Keep in mind that this list is not the end-all and be-all of its potential. Pi Projectsīased on your experience (Newbie, Computer Comfortable, or Old Hand), let’s discuss the available projects. But if you catch the Pi bug, any of your projects transfer to the more advanced models. If it ends up in the junk drawer after a few months, you’ve lost little more than time. However, if you’re not sure how involved you’ll stay with your new project, then purchasing the $5.00 model is a safe way to go. If you’re unsure about which model is best, know that you can’t go wrong with any of the models, and at their price points, even using the most expensive board for one or two projects does not result in a considerable loss of monetary investment. If you start with the Raspberry Pi Zero, the lowest-cost single-board computer, and decide you need a Pi with more features, you can upgrade to any of the available models the work you’ve done on the Zero will still function. Each model is compatible with one another. The amount of money you want to invest, the time you have to explore and learn, and your ultimate goals determine which model you buy. There are nine models of the Raspberry Pi, ranging in cost from $5.00 to $55.00. Once you have determined your knowledge level, it is time to select the Raspberry Pi board that is best suited to your goals. You have the skills and experience on which you can develop knowledge that is more intricate and advanced. If you’ve built a motherboard, know a little bit of programming code, and can develop a running program, you and whomever you may be working with are in the Old Hand group. You are an Old Hand if you’ve ventured out from established software and hardware. If you are working with someone who falls into this category, you, as a group, are Computer Comfortable. Through this kind of experience, you have learned basic formulas and programming, and you effectively use these more advanced tools. A Computer Comfortable person entails experience with operating systems, office suites (Microsoft Office and G Suite, for example), presentation software, collaboration tools (Skype, Zoom, Hangouts, etc.), spreadsheets, and accounting software. Somewhere between the Newbie and the Old Hand are those who have computer skills above surfing the Internet, email, and basic word processing programs. Additionally, if you are working with someone (child, spouse, coworker, etc.) who falls in this category, you, as a group, are a Newbie. If Python, Scratch, Linux, and Unity are just words to you, then you are computer curious (aka – Newbie). You can use technology effectively but find yourself wondering how something runs and why it runs that way. Even if you have kept the technological advancements away from your kitchen, you know how to run the programs on your computer or play video games. You are comfortable with your smartphone, can program your DVR and television, and even know how to use smart appliances like a dishwasher or refrigerator. First, let’s figure out where you fit, and then we’ll discuss the next steps for that category. Often, the first steps are the hardest – where do I begin? What do I need? How can I make this happen? Do I have the support I need to find the answers to my questions? Raspberry Pi has everything you need to take your first foray, or advancement, into computer science.

Learning something new, especially something perceived as highly technical and advanced can be overwhelming. Even NASA, the International Space Station, and the UK Space Agency use Raspberry Pi to run applications and collect data. Private and public sectors use the economically friendly device for automation, research, and medical applications. Today, virtually every industry has developed a use for Raspberry Pi. Introduced in 2012, Raspberry Pi quickly exceeded its popularity and original mission – to promote and teach basic computer science. Raspberry Pi is a single-board computer developed in the United Kingdom.

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