Raspberry Pi Launched
Today saw the official launch of the Raspberry Pi low-cost computer. Although there have been a couple of hiccups due to the distributors not expecting the phenomenal levels of demand1, it’s still a big day for the project, and a testament to the months and years of the hard (and unpaid) work of everyone at the Raspberry Pi Foundation2.
However, it’s worth remembering that the project is not about cheap computers for hobbyists (although that’s a useful side-effect); it’s about giving kids the tools with which to learn to program. To that end, here’s a video from the BBC’s Rory Cellan-Jones (who has also written a great article about the launch):
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Personally, I don’t think these teething troubles are a big deal, given the level of interest in such a small organisation. What has irked me somewhat is the level of vitriol directed at the Foundation. This has ranged from the merely thoughtless to the utterly vile, with occasional racist and homophobic language tossed in for good measure. It smacks of both a lack of respect and a sense of entitlement that would be comical of they weren’t so deeply unpleasant. Liz has been handling this with more patience and good grace than I think I would have been able to muster in the circumstances. [back]
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I don’t have any formal connection to the Foundation myself; I’m just an enthusiastic supporter. [back]