This is pure misinformation, I have a RPi with an up to date OS and adequate power supply and it works just fine.
I have used several keyboards and mice (wired, wireless) and never had a problem with USB.
Ethernet has never dropped out - ever. The only real issues I've had are with SD card corruption when overclocking - taught me a bunch about repairing filesystems, data recovery and importance of backups.
It's currently plugged into my TV running XBMC which it does adequately, it can be a bit sluggish but is still the best source I have for streaming HD content.
I also use it for MAME and the the kids use it to play Minecraft which we've had fun programming in python using the API.
Both me and the kids have learned more about Linux and general computing than we would have done without it, so I'd say they are meeting their goals for education even if 40yr old geeks weren't their intended audience.
If it doesn't meet your needs, buy something more powerful/expensive but I'm pretty sure you may have to put some effort in to configure it for your needs, it doesn't sound like you have the mindset for that. Even my 8 year old now understands that there are limitations to a particular devices capabilities and accepts it rather than being a whiny brat like yourself.
I'm quite happy with mine and intend to buy more for use as printserver for my RepRap, security cameras, greenhouse environmental control etc...
I built a similar unit with a co-worker, inspired by the 'hacculus rift' in the link from TFA, instead of the expense of sourcing a display panel, we opted to use a nexus 7 mounted in a cardboard enclosure with a pair of loupe lenses (50mm aspherical), total cost about £30 (+ a nexus). It works really well! Initially I experimented with stereo pair photos to get the viewer setup properly, there's a wealth of images online - mostly Victorian England and Japanese pron. We moved on to a Unity app, using the gyro for head tracking. The whole thing can be velcro'd to a pair of ski goggles - OK so it's a bit heavy and a little laggy but it feels totally immersive and gives us a platform to experiment with creating experiences whilst waiting for the Occulus Rift.
I say stick with it, do a few basic tutorials to get the hang of manipulating stuff. I made the decision to knuckle down and learn it about two weeks ago as I'm doing some games stuff in Unity and need to create some animated characters. The learning curve for Blender is initially pretty steep but once you've got the hang of the interface it seems a lot less daunting (leaving you on a plateau surrounded by many steep peaks!)
In a nutshell - use numberpad for view manipulation, ABC for selections, tab to switch object/vertex edit mode, RSG for rotate, scale and er.. go (translate)? Get used to these basic and you're well on your way.
I've already managed to model, IK rig and animate a few simple characters. Crappy quality due to my skills but they are getting better with each iteration.
My 3D grounding was also with POV-Ray cira 1990, it's remarkable what is possible with Blender today.
Maybe because it's plain wrong? History isn't stored with the PSD, nor is there an option to so thankfully. I often deal with files from designers that have dozens of layers and open up to 2GB, I don't need any more cruft!
Maybe he was thinking of SkySails. Massive kites attached to cargo ships
Or, yeah, solar cells. Massively increased efficiencies for solar have been promised to be 2 years away for like the last 10 years...
Until Amazon are the only retailer and then they can start to make demands to force publishers to reduce prices. See also the current fight over milk prices in the UK. The big supermarkets are abusing their virtual monopolies to force farmers to sell milk for less than it cost them to produce, driving farmers out of business. Clearly unsustainable.
Publishers profits from the 50Shades and HarryPotters are used to support and nurture titles/authors that are only marginally profitable or even unprofitable but culturally important. It's what gives us choice on the booksellers shelves, at least until they are all squashed and you can only buy from Amazon.
Treating all books as pure commodity will lead to the only authors able to make a living are those aiming for the mass market and you will only be able to buy 50 Shades of Grey - sensationalist crap that barely qualifies as writing.
This made me laff as it's not so far from what I knew as a computer when I was 7. Dad brought a computer home in the car. A COMPUTER THAT FIT IN THE BOOT OF A CAR! We were amazed. Dad not impressed when I punched a few extra holes for him. At least I always had loads of green stripey drawing paper. 5 Years later we got a ZX Spectrum and it was games all the way.
Get the kid a Raspberry Pi, the Raspbian OS is being actively developed and is improving steadily. It is not ready for everyone, and not so simple for kids CURRENTLY, but the ambition is to get kids interested in code and hardware and I'm sure they'll get there.
I've seen a similar approach used in on-demand TV (was on ITV.com IIRC). On attempting to skip an ad break a Quiz question came up - "Which of these services do (advertiser you are trying to skip) offer?" Get the right answer and you skipped the ad break and the advertiser gets confirmation that their ads are working. Get it wrong and you are forced to endure a further 3 mins of MIND CONTROL.
