Just compare the clock speeds and the amount of RAM available. The raspberry pi 2 is a fast single board computer but is slow compared to a low level desktop.
Steve [email protected] On 8/25/2015 12:40 PM, King, Fred wrote: > Just curious--why do you think a low level desktop would be better than a > single board computer? My first thought is that there are more parts to go > wrong on a desktop--hard drives fail, power supplies die, etc. The Raspberry > Pi seems a lot less complicated, as long as you keep it away from the puppy. > I don't know how long it's expected to last, but I think it would be at least > as long as an inexpensive desktop. > > As for cloud, yes, that's a good alternative as well. Digital Ocean's least > expensive option is $5USD/month, which is pretty good. And it's a lot more > secure than a Micro SD card that's easy to swallow by mistake. (Not likely, > but stranger things have happened.) The downside is that you need constant, > reliable Internet access, which isn't always a sure thing. > > --Fred > > Fred King > Medical Librarian, MedStar Washington Hospital Center > [email protected] > 202-877-6670 > ORCID 0000-0001-5266-0279 > > It makes sense that children, whose brains are rapidly developing, should not > be hitting their heads over and over again. > Julie Stamm (www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_154239.html) > > Sometimes research is mostly documenting the obvious. > --Frazz > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Anthony Mao [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 8:59 AM > To: King, Fred > Cc: Koha > Subject: Re: [Koha] Raspberry Pi > > Hello Fred and friends, > > For a production site of Koha, there are choices among single board > computers including Raspberry Pi 2 Model B(February 2015). In terms > of financial consideration, I do not agree that single board computer > is better than low level desktop computer. In fact, install on the > cloud might even more cheaper and faster. As Fred mentioned, technical > expertise is the most expensive part of Koha. I use Live DVD/USB for > teaching purpose in the last 3 years. > > 2015-08-25 20:04 GMT+08:00 King, Fred <[email protected]>: >> I posted this to MEDLIB-L, the medical librarians' listserv, last Friday, >> and I'm reposting it to the Koha list in hopes that some of you may find it >> interesting. I thought about taking out some of the medical-library-related >> material and US references, but that would mean redoing most of the >> footnotes. Too complicated. >> >> Does anyone here use a Raspberry Pi as a Koha production server? It seems >> possible for a small library, but it looks so improbable. However, it's as >> much RAM and hard drive space as you'd get on one of Digital Ocean's >> lower-priced options. Is my mostly-pulled-out-of-the-air estimate of $75USD >> for an entire Koha system (just the hardware and software--technical >> expertise not included) accurate? Does everybody else already know about >> this and I'm doing the equivalent of exclaiming over the invention of the >> wheel? Comments invited. >> >> Cheers, >> >> Fred King >> Medical Librarian, MedStar Washington Hospital Center >> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> >> 202-877-6221 >> ORCID 0000-0001-5266-0279 >> >> Sometimes research is mostly documenting the obvious. >> --Frazz >> >> >> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ >> Disclaimer: I'm about to mention a few computer-related products, so I >> should probably say that I have no financial interest in any of them--I just >> think they're interesting. I do have an interest in seeing more libraries >> use Koha: the more users, the more people and money available to improve the >> system. And it should go without saying, though I will anyway, that I'm >> speaking only for myself, not my employer. >> >> Upon re-reading this, it does sound rather like an infomercial. Sorry--it >> didn't start out to be. If the idea offends you, please accept my apologies >> and hit the delete key. >> >> Furthermore: we've had about two weeks' share of off-topic banter in the >> past few days, and I've contributed more than my share. However, I wanted to >> write about this before it melts out of my aging brain like an ice cream >> cone on a hot day. Besides, as the rapper Tupat Zobutta said, "I'm on a roll >> this week." (1) >> >> On with the show: >> >> Has anyone here heard of/used the Raspberry Pi? I was at the Koha North >> America Users' Group meeting a couple of weeks ago, and someone passed one >> around for us to look at. It's a 900MHz quad-core computer with 1GB RAM, 4 >> usb ports, HDMI port, 100 MBS ethernet port, 3.5mm audio/composite video >> jack, Micro SD slot, and a few other features. >> >> Cost: $35.00. >> >> Naturally, me being a computer geek and all (2) I ordered one from a Large >> Online Retailer as soon as the session was over. I splurged and got the >> computer, a case, and a power supply (micro USB; it won't run off a standard >> computer USB port--not enough power) for $50.00. I also got a 32GB Micro SD >> card for a few dollars more. It supports a