Raspbian Linux OS Gets Major Update, Adds Bluetooth Support to Pi 3 (betanews.com)

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Raspbian Linux OS Gets Major Update, Adds Bluetooth Support to Pi 3 (betanews.com)

Posted by msmash on Friday May 13, 2016 @06:00AM from the tiny-computer-gets-better dept.

An anonymous reader writes: The Raspberry Pi 3 was launched with built-in chip for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support, however, software support for Bluetooth was lacking until now. The drivers were there, but today's update to the Raspbian Linux distribution adds much-needed GUI tools to help you establish Bluetooth connections. Another cool addition is a new backup tool. There are other improvements as well including the mouse settings, and the ability to empty the wastebasket through right-clicking as seen below (yes, seriously). There is even a new shutdown dialog, something even casual users should notice.Official blog post here.

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Will it stop slaughtering the SD card? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:03 · Score: 0

The Pi 2 kills my SD card routinely. Then I have to reformat it and put in a new one.
1. Re: Will it stop slaughtering the SD card? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 08:07 · Score: 0
  
  You are using a shitty power supply then.
2. Re: Will it stop slaughtering the SD card? by RabidReindeer · 2016-05-13 09:42 · Score: 1
  
  Or a crappy class 4 SD card.
3. Re: Will it stop slaughtering the SD card? by amiga3D · 2016-05-13 12:10 · Score: 1
  
  The most common cause is a weak or flaky power supply. MCM Electronics sells a nice 2.4 Amp supply for a 6 dollars.
  http://www.mcmelectronics.com/...
  I've got 6 of them and I've had zero power problems.
4. Re: Will it stop slaughtering the SD card? by ChewieJenkins · 2016-05-14 05:30 · Score: 1
  
  Make the os read only.
Nice! by 110010001000 · 2016-05-13 06:03 · Score: 0

Right click empty of the wastebasket? And they say innovation is dead!
1. Re:Nice! by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:36 · Score: 0
  
  No one said innovation is dead, it is just patented by Apple...
Wait, its a desktop with a desktop OS? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:11 · Score: 0

It has a recycle bin? I thought the RPI was a tiny little ARM computer that you could do embedded stuff with. Now it's got its own, distinct UI?
Maybe its the year of the Linux desktop.
1. Re:Wait, its a desktop with a desktop OS? by petermgreen · 2016-05-13 06:37 · Score: 1
  
  I thought the RPI was a tiny little ARM computer that you could do embedded stuff with.
  The aim was to be a computer that kids could treat as their own and experiment on.
  Plently of people used them to do embedded stuff with but that wasn't the primary goal.
  
  Now it's got its own, distinct UI?
  Yeah, stock LXDE carried them through the first few years but more recently they have decided to start customising things.
  
  --
  note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
2. Re:Wait, its a desktop with a desktop OS? by hughbar · 2016-05-13 20:18 · Score: 1
  
  Yes. I'm currently using a Pi 3 as my secondary computer, it's as fast as I need. The primary one is a box from a recycler bought in about 2007 running Linux Mint. All this Linux malarkey would be really beneficial to materials use, energy use and recycling if it reached the mainstream. The accelerated product cycles are now part of commerce rather than part of something 'useful'.
  
  --
  On y va, qui mal y pense!
So they launched a product without proper drivers by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:11 · Score: 0

Who the hell do they think they are, AMD?
Wrong summary by Kinwolf · 2016-05-13 06:12 · Score: 2, Insightful

After reading the summary, Raspberry Pi 3 gets no update at all, it's Raspbian OS that gets the update.
1. Re:Wrong summary by 110010001000 · 2016-05-13 06:18 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Well this isn't a tech site so most people won't understand the distinction.
2. Re:Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:19 · Score: 0
  
  After reading the summary, Raspberry Pi 3 gets no update at all, it's Raspbian OS that gets the update.
  Awe man. I was hoping for a gigabit ethernet port.
3. Re:Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:37 · Score: 1
  
  Well this isn't a tech site so most people won't understand the distinction.
  Heâ(TM)s right you know.
4. Re: Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:56 · Score: 1
  
  What kind of gigabit traffic are you planning on running through that micropower credit card sized computer?
  I mean, really?
5. Re:Wrong summary by sh00z · 2016-05-13 07:01 · Score: 1
  
  After reading the summary, Raspberry Pi 3 gets no update at all, it's Raspbian OS that gets the update.
  
