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.
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.
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!
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.
That said, I basically agree.
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.
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.
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.
>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.
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).
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.
Straw men, straw men everywhere!
"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.
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).
