
- Word processing
What models are available?
You can find the Raspberry Pi in three models which are:
- Model A: This model has a RAM of 256 MB and a USB port but does come with Ethernet.
- Model B: This model has a RAM of 512 MB and two USB ports. It also comes with an Ethernet port.
- Model B+: This model has all the specs that the Model B has. The only difference is that it has four USB ports instead of two.
What installation method is recommended?
New Out of Box Software, also known as NOOBS, is an installation method that is recommended by the makers of the Raspberry Pi. This is an easy method to use as it permits you to install the distro that you want to even if you do not have any Linux or computing experience. This makes it a great choice for people who are just starting to learn about computers and computing.
What is the operating system that Raspberry Pi uses?
You will find many different official distributions, or distros, when you visit the official website of the Raspberry Pi. As mentioned earlier, NOOBS is recommended for beginners as it is the easiest to use and instructs you step by step through downloading and installing a specific distro. The makers also recommend the Raspbian distro, which is a specially designed distro, made specifically for the Raspberry Pi. The great thing is that you can try out different distros to find out which one you like working with the most as it is not difficult to have the SD card’s root partition replaced with s stand-in ARM Linux distro.
Is there an official programming language?
As mentioned earlier, you can use Python and it is the language that is recommended the most for beginners. You can also use Scratch.
Apart from these, Java, Ruby, C and C++ are installed on the Raspberry Pi by default. In fact, you can use any language that has the ability to compile for ARM v6.
The Raspberry Pi is able to have an interaction with outside world. It has been used as a part of a wide variety of digital maker projects such as music machines, weather stations, etc. It is a great learning tool for kids as they can learn how to program and have a better understanding of how computers function.