  Well this isn't a tech site so most people won't understand the distinction.
  It also doesn't "add Bluetooth support." Support was already there; it just added the capability to make Bluetooth settings in the GUI.
6. Re: Wrong summary by nickittynickname · 2016-05-13 07:20 · Score: 1
  
  The pi can still do buffered reads on an SD card > than 12.5MB/s. So if you're doing file transfers it can benefit from gigabit ethernet.
7. Re: Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 07:20 · Score: 0
  
  A firewall or router maybe :P
8. Re:Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 07:30 · Score: 0
  
  what the fuck is wrong with you people who cannot type an apostrophe?
  He's.
9. Re: Wrong summary by Muad'Dave · 2016-05-13 07:37 · Score: 1
  
  My 1st gen RPi does a good job as a media center. Lots of I/O for that.
  
  --
  Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.
10. Re:Wrong summary by harrkev · 2016-05-13 07:43 · Score: 1
  
  After reading the summary, Raspberry Pi 3 gets no update at all, it's Raspbian OS that gets the update.
  Uhhhh. The Raspberry Pi 2 did get an update -- it is called the Pi 3. If they update the Pi 3, they will call it the Pi 4.
  The Pi 3 is actually pretty new. I only heard about it in February.
  Do you expect hardware updates every three months?
  
  --
  "-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
11. Re:Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 08:32 · Score: 0
  
  Well this isn't a tech site so most people won't understand the distinction.
  Heâ(TM)s right you know.
  what the fuck is wrong with you people who cannot type an apostrophe?
  He's.
  That was on purpose because I was trying to be funny. If I explain why, it'll just make me sad.
12. Re: Wrong summary by SimonTheSoundMan · 2016-05-13 09:15 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  The onboard Ethernet is via a USB to Ethernet controller which also works as a USB hub. Limited to not just USB 2 speeds, but also controlled by the CPU in software to do the networking. Plug in a USB hard drive, if that's in use your Ethernet slows down. The CPU only has one USB I/O.
13. Re: Wrong summary by amiga3D · 2016-05-13 12:13 · Score: 1
  
  Given it's limitations I'm constantly amazed at what it can do.
14. Re: Wrong summary by amiga3D · 2016-05-13 12:15 · Score: 1
  
  I used an original B model for 2 years running XBMC. I moved on to a Pi 2 and relegated the old B model to surveillance cam duty.
15. Re:Wrong summary by amiga3D · 2016-05-13 12:16 · Score: 1
  
  Actually they're supposed to have the new Pi Zero out now. It supposedly has some new feature but I haven't heard what.
16. Re:Wrong summary by harrkev · 2016-05-13 13:23 · Score: 1
  
  The Pi 0 has been "out" for a while (although supplies are very limited, if you can find one in stock).
  It is essentially the processor on a board that looks kind of like a memory module. It is intended to be embedded into other things. All it has is HDMI, one USB port, and the micro-SD card slot. No networking at all.
  https://thepihut.com/products/...
  
  --
  "-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
17. Re:Wrong summary by MillionthMonkey · 2016-05-13 14:19 · Score: 1
  
  The whole shtick with the Pi Zero is that it costs $5. But so few were made that they can only be found for $20, which defeats the purpose.
18. Re:Wrong summary by harrkev · 2016-05-13 14:52 · Score: 1
  
  Ebon severely underestimated the demand. Supposedly production is being ramped up.
  
  --
  "-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
19. Re:Wrong summary by amiga3D · 2016-05-13 14:58 · Score: 1
  
  Well it was out but they ran out and haven't made any in a while. Supposedly they added something to it when they restarted production but I don't know what the new feature is.
20. Re:Wrong summary by MillionthMonkey · 2016-05-13 15:36 · Score: 1
  
  It sounds like it would make a good bomb part. Blowing Gus Fring's face off would be a fun way to learn Python programming.
21. Re:Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 19:16 · Score: 0
  
  It's Eben btw, and 250k Zero's have been manufactured and are just about to hit the shelves.
22. Re:Wrong summary by allo · 2016-05-13 22:02 · Score: 1
  
  Read 10 Things, which make you sad on slashdot. Number 5 will make you cry.
23. Re:Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-14 02:17 · Score: 0
  
  > Actually they're supposed to have the new Pi Zero out now. It supposedly has some new feature but I haven't heard what.
  No calories?
Say whaaaaat??!! by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:18 · Score: 0, Informative

Raspberry Pi 3 can't get updates, LOL. The story is about Raspbian, the Debian-based OS for Raspberry Pi. Here's the official announcement https://www.raspberrypi.org/bl... from where betanews "borrowed" the images and text in the exact same format :/ Note to the editor: if you want to write something, at least make it a little bit different than the official post.
1. Re:Say whaaaaat??!! by petermgreen · 2016-05-13 06:41 · Score: 1
  
  To be really pedantic it's about the stuff the raspberry pi foundation build on top of raspbian.
  
