From the course: Raspberry Pi Weekly

Why Raspberry Pi? - Raspberry Pi Tutorial

From the course: Raspberry Pi Weekly

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Why Raspberry Pi?

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- [Mark] The Raspberry Pi is a credit card-sized computer. It runs Linux, and it has a set of interface pins, but what does all of that really mean? What can you do with it? Why should you take your time to learn about Raspberry Pi and what can you do with it you can't do with any other computer? Hi, I'm Mark Niemann-Ross, and welcome to this week's edition of Raspberry Pi Weekly. Every week, we explore the Raspberry Pi and share useful tips. In essence, the Raspberry Pi is a Linux computer. Plug in a keyboard, a mouse, network, and a monitor, and you have a standard computer. If you install Raspbian, the standard operating system, you get windows and folders, just like a Macintosh or Windows computer. Plus, it has LibreOffice, which includes a spreadsheet, a drawing tool, a presentation tool, some math options, and a word processor. And the Raspberry Pi comes with programming tools, including Python, Scratch, and other languages. Finally, Raspbian includes a copy of Minecraft. All of these programs can be removed and new programs installed. Best of all, the Raspberry Pi can be purchased for as little as $5. You still need to purchase a keyboard, but depending on how much of this you already have, a full computer can be built for under $100. Most interesting, the Raspberry Pi has 40 pins available for connecting to electronics projects, such as switches, motors, and lights. With a Raspberry Pi, you can teach basic computer concepts and skills, you can teach beginning to advanced computer electronics, and you can prototype applications for the Internet of Things. So, why would you want to use anything else? After all, it sounds like the Raspberry Pi is a perfectly good computer for all purposes. Not quite, there are a few shortcomings to the Raspberry Pi. First, it may not have the processing power you need. If you're working with photographs, sounds files, or animations, you're going to overwhelm the Raspberry Pi. It also may not have enough onboard memory for some applications. Because it's Linux, it will not run applications written for a Macintosh or Windows. There may be specific programs you need that aren't available for Linux. For example, Photoshop and Microsoft Office aren't available for the Raspberry Pi. There are other applications that can take their place, but they're substitutes. Finally, the interface pins, or GPIO, make the Raspberry Pi susceptible to short circuits. Now, any computer can be short-circuited, but the Raspberry Pi GPIO pins make it particularly easy to do so. Enclosing the Raspberry Pi in a case will help protect is from abuse and there are several cases available. For experimentation, teaching computer science, and implementing the Internet of Things projects, the Raspberry Pi's highly recommended. For general use, you may be happier with a standard laptop or desktop. Thanks for joining me for this episode of Raspberry Pi Weekly. Be sure to join the LinkedIn group and check out previous episodes on LinkedIn Learning. I'll see you next week with more Raspberry Pi adventures. I'll see you next week with more Raspberry Pi adventures.

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