[VicPiMakers SG] Pi Basics

Mark G. vpm at palaceofretention.ca
Mon May 4 23:48:21 EDT 2020


I suggested removing containers based on my direct knowledge
of the group in question.  Telling OPCUG about running containers
on a pi is somewhat pointless.

Craig, you could offer to give a more full-blown presentation
on linux containers to OPCUG, which I think would be more
useful.


On 2020-05-04 12:57 PM, Craig Miller wrote:
> Deid,
>
> I would put in Linux Containers, at least a mention, as the Tech
> community in Ottawa are all over containerization.
>
> 4-6 is steps (or lines) 4 through 6
>
> Sounds like it is shaping up well.
>
> Craig...
>
> On 5/4/20 11:13 AM, Deid Reimer wrote:
>> https://www.hackster.io/news/meet-the-new-raspberry-pi-4-model-b-9b4698c284
>>
>>
>> Has a good article on the 4.  May be able to use these ideas for part
>> 1.  An image from that article:
>>
>> https://hackster.imgix.net/uploads/attachments/981429/1_kOpWv51R5s8eFV9G7hKgxA.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&w=740&h=555&fit=max
>>
>>
>>
>> Can use my asus cardboard box for part 2 yes
>>
>> Hats - never used any other than the purpose built one for Camosun.
>>
>> OS and GUI - mostly Debian.  Thoughts on what to describe.
>>
>> What is "my 4-6"?
>>
>> I like Craig's idea of node red.
>>
>> We only have an hour and a half and I think we should leave at least
>> 20 minutes for questions/interruptions.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 5/3/20 6:44 PM, Mark G. wrote:
>>> Craig, Deid,
>>>
>>> That's a good list.  I can give you a rough idea of the audience, since
>>> I was a member back a while.
>>>
>>> They are fairly technically competent, but they can be windows centric,
>>> although there was quite often a foray into the linux side of things.
>>> They'll understand mostly anything we present about the RPi.
>>>
>>> So here's what I would focus on:
>>>
>>> 1. Describe the RPi 4 fairly deeply:
>>>   - memory, CPU, GigEth/WLAN, USB 3+2, BT, HDMIx2 USB C power.
>>>   - display connector and camera connector, audio jack
>>>
>>> 2. Stay with the hardware and describe the GPIO pins
>>>   - run some python code that toggles LED's on a show and tell
>>>     system like Deid's, with some temperature sensing.
>>>
>>> 2a. Describe some common HATs, like PoE, or Sensehat to
>>>      show hardware extensibility.
>>>
>>> 3. Move to describing the OS and GUI to provide relief for
>>>     the console shock we'll have given them with the GPIO
>>>     programs.
>>>
>>> Then do your 4-6, except skip linux containers (sad face),
>>> and maybe skip VNC/RDP/headless.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 2020-05-03 3:50 PM, Craig Miller wrote:
>>>> Hi Deid,
>>>>
>>>> Well, the Pi Camp is full of good stuff, I think it was aimed more at a
>>>> hands on audience who (ostensibly) wanted to use the Pi. I doubt this
>>>> group is interested in Ohm's Law, for example.
>>>>
>>>> As I remember OPCUG from my Ottawa days, they were mostly Windows
>>>> folks.
>>>> So I think:
>>>>
>>>>  1. some chat about the Pi4 would be useful (something the VicPiMakers
>>>>     would also be interested in, BTW)
>>>>  2. the basics of the GUI
>>>>  3. The lack of compatibility with Windows anything (can't run Windows
>>>>     apps, although there may be work-alikes), has a different processor
>>>>  4. The Basic Setup - keyboard, mouse, HDMI display, or run Headless
>>>>     (then use VNC or RDP?)
>>>>  5. Some Cool Apps: Flight Aware, Motion Eye, Linux Containers (Ottawa
>>>>     is the High Tech centre of Canada)
>>>>  6. A few pointers to other things that can be done with the Pi:
>>>>     NodeRed, GPIO, Python Programming
>>>>
>>>> BTW, being a Linux and Mac guy, I don't think I ever attended the
>>>> OPCUG,
>>>> but did attend the Mac and Linux groups in Ottawa.
>>>>
>>>> Craig...
>>>> --
>>>> IPv6 is the future!
>>>> http://ipv6-net.blogspot.ca/
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 3:10 PM Deid Reimer <deid at drsol.com
>>>> <mailto:deid at drsol.com>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>     Do you think parts of the pi camp that never happened would be
>>>>     useful?  Or, are these folks likely past that level?
>>>>
>>>>     Deid  VA7REI
>>>>     On May 3, 2020, at 12:38 PM, "Mark G." <vpm at palaceofretention.ca
>>>>     <mailto:vpm at palaceofretention.ca>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         -------- Forwarded Message --------
>>>>         Subject:  Re: Re: [VicPiMakers SG] Fwd: Re: Pi Basics
>>>>         Date:  Sun, 3 May 2020 15:25:05 -0400
>>>>         From:  Alan German
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>              A couple of replies below.
>>>>              Deid would like to know a bit more about what you'd like
>>>>              covered.  Also, how much time is available?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         Mark:
>>>>
>>>>         Thanks for your assistance and especially for the prompt
>>>> replies from
>>>>         your colleagues.
>>>>
>>>>         Normally, we would have a lot of relevant information for
>>>> speakers on
>>>>         our web site (https://opcug.ca/speakers-info/) but, with the
