Re: Please can someone explain raspberry pi to me?
 

If someone is learning to program they do not need a Raspberry Pi to do it.
programming can all be learned on the PC.

What the Pi is doing is giving people a cheap way of using what they have learnt to be introduced into other items.
Running a webserver, a media player, a games machine, a controller for something.
Although lots of these things can be done with other prototype devices.

The Pi does not just cost the £30 it is priced at, you need an SD card, good power supply, external storage, a case for the pi, interface boards etc. It is however a start.

If Ty is not into electronics then this would remain something like a webserver or media player unless he learned some (and this could get him interested).

I have 2 originals doing nowt until I find an actual application for them. Currently I have no use for them so they are still in the box. (I got them because my son was interested - by the time I received them he had lost interest).

Read the blog at http://www.raspberrypi.org/ to see whats being done with them.

Re: Please can someone explain raspberry pi to me?
 

I got mine for a specific job (reading data from one device, logging it, reformatting it, then writing it to another device). I decided it would be worth buying another so my son can learn programming. They are both sitting here, doing nothing. The second one I got is still in its box, so I've no idea if it's 256mb or 512mb.

They took so long to get here - more than 4 months - so I went with an arduino derivative, instead.

They run like a normal computer, just with a media card (like the one in your camera) instead of a hard drive, so it's no different at all to loading up an SD card with linux and booting from that instead of your laptop hard drive. If you have an internet connection that allows an ethernet connection, then you can use it for surfing etc, which is all I've found it to be any good for. I've got a couple of USB wireless dongles on the way so I should be able to see if you can make them wireless. There are only two USB ports so you'll need a powered USB hub to add anything over and above a keyboard and mouse, such as an external drive, webcam or usb wireless adapter. The plus side is that this powered hub can be used as a power supply for the Pi (but it does say you shouldn't do that) so you don't need an extra plug socket.

Raspberry Pi - Quake 3 demo - YouTube
They are powerful enough to run game software which was "cutting edge" 13 years ago, so should be a good grounding for anyone wishing to learn to program, but as far as I can tell there's nothing to let you develop games at that level. All the programming languages available on Raspberry Pi's Linux flavours are also available on PC (e.g. Python, Scratch)

You'll need a TV or monitor with HDMI connection - I've tried running mine through a composite connection to TV, it's rubbish.

If you do decide to get one, let me know. I don't mind letting one go for what I paid for it. If I were you, though, I wouldn't bother. It's a novelty item unless you want a computer and can't afford three figures for one.

Re: Please can someone explain raspberry pi to me?
 

It has been suggested that its a good way to get internet on the TV too.

Re: Please can someone explain raspberry pi to me?
 

Yeah like I mentioned. I bought mine for to use as an XBMC solution. Well. If/When I get my own place again. This will be under the TV.... Hey its cheaper than a BoxeeBox

Re: Please can someone explain raspberry pi to me?
 

just buy him a cheap laptop, 2nd hand naff thing and install (or ask a kind member to do it for you) a flavour of Linux on it, to get him into a different os and more command line/terminal stuff, helps to understand how hardware communicates a bit more!

Summat for £50 would be more than adequate

Re: Please can someone explain raspberry pi to me?
 

Still the PI is coool to have

Re: Please can someone explain raspberry pi to me?
 

I'd be tempted to say to anyone that age to have a cracks at knocking up an android app or a website. Think it's cool to have something to show off and can be understood.

I'm a software engineer now but started out doing computer graphics stuff, 3d rendering and animations before I started looking at building websites and eventually at the coding side of things.