Don't Use Raspberry Pi for Everything

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/stop-using-raspberry-pi-everything/

by webtechgal • 9 years ago

51 51 9 years ago

webtechgal• 9 years ago

One point that caught my eye is:

"Linux enthusiasts perpetually claim that this year is the year that Linux will finally make headway into the desktop for the everyday user — but it never has and never will."

I guess the author has a (much coveted) crystal ball.

metalliqaz2• 9 years ago

Oh stop it. Is anyone seriously expecting Linux to take over the desktop anymore? Ubuntu is embedded in Windows now for cripes sakes! Be happy with the world's servers and cell phones.

aplummer• 9 years ago

Difference between "never will" emphasised and "likely never will"

yellowapple5• 9 years ago

The closest thing to a "Year of the Linux Desktop" is the growing popularity of ChromeOS. Nowhere near rivaling Windows, sure, but not entirely obscure either, and certainly not with a "steep learning curve" (come on MakeUseOf; it ain't 2005 anymore, you can cool it with the tired "Linux is hard to use" crap).

justforFranz• 9 years ago

The author's points are valid. However, there's no recognition of the tremendous marketing, documentation, training, community & ecosystem surrounding the platform.

These things are real, they are as real as any code that's written. They are as real as any hardware.

So yes, the Raspberry Pi is a great, fantastic introduction into this IOT world. The security problems are real, that should be the first thing attended to.

And then yes, once you get the basics down it should be easy to move to a better platform/device/doohicky.

wmeredith• 9 years ago

Now take this comment and insert WordPress instead of Raspberry Pi :) Ubiquity and ease-of-use will win over security.

freehunter9• 9 years ago

My job is trying to get ambivalent people to take security seriously, and I'd like to amend your statement. Ubiquity and ease-of-use will win over security as long as security professionals insist on cumbersome practices.

Nonsensical password complexity rules.

The absolutely asinine technology we have to encrypt emails.

Third-party antivirus software.

Patches forcing a reboot (hell, patches needing a reboot).

Encryption being an add-on or an option.

Bundling spyware and adware with brand new machines in order to reduce their sticker price.

Let's Encrypt changed the world by making SSL certs as easy as they could ever be. That's a very positive step. Likewise, no one has to wonder if their iPhone is infected with malware. They just use it, without any security training at all. Developers use PaaS because patching is hard and you never know if it's going to break a production system. Now it's someone else's problem.

What wins security is making it harder to not be secure. Wordpress is still a long way from that ideal.

franciscop• 9 years ago

Ah I don't think it is the same, I think the equivalent would be more like jQuery or even React. Wordpress is a "you don't have to be a programmer" platform while Raspberry Pi would be more like "you do have to know your way around".

mark_l_watson• 9 years ago

I agree with you, the Pi's community and ecosystem are very good. I question also why I would care about saving a little money on a one-off personal project, but the author's advice to use a $5 device would be good if you wanted to make many smart devices.

Off topic, but when a consulting customer gave me a Pi 3 as a going away gift when I was working onsite, I set it up when I got home and used it as my work system for 2 or 3 days. A bit slow but it was fun!

nategri• 9 years ago

"Dongles, Dongles Everywhere"

Straw men, straw men everywhere!

titanomachy• 9 years ago

This article referenced the ESP8266 (specifically NodeMCU configuration) as a cheap alternative for WiFi IOT projects that don't warrant the Pi's complexity. I've played with this chip and was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to get it working. The bare chips can be had for a couple of dollars, or $15 for a development board which supports USB flashing.

Don't cheap out on the dev board, the cheapest ones use a shitty USB-serial chip and it was a headache to get the drivers working. The adafruit one worked out of the box.

Cymen• 9 years ago

I really love the Wemos D1 mini. It fits in a standard breadboard with space for a row of pins on each side. It's only $4 plus shipping from Wemos:

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/D1-mini-Mini-NodeMc...

