Category: Software

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Sat Jun 22 2024 – Things to like about Filesystems: ZFS

In this session, we’ll learn more about zetta file systems.

image

This presentation gives an overview of the Zettabyte File System (ZFS). The hosting platform for this demonstration is FreeBSD on Minisforum mini PCs.

Topics covered are a brief introduction to ZFS, how to create a ZFS storage system, some examples of ZFS in use, and description of the most useful features of ZFS.

the .pdf is here.

zfstalkDownload


Where: Quality Foods, View Royal, 27 Helmcken Rd #110

When: 9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Join Us Online here:

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Sat Jun 8 2024: Little FS (for ESP) and Robot Wars

LittleFS is a lightweight filesystem created for microcontrollers that lets you access the flash memory like you would do in a standard file system on your computer, but it’s simpler and more limited. You can read, write, close, and delete files. Using a filesystem with the ESP32 boards is especially useful to:

from Random Nerd Tutorials: https://randomnerdtutorials.com/esp32-littlefs-arduino-ide/

And then Lynn will share her experience at the Robot Wars competition in the UK, earlier this spring.

Where: Quality Foods, View Royal, 27 Helmcken Rd #110

When: 9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Join Us Online here:

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Sat. Dec 9 2023 – Pi Essentials + DNSMasq at home

A 2 part presentation, Pi Essentials, always good to know. And using DNSMasq to DNS-up your house (never think in numbers again)

Pi Essentials will be a beginner level introduction to some of the things you can (or maybe should) do when the Pi starts up. Nothing requires more than a few lines of code, and these are the sort of add-ons that can go with your main project. Included are buttons to put the Pi in standby mode, and start it running again, and pilot lights to show whether or not the Pi is running. A sound notification at start-up using simple text to speech, and how to put an icon on the desktop that can be clicked on to start your program are also included.
The way these utilities are organized and documented will illustrate one method of keeping track of your SD card contents.

The presentation is here

Readme.odtDownload

We are back at Quality Foods, View Royal, 27 Helmcken Rd #110

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Join Us Online here:

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Sat.Nov 25, 2023 – Running Alpine Linux (with XFCE) on the Pi

Naturally, you can run PiOS on your Raspberry Pi, but are there other options, which have a full GUI (XFCE). Turns out, you can run Alpine Linux with full GUI on the Pi. A lighter-weight distro, which also doesn’t require systems.

Craig’s presentation notes are here: http://www.makikiweb.com/Pi/alpine_linux_installing_gui.html

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Join Us Online here:

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Learn Python on a Pico

Saturday, July 8th 9:30 am til noon and Saturday July 15th 9:30am till noon.

At Quality Foods Eagle Creek Shopping Center in the upstains boardroom

Register here: https://forms.gle/py3BzTUxfyfPj67o8

You need to bring a laptop:

  • A windows laptop or 
  • Linux laptop or 
  • chromebook with linux enabled. 

We loan you

  • A Raspberry Pi Pico with LED and temperature sensor
  • A micro USB cable

You build a digital thermometer that can

  • Report the highest and lowest temperatures of the last 24 hours
  • Signal when a room is dangerously overheated

Here is a description of the class


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Sat, May 13, 2023 – Projects Day

We will be having a discussion about Projects that we are working on, but haven’t shared with the group. These can be projects that are successful or ones that just didn’t work out and have been abandoned. We’ll enjoy hearing about other’s projects, and perhaps even offer to help.

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Small Boardroom @ Quality Foods, 27 Helmcken Rd #110 · View Royal

Join Us Online here:
https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Sat. Apr. 8, 2023 – Pandas and Data Wrangling

Learn the basics of data manipulation using the Python library, Pandas. This session will provide an overview of common Pandas’ API used to transform your datasets.

You only need paper and a pencil or pen for this session. The presentation will be posted to the VicPiMakers website for you to play with after the Meetup.