variety of Linux operating >> systems; I installed the one designed for the card (Raspbian). (You can >> also buy a card with the operating system already installed.) >> >> All of this comes from the Raspberry Pi Foundation (4), a UK-based >> educational charity. From their web site: "It is a capable little device >> that enables people of all ages to explore computing, and to learn how to >> program in languages like Scratch and Python. It's capable of doing >> everything you'd expect a desktop computer to do, from browsing the internet >> and playing high-definition video, to making spreadsheets, word-processing, >> and playing games." >> >> If you want to see a picture of mine, go to http://www.philobiblios.net/pi. >> I persuaded my cat to pose with it to give an idea of how big it is. (5) >> >> So, how does this fit in with medical libraries? Well, there may be some >> libraries here who are so flush with money that they don't need an >> inexpensive computer, but for the rest of us, I have some ideas. >> >> Presentations >> >> Anybody here give presentations, or lend out computers for >> doctors/nurses/teachers to do them? We have computers and projectors, but >> sometimes we run out. I installed Libre Office (6) on my Raspberry Pi and >> tried running my library orientation PowerPoint show on it. Libre Office can >> read pptx files, and it worked well. My presentation had full-screen photos, >> which displayed perfectly. The cockroach crawling across the screen didn't >> work perfectly, but I think that would be easy to fix. I haven't tried more >> complicated videos such as 4D ultrasound yet, but for simple files, it does >> the job. >> >> Or, if you want to set up a rotating slide show for an exhibit, a small >> computer is a lot easier to carry around--you can roll it up in your t-shirt >> sleeve. And if you drop it or it gets stolen, it's a lot cheaper to replace >> than a laptop. (Though unlike most laptops, it can't be fitted with a >> security cable.) >> >> Internet Demos >> >> You can get a wireless USB connector for around $10. Then plug in all the >> stuff and you're ready to go. >> >> ILS >> >> How about a complete library system--server and software--for under $75? (7) >> This sounds far-fetched even to me, but I've been assured that Koha will run >> on a Raspberry Pi. After all, I heard about it at a Koha conference. Koha is >> a free open-source ILS (8) that has been around since 1999, so it's >> well-established. We migrated our library to Koha two years ago and we're >> very happy with it. (8) We also like the price. (9) I'm not sure how an ILS >> running on a Raspberry Pi would work for a huge library with dozens of >> transactions every minute; I think it could handle the minimal requirements >> we put on our system. Our old system ran on a Pentium II with 256MB RAM, >> after all. >> >> It's not the best computer for everything, of course. For one thing, I don't >> think our IT staff would ever allow one on our hospital network, and it >> couldn't run some of the proprietary software we use. The box itself is >> minuscule, but you do have to attach a keyboard, HDMI cable (10), mouse, >> network cable, etc. Also, if you disconnect the power at an inopportune >> time, you risk the chance of corrupting data. If I were doing anything >> critical, I'd want LOTS of backups. (11) >> >> So what do you all think? Does something like this have a place to >> supplement computers in libraries, or did I have too much barbecued pork for >> dinner last night? >> >> Happy Friday, >> >> Fred >> >> >> (1) If you think I'm going to apologize for that, you are sadly mistaken. >> (2) You can tell because some of my teeth are chipped. That comes from >> biting the heads off disk drives. (3) >> (3) Speaking of jokes one has to be a certain age to understand, and >> sometimes not even then. >> (4) http://www.raspberrypi.org >> (5) Computers and cats. Talk about librarian click-bait! I hope my bandwidth >> can handle it. >> (6) Free open-source office software, including word processor, presentation >> maker, and spreadsheet. http://www.libreoffice.org >> (7) This is assuming you do all the setup and migration yourself. There are >> also companies that will do that for you. >> (8) http://www.koha-community.org >> (9) It's optional, but you are expected to give something back to the >> project if you can. That's why I bring up Koha at any opportunity. >> (10) Also works with other video connectors with the right adaptors. >> (11) You can download software that will make an exact clone of the SD card, >> so if one comes back from a field trip and it won't boot, just swap out >> cards and you're ready to go. >> >> >> >> >> MedStar Health is a not-for-profit, integrated healthcare delivery system, >> the largest in Maryland and the Washington, D.C., region. Nationally >> recognized for clinical quality in heart, orthopaedics, cancer and GI. >> IMPORTANT: This e-mail (including any attachments) may contain information >> that is private, confidential, or protected by attorney-client or other >> privilege. 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