I was wondering if GHI will be doing anything with the Raspberry Pi? I know that GHI does not make this of course, but maybe GHI could do a port of NetMF and sell it or something. I could really use the speed and ram and other aspects of this board.
I know that if they could do something with this then it would help out the educational community here in the States!
Thanks,
Brian
Can you explain more on how this would help the educational community?
Why raspberry and not beagle bone for example?
Welcome to the community.
Pi dies have a bigger appeal than barebones. Very nice hardware for the price. Full beagleboard wit NETMF would be awesome though
I was just reading about it and they say data sheet for processor requires NDA!!! This is terribly bad for such product. There is nothing special about this board beside it is very very cheap. Am I missing something else?
I think this will be like beagle board and beagle bone, a very cool board that everyone will buy but most will not get anything useful out of it. I got these boards here collecting dust 
I think that’s basically the appeal plus its size.
My beagle hs a full Android SDK with high res capacitive touch screen and is still collecting dust. It wouldn’t with NETMF.
Gus between you and Ian that’s exactly the point of Pi small and cheap with nice features. If processor requires NDA that just means it couldnt be open source which isn’t always a deal breaker.
I agree that it is not really a good embedded board for NETMF. Besides, you can run Mono on it if you wanted to.
They will still sell millions of the things though… Why? Price and Mass Appeal.
Remember how the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 changed the world by bringing computers into millions of homes. They couldn’t do all that much but a regular family could own one, plug it into their TV and learn to compute. Same here… But the difference is the regular family will now be the billions of people in third world countries that will get a shot at it. If you live off $50 a month then computers don’t even cross your mind. This kind of thing may change all that.
A Cerberus with an RCA video output, email client and a Basic interpreter (for $20) might very well be able to accomplish something similar.
This thread reminds me of the e-mail I got yesterday:
[quote]Breakthroughs. Exhilarating, but rarely without hiccups. A few days ago, the Raspberry Pi Foundation announced a small manufacturing delay. A component in the Pi is being reinstalled. In the grand scheme it’s small potatoes - but we know it’s frustrating for Farnell element14 fans and customers.
You are one of the first people in the world who will get their hands on a Raspberry Pi Model B. Congratulations.
Farnell element14 will deliver your Pi to you within 10-15 days. Your order will come straight from the initial shipment.
Contrary to some imaginative rumours across the web, there will be no hike in the cost of your Pi. We just wouldn’t do things that way.[/quote]
w00t! 
Gus,
The appeal for me and others I think is that here in the States some schools are learning Pascal/C/C#. C# works for both desk top, web and micro programming. The big appeal would be the teacher would be using MS software, so no need to learn Linux.
I have worked in Data Networking in many schools. The one thing I see on a consistent basis is the lack of technical understanding these teachers have, sadly, most being women. They all seam to be there to teach, not to learn anything new. Like how to plug in a network cable! Therefore, learning Linux is out of the question for most.
The options on the Pi(B) are truly awsome. 700MHz, 256MB ram, SD card slot, HD Video, true graphics, HDMI output, 2 USB’s and Internet in one package. I find it hard to swallow to buy about $120 or so for 3 boards when everything I need is in one!!
I know GHI puts out great products, don’t get me wrong. But the first company to make a port of NetMF will get my money. I am hoping it is GHI!. Why? Because of the service I got when DIYBin never sent my products. Gus, I was the one that spoke to you about it. Don’t know if others did as well, but to be able to talk to someone that was willing to help really scores points with me.
Thanks,
Brian
Also, to some of you who are trying to shoot down the idea of a NetMF port, some of us don’t have unlimited budgets, or companies who buy the toys for us. I have to save for a long time to get anything!
@ bgracia - Let me see if I’m understanding your situation because I am also one who couldn’t think of a good reason to port NETMF to the Pi. You’re saying the advantage to educators is that you can teach software development for PCs & micros from the same device by simply swapping out firmware. Is that it? Or do you want to be able to run NETMF within a VM type environment within the PC OS? I can see where you’re going with this but I find it hard to believe that there are schools teaching computer science that don’t already have PCs. It’s going to be very difficult to be productive with any modern compiler on a machine that only has 256MB of RAM. I want to see a fit where this works but I’m just not there yet.
bgarcia
as I understand your position,you want GHI to port .net MF to the pi because female teachers can not plug in a network cable, you could not get product from a vendor, and you have no money.
I find your reasons compelling. sounds like a solid business case.
@ Mike obviously. I mean women outside of the kitchen…?!
Ok I’m sure here didn’t MEAN to be sexist. So let’s focus on the bits that made sense…um, hm.
Anyway I’d still like to see NETMF on the Pi. But then again I want to see it on everything.
I understand NETMF is perfect for education. We are already working with educators. My question is why that specific board? If you are using it for education then 700Mhz is not needed, right? FEZ Panda can do the job just fine.
I am only trying to understand so I can provide feedback to our developers.
Yep, NETMF on everything 
I personally believe this can be the future of embedded.
I agree except that I have a hard time calling the Pi an embedded board. It’s just a tiny PC motherboard to me…
Not if you see what GHI has planned for future
There you go again… 
Will this one be called the FEZ KitchenSink?
Gus you don’t need to understand, just get your money out and do what we tell you to…
And while you’re at it I want, yes I want to launch my own satellite to space with netmf, and I need about 100 sockets to control all of the existing satellites in space. When should I be able to do that? 
Don’t forget that you’ll need a tv or monitor with HDMI, and where I come from those are more expensive than most Android tablets…
I wonder how would one use the PI in school? Will you be required to bring your Tv with you? Or take turns to plug it in to a single tv in the class room, or are you thinking that the school will have to supply the tv to each student… In any case it’ll turn to be an expensive device to use…
Have I missed something…
Btw it is a cool device…
Jay.
Well you can get a HDMI → DVI adapter for less than $10 / 10€ so that’s not a problem.
(a bit off topic of the original post) Regarding your satellite wishes, .NET Gadgeteer is getting close:
[quote]ASTRA investigates new technologies for making low cost observations of the physical parameters of the atmosphere. We develop and test platforms capable of delivering scientific instruments to altitudes ranging from the planetary boundary layer (hundreds of meters) to the upper stratosphere (up to 50km).
The use of fleets of light, unmanned aircraft, makes extensive studies more affordable, even when payloads need to be delivered to extreme altitudes. It also enables applications where the deployment of manned aircraft is impractical, such as when observations need to be made in highly polluted environments (e.g., volcanic ash clouds) or extreme weather conditions.[/quote]
Link:
http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~astra/
&
http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~astra/dairy.html
Interior photo:
http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~astra/astraimages/gadget2m.jpg