Sunday 28 April 2013

The RaspberryPi index (similar to the Big Mac Index)

The other day I was thinking about the loss of local industry that has happened in Europe (and lots of other countries) and I realised that what we need is the RaspberryPI Index which would work in a similar way to the Big Mac Index

The RaspberryPI Index  would be the "cost of producing a RaspberryPI compatible device in a particular country or region".

This would be a great measure of how much technological industry would exist in a particular country (and help to find the gaps in the market/production-chain).

For example it is already possible to build RaspeberryPIs in the UK (in Wales actually), so what about Portugal? Would it even be possible to build it there? And how much would it cost?

We could also be measuring 'how much is actually built in a country' since ideally, apart from the raw materials, everything should be built locally.

So what would a 'RaspberryPI Compatible Device' would look like?

I think it would be a credit-card size board with:
  • CPU, Memory and Disk
  • Able to run Linux with a Graphical GUI
  • HDMI and video port
  • 2xUSB
  • Network port
  • Power point
  • GPIO (compatible to current PI)24 pins

I like the RaspeberryPI as 'measuring device', because it is a fully working computer, and something that local entrepreneurs should be able to easy create, customise and produce/buy.

I would like to see a high-street shop, filled with 3D printers and other tech gear, where custom 'RaspberryPI Compatible Devices' could be 'served' (ideally together with a good cup of coffee :)  ).

My only worry is that I think that (at the moment) not everything about the RaspeberryPI is open. Maybe something based on the Arduino would be better?