  --
  note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
Not News by birukun · 2016-05-13 06:25 · Score: 2

Been using Ubuntu Mate with Bluetooth for my keyboard since I got it months ago.
In other 'news' - Windows 10 can be downloaded for free.......

--
Self Defense - A Human Right www.a-human-right.com
1. Re:Not News by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:41 · Score: 0
  
  Windows 10 can be downloaded for "free"... only if you qualify for an upgrade... and only until July or something.
2. Re:Not News by KiloByte · 2016-05-13 07:07 · Score: 1
  
  The "Insider Preview" that was free is no more. Already activated installations keep working, but you can't install new ones.
  
  --
  The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
3. Re:Not News by RabidReindeer · 2016-05-13 09:44 · Score: 1
  
  Free. Is that what you soul is worth as it sails up to Redmond's data collectors?
4. Re:Not News by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 10:33 · Score: 0
  
  Ooh, I'm liking that spin on the classic "Linux is only free if your time is worthless". Windows might not be a colossal time sink in most situations, but it does siphon away all your personal information, details, preferences, habits...
  With that in mind, I now present:
  Windows is only free if your life is worthless
5. Re:Not News by F.Ultra · 2016-05-13 11:30 · Score: 1
  
  Windows might not be a colossal time sink in most situations
  Since when?
6. Re:Not News by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 13:48 · Score: 0
  
  With all the swapping my, SD card burnt up :(
Eh? "Long"? by wonkey_monkey · 2016-05-13 06:38 · Score: 1

Long explains the refreshingly simplistic "SD Card Copier".
"Long"?
Hey, editors, try reading what gets submitted to make sure context has not been lost.

--
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
1. Re:Eh? "Long"? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:54 · Score: 0
  
  Well manishs, our new mod, is a former Beta News editor, so he had to feature a crappy story from his former site, meanwhile the submissions queue has a bunch of cool stories... check alexa and see Slashdot take a nose dive in rankings after this new guy was hired
2. Re:Eh? "Long"? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 08:31 · Score: 0
  
  "Simon Long, UX Engineer"
  Editor did their job, PEBCAK on your end.
3. Re:Eh? "Long"? by wonkey_monkey · 2016-05-13 11:46 · Score: 1
  
  No. The original version of the summary included what I quoted above, but did not include the bit that established who "Long" is.
  The summary has since been fixed by removing any mention of Long.
  Editor eventually did their job, leaping-to-conclusions on your end.
  
  --
  systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
Where is the 64-bit kernel? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:40 · Score: 0

*crickets*
1. Re:Where is the 64-bit kernel? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:59 · Score: 0
  
  Is the ARM CPU that it's based off 64-bit? I thought it was all 32-bit, which is what helped it stay within the $35 price point. Your RAM tops off at 2GB, and other things as well
2. Re: Where is the 64-bit kernel? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 07:03 · Score: 0
  
  Screw that! A 128 bit kernel would be even better!
3. Re:Where is the 64-bit kernel? by KiloByte · 2016-05-13 07:11 · Score: 1
  
  Only experimental ones, but here.
  
  --
  The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
4. Re:Where is the 64-bit kernel? by petermgreen · 2016-05-13 07:39 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  To clarify
  The arm cores on the Raspberry Pi 3 are 64-bit capable (it's a quad-core A53 cluster).
  The core bus system and memory controller are limited to 1GB (it uses the upper bits as flags).
  By default the firmware starts the arm cores in 32-bit mode. There is an option in config.txt to change this.
  There is a small peice of arm-side init code that normally runs after the firmware brings the arm out of reset but before the kernel loads. This is 32-bit only but can be disabled by options in config.txt.
  Community members have got a 64-bit kernel and u-boot working (u-boot replaces the functionality that was provided by the arm-side init code). AIUI it's still pretty experimental though.
  