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This is pure misinformation, I have a RPi with an up to date OS and adequate power supply and it works just fine. I have used several keyboards and mice (wired, wireless) and never had a problem with USB.
Ethernet has never dropped out - ever. The only real issues I've had are with SD card corruption when overclocking - taught me a bunch about repairing filesystems, data recovery and importance of backups.
It's currently plugged into my TV running XBMC which it does adequately, it can be a bit sluggish but is still the best source I have for streaming HD content.
I also use it for MAME and the the kids use it to play Minecraft which we've had fun programming in python using the API.
Both me and the kids have learned more about Linux and general computing than we would have done without it, so I'd say they are meeting their goals for education even if 40yr old geeks weren't their intended audience.
If it doesn't meet your needs, buy something more powerful/expensive but I'm pretty sure you may have to put some effort in to configure it for your needs, it doesn't sound like you have the mindset for that. Even my 8 year old now understands that there are limitations to a particular devices capabilities and accepts it rather than being a whiny brat like yourself.
I'm quite happy with mine and intend to buy more for use as printserver for my RepRap, security cameras, greenhouse environmental control etc...
68 is not very many? http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/3686
I built a similar unit with a co-worker, inspired by the 'hacculus rift' in the link from TFA, instead of the expense of sourcing a display panel, we opted to use a nexus 7 mounted in a cardboard enclosure with a pair of loupe lenses (50mm aspherical), total cost about £30 (+ a nexus). It works really well!
Initially I experimented with stereo pair photos to get the viewer setup properly, there's a wealth of images online - mostly Victorian England and Japanese pron. We moved on to a Unity app, using the gyro for head tracking. The whole thing can be velcro'd to a pair of ski goggles - OK so it's a bit heavy and a little laggy but it feels totally immersive and gives us a platform to experiment with creating experiences whilst waiting for the Occulus Rift.
I say stick with it, do a few basic tutorials to get the hang of manipulating stuff. I made the decision to knuckle down and learn it about two weeks ago as I'm doing some games stuff in Unity and need to create some animated characters. The learning curve for Blender is initially pretty steep but once you've got the hang of the interface it seems a lot less daunting (leaving you on a plateau surrounded by many steep peaks!)
In a nutshell - use numberpad for view manipulation, ABC for selections, tab to switch object/vertex edit mode, RSG for rotate, scale and er.. go (translate)? Get used to these basic and you're well on your way.
I've already managed to model, IK rig and animate a few simple characters. Crappy quality due to my skills but they are getting better with each iteration.
My 3D grounding was also with POV-Ray cira 1990, it's remarkable what is possible with Blender today.
Maybe because it's plain wrong? History isn't stored with the PSD, nor is there an option to so thankfully. I often deal with files from designers that have dozens of layers and open up to 2GB, I don't need any more cruft!
Maybe he was thinking of SkySails. Massive kites attached to cargo ships
Or, yeah, solar cells. Massively increased efficiencies for solar have been promised to be 2 years away for like the last 10 years...
Yes, everyone appears to be oblivious to it!
But affect the publishers ? It shouldn't.
Until Amazon are the only retailer and then they can start to make demands to force publishers to reduce prices. See also the current fight over milk prices in the UK. The big supermarkets are abusing their virtual monopolies to force farmers to sell milk for less than it cost them to produce, driving farmers out of business. Clearly unsustainable.
Publishers profits from the 50Shades and HarryPotters are used to support and nurture titles/authors that are only marginally profitable or even unprofitable but culturally important. It's what gives us choice on the booksellers shelves, at least until they are all squashed and you can only buy from Amazon.
Treating all books as pure commodity will lead to the only authors able to make a living are those aiming for the mass market and you will only be able to buy 50 Shades of Grey - sensationalist crap that barely qualifies as writing.
This made me laff as it's not so far from what I knew as a computer when I was 7. Dad brought a computer home in the car. A COMPUTER THAT FIT IN THE BOOT OF A CAR! We were amazed. Dad not impressed when I punched a few extra holes for him. At least I always had loads of green stripey drawing paper. 5 Years later we got a ZX Spectrum and it was games all the way. Get the kid a Raspberry Pi, the Raspbian OS is being actively developed and is improving steadily. It is not ready for everyone, and not so simple for kids CURRENTLY, but the ambition is to get kids interested in code and hardware and I'm sure they'll get there.
I've seen a similar approach used in on-demand TV (was on ITV.com IIRC). On attempting to skip an ad break a Quiz question came up - "Which of these services do (advertiser you are trying to skip) offer?" Get the right answer and you skipped the ad break and the advertiser gets confirmation that their ads are working. Get it wrong and you are forced to endure a further 3 mins of MIND CONTROL.