>>>> current
>>>>         concerns relating to Covid-19, very little of it remains so.
>>>>         Consequently, the following notes may assist:
>>>>
>>>>         The Ottawa PC Users' Group (OPCUG) has been serving our
>>>> local community
>>>>         for close to 40 years.  Our main activities for members are a
>>>>         monthly meeting to which we normally invite an external
>>>> speaker on some
>>>>         computer-related topic, Q&A sessions that immediately follow
>>>> the
>>>>         speaker's talk, our monthly newsletter (Ottawa PC News), web
>>>> site, and a
>>>>         members-only, on-line discussion forum.  Guests
>>>> (non-members) are always
>>>>         welcome to attend our meetings.  In addition, we have other
>>>>         outreach programmes such as workshops held in the spring and
>>>> fall, and
>>>>         presentations to members of the public at library branches
>>>> across the
>>>>         city.  Currently, because of the limitations imposed by the
>>>> pandemic, we
>>>>         are offering brief, weekly Q&A sessions over
>>>> video-conferencing.
>>>>
>>>>         The Raspberry Pi computer has been suggested as a topic for
>>>> our regular
>>>>         monthly meetings on a number of occasions and, while we have
>>>> the BuyaPi
>>>>         store and a number of Pi enthusiasts in the city, we have
>>>> been unable to
>>>>         find a local speaker for this topic.  Jeff had mentioned to
>>>> me your work
>>>>         on Jitsi as OPCUG has commenced using video-conferencing due
>>>> to our
>>>>         current inability to hold face-to-face meetings.  I noted
>>>> that this
>>>>         effort was linked, in part, to Victoria PiMakers and saw
>>>> from the web
>>>>         site that this group was very active with the Pi and, in
>>>> particular, had
>>>>         recently given an introductory course on the Pi. Hence my
>>>> interest and
>>>>         inquiry.
>>>>
>>>>         I suspect that most members of OPCUG will know that the Pi
>>>> exists, and
>>>>         have a basic idea of what it is, but that is almost
>>>> certainly as far as
>>>>         it goes.  But, it is a fascinating device and I am sure that
>>>> everyone
>>>>         would love to learn more about it and what they could do
>>>> with it.  Our
>>>>         scheduled talks are usually 90 minutes in duration,
>>>> including questions,
>>>>         so clearly the presentation would have to be fairly
>>>> concise.  But, it
>>>>         should be considered just as an introduction to the topic so
>>>> a lot of
>>>>         detail is likely not required.  My thoughts were along the
>>>> lines of:
>>>>
>>>>         (1) a brief history of the Pi
>>>>         (2) an overview of the latest model
>>>>         (3) the "accessories" required (e.g. power supply, SDcard,
>>>> video cable,
>>>>         etc.)
>>>>         (4) a couple of examples of "shovel-ready" applications (i.e.
>>>>         off-the-shelf software for specific tasks)
>>>>         (5) a brief indication of some of the capabilities of the Pi
>>>> for someone
>>>>         willing to roll up their sleeves (e.g. programming the I/O
>>>> system)
>>>>
>>>>         Obviously, not knowing all that much about the Pi myself,
>>>> the above are
>>>>         simply suggestions.  We would, of course, be guided by
>>>> whoever would
>>>>         be willing to provide a presentation to our group.
>>>>
>>>>         As I indicated, our meetings are currently being held by (Zoom)
>>>>         video-conference so a remote presentation is obviously the
>>>> route to take
>>>>         for a talk by one of your group if such can be arranged.  We
>>>> are limited
>>>>         to our regular meeting schedule, i.e. on the second
>>>> Wednesday of the
>>>>         month (e.g. June 10 is currently available), commencing at
>>>> 7:30 pm EST,
>>>>         although I would think that we could switch the main
>>>> presentation and
>>>>         the Q&A session around if a later starting time would be
>>>> preferred for
>>>>         the west coast.  And, while there is always the possibility
>>>> of regular
>>>>         meetings re-commencing at the church in the fall, we do have
>>>> Wi-Fi
>>>>         available at this venue so, if this timing would be more
>>>> appropriate, no
>>>>         doubt a remote presentation could be accommodated by simply
>>>> running the
>>>>         AV feed into the video projector.
>>>>
>>>>         Anyway, all that to say that our group is very interested in
>>>> the
>>>>         capabilities of the Pi, is extremely flexible on the
>>>> logistics, and
>>>>         would be most grateful for any assistance that any member of
>>>> your
>>>>         organization could provide.
>>>>
>>>>         My very best regards
>>>>
>>>>         Alan
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>     --
>>>>     SteeringGroup mailing list
>>>>     SteeringGroup at vicpimakers.ca <mailto:SteeringGroup at vicpimakers.ca>
>>>> http://vicpimakers.ca/mailman/listinfo/steeringgroup_vicpimakers.ca
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>




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