Raspberry Pi

granfire

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A reoccurring curiosity of mine.
A few years ago I saw how somebody had a hydroponic garden above a fish 'tank' regulated by a Raspberry computer, but I did not look closer into it.

Now I am hoping to actually garden, and I bought chicks. The Raspberry popped up again, could I use that thing in the coop?
(the answer is yes, it's been done, turn on lights, play music, open coop doors.)

However, those types of computing uses are at this point beyond me. As I stated before, I did not get into the C64 thing, never learned how to modify a computer past replacing the RAM and adding a 2nd monitor.

What do you experts suggest to start off with? A book? Or jump in with both feet and buy a unit, and take it from there?
 
By default, the Pi runs under Raspbian, which is a scaled down Debian based Linux. I think the best known Debian options are Ubuntu and Mint. You can install other Linux distros, or even Windows. Although I cannot for the life of me imagine why you'd put Windows on it without a gun being held to your head.

How are you with Linux? Especially using a command line interface?

Beyond that, it comes down to precisely what you want to do. Do you want the doors/lights/music on a timer, or would some (or all) of it be done remotely with your phone? The hardware is readily available, and some of the software will be as well. And since it's Linux based, a great deal of it will be free.

I think hands on is the best way to learn, but that's me. I'd start by getting comfortable with Linux. If you don't have a Linux computer already, you can install it. I use Ubuntu, but grabbing any of the Debian distros would be fine. Python is part of most Linux distros, but if you somehow find one without it, it's easily installed. And free. Because Linux. Or you can just buy a Pi.

Once you know what you want to do, it's just a matter of buying the needed hardware and writing the code. Again, a lot of what you might want to do will only require installing something someone else wrote. But you will nearly inevitably need to tweak the code, and there may be some you do from scratch.
 
By default, the Pi runs under Raspbian, which is a scaled down Debian based Linux. I think the best known Debian options are Ubuntu and Mint. You can install other Linux distros, or even Windows. Although I cannot for the life of me imagine why you'd put Windows on it without a gun being held to your head.

How are you with Linux? Especially using a command line interface?

Beyond that, it comes down to precisely what you want to do. Do you want the doors/lights/music on a timer, or would some (or all) of it be done remotely with your phone? The hardware is readily available, and some of the software will be as well. And since it's Linux based, a great deal of it will be free.

I think hands on is the best way to learn, but that's me. I'd start by getting comfortable with Linux. If you don't have a Linux computer already, you can install it. I use Ubuntu, but grabbing any of the Debian distros would be fine. Python is part of most Linux distros, but if you somehow find one without it, it's easily installed. And free. Because Linux. Or you can just buy a Pi.

Once you know what you want to do, it's just a matter of buying the needed hardware and writing the code. Again, a lot of what you might want to do will only require installing something someone else wrote. But you will nearly inevitably need to tweak the code, and there may be some you do from scratch.
I never got around to play with the old laptop that refused to boot into windows. (it's the default OS, that's why everybody has it) So I have a machine to work with.
My phone is maxed out with having AAA and car insurance apps on it, and Pokemon Go stopped working last summer without me uninstalling and reloading it - every time they update. So phone based things are not my goal (I'd still have my flip-phone if my family had not upgraded me!)

So my husband can view our chicks on his phone, while I opted not to bother with the app because the phone has been giving me the 'running out of storage' message for weeks now again.

I vaguely recall an age when you had to actually tell a computer what you wanted it to do, vs them telling you now what it is you have to do.

So I guess I need to spend my computer time a little more constructive. :)
 
I don't know about Raspbian but Linux Mint is fairly user friendly if you are familiar with Windows, I use it all the time. As for command lines it's learnable you just have to have patience and tenacity, not a big deal for a martial artist.
 

Now you know all I know about it.....oh and this

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My experience with Raspberry Pi is very focused on specific projects. I run a pi-hole on my local network to block ads and such. I also have a pi that I use as a console emulator, which is kind of fun. I've never gotten much more into it than that. Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress.
 
My experience with Raspberry Pi is very focused on specific projects. I run a pi-hole on my local network to block ads and such. I also have a pi that I use as a console emulator, which is kind of fun. I've never gotten much more into it than that. Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress.

You know, that gives a whole new meaning to telling someone to shut their pie-hole :D
 
I don't know about Raspbian but Linux Mint is fairly user friendly if you are familiar with Windows, I use it all the time. As for command lines it's learnable you just have to have patience and tenacity, not a big deal for a martial artist.
Mint will not run. Mint is only available for x86 processors, and the Raspberry Pi uses ARM processors.
 
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