Since its first appearance, the Raspberry Pi has captured the attention of every hobbyist, engineer, and geek. The right computer for only $35? This is nonsense. And yet, that’s exactly what you get.
But what exactly? Who did it? What’s the point? What can you do about it? Let’s find answers to all frequently asked questions about Raspberry Pi.
What is Raspberry Pi?
The Raspberry Pi is a credit card-sized computer that costs between $5 and $35. It is available anywhere in the world and can function like a normal desktop computer or be used to create smart devices.
Pi was originally designed to teach kids how to program. Its scope has been expanded after hobbyists and engineers saw its potential, and it is now one of the most popular technological elements in the world. You can check our unofficial guide on unofficial guide unofficial guide to start.
You can expand the Raspberry Pi computer with modules, such as adding a camera module or a touch screen module, to increase the application area of the device.
Who Invented the Raspberry Pi?
The Raspberry Pi Foundation was created in 2008 after a group of scientists and technicians — Eben Upton, Rob Mulins, Jack Lang, Alan Mycroft, Pete Lomas, and David Braben — were concerned about declining student interest in computer science. Their solution was to come up with an inexpensive computer to inspire children and make it more accessible. Here is Upton:
The idea was that these tiny computers would make it easy to program. Its low power consumption and cost were expected to make the Pis more accessible in the classroom.
Today, some of the original members still act as trustees of the Foundation, while Upton has assumed the duties of CEO and project leader.
Why is it called Raspberry Pi?
«Raspberry» is an homage to early computer companies named after fruit, such as Apple, Tangerine Computer Systems, Apricot Computers, and Acorn (which inspired the design of the microcomputer). «Pi» stems from the original idea of making a small computer to run only on the Python programming language.
In an interview with Raspberry Pi founder Eben Upton said that they never intended to make a general purpose computer, although it is quite capable of being one.
When was the Raspberry Pi launched?
The first commercially available Raspberry Pi was launched on February 19, 2012, with sales beginning ten days later. This version can run Linux based desktop operating systems and showed 256MB of RAM, one USB port, and no Ethernet port. It was called Model A.
What is the difference between Raspberry Pi models?
Raspberry Pi models can be a bit confusing. The naming system has two levels. Pi 1, Pi 2, and Pi 3 indicate the «generation» of the model, with Pi 1 being roughly 2012-14 models, Pi 2 being 2015 models, and Pi 3 being 2016 models. So 3 is better than 2 which is better than 1.