  --
  note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
5. Re:Where is the 64-bit kernel? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 11:10 · Score: 0
  
  It doesn't work. Broadcom's video driver is a binary blob, and they have not made a 64-bit one.
6. Re:Where is the 64-bit kernel? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 19:12 · Score: 0
  
  Idiot, The binary blob runs of the videcore which is 32 bit.
7. Re:Where is the 64-bit kernel? by petermgreen · 2016-05-17 22:26 · Score: 1
  
  The VPU code is a blob but the arm-side code is open.
  However there is indeed an issue, communication between the driver in the kernel and the VPU is broken with the current experimental 64-bit kernels because the system assumes a kernel pointer can fit in 32 bits. It's probablly possible to fix this from the arm side with some tricks though.
  
  --
  note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
pedant idiot by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:56 · Score: 0

To be really pedantic it's about the stuff the raspberry pi foundation build on top of raspbian.
pedant fails to realize that raspberry pi foundation built raspbian on top of debian
1. Re:pedant idiot by petermgreen · 2016-05-13 07:18 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  No, Mike and I built Raspbian. The raspberry pi foundation then built their images from raspbian packages and their own customisations on top (just as prior to raspbian they had built images from Debian with their own customisations on top). Gradually the volume of customisations they apply has increased.
  This article is entirely about customisations they apply on top of raspbian.
  
  --
  note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
Re:IOT Bandwagon by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 06:59 · Score: 0

meh, I use mine as a simple homelab running a webserver, mysql, openvpn, and owncloud.
I'd like a 64-bit OS by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 07:08 · Score: 0

I'm disappointed that they still don't have a 64-bit build to take advantage of the new 64-bit ARM processor in the RPi 3.
1. Re:I'd like a 64-bit OS by nvm_my_comment · 2016-05-13 07:33 · Score: 1
  
  I also hope this is in their future plan, but rebuilding all package for 64bit will propably take a while.
2. Re:I'd like a 64-bit OS by Daemonik · 2016-05-13 07:43 · Score: 2
  
  Since the Pi3 only has 1GB of RAM on board, you don't really get a lot of benefit having a 64-bit kernel.
3. Re:I'd like a 64-bit OS by nickovs · 2016-05-13 08:26 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Actually you get quite a bit of advantage. The instruction set for 64 bit mode is quite a bit more efficient even when you're not doing 64 bit arithmetic, not least because there are twice as many registers. Code that can be optimised using the SIMD instructions also gets twice as many SIMD registers, which can make a big difference for many graphics, signal processing and mathematical tasks. Most floating point code will be more efficient in 64 bit mode too.
  Furthermore the 64 bit address space is useful even with only 1GB of RAM since it allows you to mmap files that are bigger than 4GB. Programs like MongoDB mmap their database files and when running on 32 bit processors MongoDB actually limits processes to a total of 2GB of data in the database, irrespective of how small the working set is. With a 64 bit address space the limit goes from below typical storage sizes to far beyond any plausible storage you'll ever connect to a Pi.
  
  --
  If intelligent life is too complex to evolve on its own, who designed God?
4. Re:I'd like a 64-bit OS by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 08:41 · Score: 0
  
  Since the Pi3 only has 1GB of RAM on board, you don't really get a lot of benefit having a 64-bit kernel.
  The RAM issue might or might not be important depending on your specific configuration. For example, if you're not running a desktop, then there might be plenty of RAM available any to accommodate the increase in 64-bit code size. There are also small-footprint desktops for which 1GB is more than enough RAM.
  Embedded applications rarely need any desktop running at all -- and embedded applications are a very significant use case for the RPi. (For my own embedded projects, 1GB of RAM is an extravagantly huge amount of RAM that I would never have believed possible at the $35 price point even just 5 years ago.)
  I'm also very interested in the speed up of the code caused by the fact that the 64-bit processor has twice the number of registers.
  When you make a statement like "you don't really get a lot of benefit having a 64-bit kernel", you're making a statement that's true for some, but definitely false for others. I believe that embedded applications are a popular enough use case for the RPi to make a 64-bit kernel a worthwhile project.
5. Re:I'd like a 64-bit OS by Xtifr · 2016-05-13 10:02 · Score: 1
  
  The Debian ARM64 port is very new. When it was initially released, it was still missing several key components, including Mono, libvp8 (which means no node.js), Go, and Rust. Debian unstable is a little better, but still has a number of missing packages that simply don't build or don't run properly on ARM64 yet.
  As for faster instruction execution, that's nice, as long as the larger pointer size doesn't cause more cache misses. Which in turn, depends on the sort of data structures your code uses. Vectors and arrays are probably fine; lists and trees may be more problematic.
  Bottom line, it's not as bad as OP claimed, but not quite as rosy as you paint it. I'd certainly like to see a 64-bit option, but I'm willing to be patient for a bit while they work out more kinks. Heck ARM64 support in gcc itself is still fairly new; I'm not sure how good the optimization is yet. Probably still has some catching up to do, compared to widely-used architectures like x86-64.
6. Re:I'd like a 64-bit OS by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 11:17 · Score: 0
  
