The document introduces the Raspberry Pi, a credit card-sized computer that costs around $42. It has a low power consumption and connects to other hardware through its GPIO pins. The Raspberry Pi runs Linux and supports many programming languages. It is designed to encourage learning programming and hardware interfacing through an "unfinished" experience. The Raspberry Pi Foundation allows commercial uses and many local projects have been created with it, such as a rover, retro game console, and keyless door entry system. Local user groups provide community support.

1. Raspberry Pi
An Introduction
Alec Clews
@alecthegeek
http://alecthegeek.github.io

2. Credit Card Sized Computer

3. Cheap
● A$42 (http://au.element14.com/)
– “Pocket Money” price
● Low power consumption
– ~1A (model B) ~700mA (model A) at 3.3V

4. What do you
get for $40?
● Connects to stuff you
already have
● Robust
● Cost → Design

5. Open
● Free and Open Software Stack
– Linux
– Languages (Scratch, Python, Java, C/C++,...)
● Fully Documented Hardware
– GPIO Pins
– Build your own
– Hardware ecosystem (piface, picobbler,....)

6. Raspberry Pi vs Arduino
● Linux and multiple
lang
● Limited IO
● Single Design
● Reasonable low
power
● Growing ecosystem
● No OS, C
● Good IO
● True open HW →
Multiple
implementations
● Really Low power
● Huge ecosystem

7. Learning
● Designed to kick start UK secondary school CS
● Programming
● Hardware Interfacing
● “Unfinished” to encourage or force hacking
– Boot to console
– Python IDLE & Scratch on X desktop
– Basic camera add on

8. Doing
● Science (manage sensor nets,...)
● Home Servers (media, backup, Asterix,...)
● Automotive projects
● Robotics
● PC Replacements
● Home automation

9. Make $$
● Create add on products → Ecosystem
● Upgrade existing products
● Create new products
● Port your software
Raspberry Pi Foundation, a charity, is cool with
you making $$$. Go for it!

10. Local Projects
All these projects are by Melbourne based
hackers with various levels of expertise.

11. Rasbian Rover

12. Retro Games Console

13. CCHS Keyless Door Entry

14. Local Groups
● Melbourne Raspberry Jam
– City and Richmond meetings. See meetup.com
● Melb PC in Mount Waverley
● Microcontroller Group
– http://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-MXdBjUze/

15. Further info
● Foundation – http://www.raspberrypi.org/
● Wiki – http://elinux.org/RPi_Hub
● StackExchange –
http://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/
●