For anyone thinking about trying ESP8266 programming, it's a great way to start. For my one-of projects, I just put a whole D1 mini in and don't worry about trying to optimize it to less components (why bother at $4/board?). Just order at least a handful as shipping is slow.

joshstrange• 9 years ago

I found the tangent into running linux on the RasPi a little odd... I agree for IoT you probably don't need a RasPi but I love mine for RasPlex.

aqsalose2• 9 years ago

The hardware limitations and the "danger of server maintenance" points are valid. Only that

That ever-so-slight delay between hitting a key and having it appear on screen will eventually wear you down.

You don't need to run a full blown desktop. TTY is snappy enough on my model 2B.

It's a great "learn to hack stuff on a cheap small computer" platform for my nephew (if I had a nephew [1]), and that's how it is advertised.

[1] On the other hand, I wonder how many RasPi users buy the thing because they wish they would have had it when they were of the age to be someone's nephew.

copperx• 9 years ago

I use my Raspberry Pi as an always-on Emacs computer; all on a framebuffer. It's very refreshing to be able to turn on a monitor and be able to write a journal entry or manage a to-do list and then commit and push to a remote git repository. There's nothing to distract you besides M-x tetris.

I once considered buying an AlphaSmart Dana for this purpose, but you can't beat Emacs's keybindings (or vi's, if that's your thing).

RaspPiIdiote• 9 years ago

"Don’t Spend $40 to Flash an LED Over the Web"

The new Pi Zero W's are $9 and the include wifi. I used to use arduinios or MSPs for things because i didnt want to "waste" a full pi. But I mean, $4 savings with these NodeMCUs? vs. the platform I already know how to use that's a normal computer that happens to have trivially easy to use IO pins? For one-off type projects i just don't see how it's worth it for me. I'd rather spend the four bucks and skip ahead to the interesting part of the project.

Imho the better thing to consider w/ pi is that even the Pi Zero W consumes a decent amount of power. So for some projects, that really matters.

Obi_Juan_Kenobi• 9 years ago

You might compare the $9 figure with $1 for digispark clones, or $2-3 for nano clones.

That said, I basically agree.

soneil• 9 years ago

#1 is an interesting point. Use a $5 nodemcu instead of a $9 pi. Not only do you save $4, but you get a free introduction to the world of horrible ssl implementations!

ChiliDogSwirl• 9 years ago

"To start with, it runs Linux, which has a steep learning curve associated with it and isn’t suited to beginners."

I couldn't take the article seriously after this. "Beginners" click icons and run applications. This works under Linux like any other OS. Anything more complex than that isn't going to be done by a "beginner" no matter what OS you're using.

jeffehobbs• 9 years ago

This article does not really need to exist.

nine_k• 9 years ago

Using an RPi for everything is indeed not a good idea! It's a poor choice for e.g a HPC server of a 10G router.

Not using RPi for anything is not a good idea either, it seems.

The RPi (and C.H.I.P., Arduino, etc) have a rather well-defined sweet spot: small-scale hobby projects and study. At this niche, they are a good value for the money (because tools, books, community, etc).

voidr• 9 years ago

It’s Dangerously Insecure (In the Wrong Hands)

Just like any other programmable internet connected device.

A Mini-PC or Tablet Would Probably Be Better

How does this solve the security problem mentioned above? IMHO it actually makes it worse, because you are now connecting an even more powerful machine.

Never open your Pi as a public facing server.

What if the purpose of my Pi is to be a public facing server?

This is true of every website regardless of where it’s hosted, but it’s particularly problematic for the Raspberry Pi, which tends to be set up by hobbyists who aren’t intimately familiar with best security practices.

It is easier to install a web server and misconfigure security on a typical desktop machine than it is on a Raspberry. It feels that the author has a condescending view on raspberry hobbyists that is not backed up by any facts.

Don't Use Raspberry Pi for Everything

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