  Are you kidding? Here are two arm64 boards that run 64-bit debian:
  http://www.96boards.org/products/ce/hikey/
  http://www.96boards.org/products/ce/dragonboard410c/
  The amount of bullshit that's posted up as facts here is staggering.
7. Re:I'd like a 64-bit OS by amiga3D · 2016-05-13 12:56 · Score: 1
  
  The fact that they run 64 bit doesn't mean it's all rosy. I remeber back when x86 went 64 bit it was quite a while before you could tell any real difference.
8. Re:I'd like a 64-bit OS by Xtifr · 2016-05-13 13:00 · Score: 1
  
  Yes, Debian ARM64 has already been released. That's why I said "when it was initially released." It's hard for something to have had its initial release if it hasn't been released. However, it still doesn't have all the packages that are available for most of its supported platforms. It's somewhere in the 96-98% range, last I checked. Plenty for embedded systems, but perhaps not ideal for a general purpose educational system.
  For that matter, there's probably a version of Debian ARM64 available for the Pi. There's several OSes available for the Pi. However, the fact that Debian ARM64 is still not 100% may be part of the reason that Raspian isn't yet 64-bit. Or it may be because they want one distribution that will work on both older and newer Pis. I dunno. Just saying, it's not 100% yet.
9. Re:I'd like a 64-bit OS by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2016-05-13 14:09 · Score: 1
  
  As for faster instruction execution, that's nice, as long as the larger pointer size doesn't cause more cache misses. Which in turn, depends on the sort of data structures your code uses. Vectors and arrays are probably fine; lists and trees may be more problematic.
  It helps if the language implementation is not so stupid as to store unencoded pointers on the heap when there's the option of storing them more efficiently. (Assuming the language itself isn't so stupid that it's the only thing it allows, as is the sad case of C. Then your only option is, e.g., jumping through hoops with DataDraw and the like.)
  
  --
  Ezekiel 23:20
10. Re:I'd like a 64-bit OS by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 15:09 · Score: 0
  
  Others have already commented, but there's one benefit that I find particularly appealing - ASLR.
  Sure. ASLR is a hacky solution to shitty software with buffer overrun issues, but it's another layer in the onion There's only so much randomization you can do in a 32-bit address space. Once you're in 64-bit territory the space may as well be infinite. Since my Pi is connected to the Internet I'd really like that extra layer in the onion. Since many Pis are destined for "IoT" applications it would be best to have it.
Raspberry Pi Deserves More Memory by BrendaEM · 2016-05-13 09:32 · Score: 1

The ODROID-C2 seems like a better machine.
I still want a RTC. I like having computers that can operate without being attached to the internet's apron strings. I once had a near nightmare situation whereas the clock was wrong on a computer that was sync'ing files. Never again.
I've been wanting a Raspberry Pi class device, but as much as I want one, I don't need one...I think.

--
https://www.youtube.com/c/BrendaEM
1. Re:Raspberry Pi Deserves More Memory by RabidReindeer · 2016-05-13 09:47 · Score: 1
  
  If your clock is wrong while syncing files, I can only assume that you don't have the NTP daemon running, since you evidently had enough network connectivity to transfer large amounts of data.
  If you're completely off the net, I think there's a GPS add-on that will pull atomic time down from the satellites.
2. Re:Raspberry Pi Deserves More Memory by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 10:18 · Score: 0
  
  Sounds like the ODRIUD-C2 is calling for you to get him
3. Re:Raspberry Pi Deserves More Memory by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 10:19 · Score: 0
  
  "ODRIUD-C2"
4. Re:Raspberry Pi Deserves More Memory by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 10:35 · Score: 0
  
  since you evidently had enough network connectivity to transfer large amounts of data.
  only computers on the internet have data in them, it all gets erased when you disconnect the network
5. Re:Raspberry Pi Deserves More Memory by amiga3D · 2016-05-13 12:58 · Score: 1
  
  laugh now, that day is coming. Information is power and you better know they wish they'd never let the computer age happen the way it did.
6. Re:Raspberry Pi Deserves More Memory by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-13 23:06 · Score: 0
  