Gordos’s presentation .pdf , is here…

pandas

We will learn to:
– Install Pandas
– Define the Dataframe and Series classes
– Work with columns and rows
– Filter rows
– Apply or update data
– Merge and concatenate datasets
– Read and write to a file
– Do more, time permitting

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Small Boardroom @ Quality Foods, 27 Helmcken Rd #110 · View Royal

Join Us Online here:
https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Sat. Mar. 25, 2023 – Home IoT

home IoT wifi everywhere

This will be an open discussion of IoT with an introduction by Robert discussing his old IoT setup at home and the continuing process of his migration to Home Assistant.

Robert’s presentation pdf is here.

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Small Boardroom @ Quality Foods, 27 Helmcken Rd #110 · View Royal

Join Us Online here:
https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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NetSIG – Mar. 23, 2023

NetSIG is a Special Interest Group focused on computer networking. Building networks for Today and Tomorrow!

Last month we explored MACVLAN interfaces, and how it makes it easier for Linux Containers (LXD).

This month, BRING YOUR PI, and a 32 GB SD Card, and we’ll do a Linux Containers INSTALL FEST on your Pi.

We will be meeting in-person at Quality Foods (small boardroom upstairs), bring a laptop and have Wireshark installed. This will be hands on. PLEASE BRING an ETHERNET dongle/port as we will be ssh-ing into your Pi, and configuring Linux Containers.

Quality Foods View Royal 6:30pm

27 Helmcken Rd #110 · Victoria, BC

Afterword, we will go out for a beer/coffee.

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Thu. Apr. 27, 2023 – NetSIG: LXD Installing Pi-Hole in a Linux Container

NetSIG is a Special Interest Group focused on computer networking. Building networks for Today and Tomorrow!

Last month we did the InstallFest for Linux Containers (LXD). This month, we’ll install a popular application, Pi-Hole, in a container on YOUR Pi. With Linux Containers, there’s no need to dedicate a Pi to Apps like Pi-Hole.

This month, BRING YOUR PI, and the LXD 32 GB SD Card, and we’ll do a Linux Containers App installation on your Pi. Also bring a method to SSH to your Pi (e.g. laptop or screen + keyboard).

We will be meeting in-person at Quality Foods (small boardroom upstairs), bring a laptop and have Wireshark installed. This will be hands on. PLEASE BRING an ETHERNET dongle/port as we will be ssh-ing into your Pi, and configuring Linux Containers.

Afterword, we will go out for a beer/coffee.

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Small Boardroom @ Quality Foods, 27 Helmcken Rd #110 · View Royal

Join Us Online here:
https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Sat. Feb 11 2023 – Linux Containers on the Quadra

linux containers

After using Linux Containers (LXD) for a couple of years, Craig will share how to easily get your containers connected to the internet using a MACVLAN interface. No reconfiguration of the host is required. This technique can be used on Pi’s as well as other hosts.

We will set up containers using the MACVLAN network attachment, discuss limitations, and even run LXDware, a web-based GUI for LXD on a Pi.

We will be holding a Hybrid meeting (in-person & Jitsi).

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

Small Boardroom @ Quality Foods, 27 Helmcken Rd #110 · View Royal

Hybrid https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Sat. Sep, 24, 2022 – Firefox Extension tracking

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation (virtual)
10a Presentation

Mark will share his work in stripping tracking info on Firefox on a Pi, and how to load it onto your Firefox.

QCollege has welcomed us back to meet in-person. We thank them for their support.

Suite 303 – 771 Vernon Ave · Victoria, BC

We will be holding a Hybrid meeting (in-person & Jitsi).

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Mark’s presentation .pdf is here.

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Sat. April 23, 2022 – The Challenge & Pi OS 64 bit

Jim will cover his pencil challenge.

Gordo will give an overview of 64bit Pi OS, and the cool features of the flash utility.

Gordo’s notes: https://gist.github.com/va7sdf/39a6c01d38eb1131532398fe69833862

QCollege has welcomed us back to meet in-person.We thank them for their support
Suite 303 771 Vernon Ave · Victoria, BC

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation (virtual)
10a Presentation

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

We will be holding a Hybrid meeting (in-person & Jitsi).