  How do you sync data without a network connection? I suppose there may be some circumstances that may involve syncing data locally that require the computer to have the correct time, but it is much more likely that you'd be syncing data across a network between computers.
  No-one said the computers had to have an internet connection, a solution was given for the case when there isn't one. But so long as you have a network, you can run an ntp server on one computer and ntp clients on the rest and at the very least, all your computers will have the time in sync, even if it isn't correct.
Oversold BUGFIX by redelm · 2016-05-13 12:08 · Score: 1

Look, I like Rasbian and have run it since my first Raspberry 2+ years ago. But I had unexpected grief with the RPi3 -- I have an RPi2 that was up and running for months (I use a lipstick charger for UPS) and it takes all sorts of USB wifi dongles automagically. So I figure no trouble for the 3.
WRONG! No end of grief, nevermind the obscure pkg imports to wheezy and BRANCH=next kernel upgrades. Wifi would NOT work. Only when I did a fresh install of jessie was it seamless. This 73 MB apt-get didn't do much -- got me from 4.4.6-v7+ to .9 . Nothing like jessie to xenial or epiphany64 or java[script]64.
The image route may just be a stealth upgrade to jessie for most. Bury the wheezy bugs.
1. Re:Oversold BUGFIX by MillionthMonkey · 2016-05-13 15:45 · Score: 1
  
  If you're using the same power supply, make sure it can supply 2.5 amps. The 3 uses more power than the 2.
2. Re:Oversold BUGFIX by redelm · 2016-05-14 02:07 · Score: 1
  
  Yes, power matters. More for the BCM USB/eth[wifi/bt] than the CPU (I had one stable at 3.8V), one reason to prefer the A+ and now Zero unless you need the SMP/RAM.
  I did quite some experimentation to find a lipstick [18650 bat] charger that worked as UPS. Cables also matter--I use short and fat with 0.4ohm loop loss. A cute little LED voltage readout wired to the GPIO shows 4.80V at idle, 4.72 when loaded. But when new software (non-crippleware) fixes a problem, then how can you say it was hardware fault?
3. Re:Oversold BUGFIX by MillionthMonkey · 2016-05-14 08:46 · Score: 1
  
  But when new software (non-crippleware) fixes a problem, then how can you say it was hardware fault?
  With software, a prior version may have put load on the CPU that was optimized away by a better algorithm. I'd try a benchmark with the same code on both 2 and 3, computing pi or something, and see what happens with the power. (They will both throttle the CPU if if it gets too hot, so use a heat sink.)
British computing by MillionthMonkey · 2016-05-13 15:27 · Score: 1

You wouldn't believe what's ben happening with British computers. They have come a long way in the past 30 years. My last British computer was a ZX81 (pronounced "zed-ex-eighty-one"), and now this Raspberry Pi literally has a million times as much RAM. (OK, only 65536 times as much, because I had the 16K cartridge.) You don't need the tape cassette recorder as persistent storage anymore; it uses a microSD card. And yeah, it comes with a wastebasket. With the ZX81 you needed to provide your own wastebasket.
British computers are great for teaching kids to program. The Raspberry Pi pushes Python for development, but the ZX81 taught you BASIC. Then it taught you that you can actually read a BASIC program faster than a ZX81 can run it. As a result, the third thing you learned was Z80 assembly.
Both computers came with huge, detailed manuals. The British are really good at manuals- they're written in perfect English.
Re: Woohoo! by Anonymous Coward · 2016-05-14 02:09 · Score: 0

X11 is the desktop Linux killer.
Insistence on using that crufty old crap has led to a variety of quirky and inconsistent GUIs that can't compete with Windows and OS X, all because "network transparency" is supposedly some panacea that isn't worth giving up. Almost no one needs it.
Unfortunately no alternative has emerged as a clear winner. Wayland is still not done. The landscape is littered with the bodies of projects that tried to replace X11.
Not fully thought out by Mr_Silver · 2016-05-17 07:37 · Score: 1

If a wpa_supplicant.conf file is placed into the /boot/ directory, this will be moved to the /etc/wpa_supplicant/ directory the next time the system is booted, overwriting the network settings; this allows a Wifi configuration to be preloaded onto a card from a Windows or other machine that can only see the boot partition.
For people running Windows, there is no /boot/ directory, it's the root of the microSD card. That would have been useful to state.
Secondly it's a shame this isn't documented in a file on the microSD after you've done the image.
Thirdly and even more annoying, is that there is no sample wpa_supplicant.conf file ready for you to modify and rename.
It's a great idea - pity that wasn't fully thought through :(

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