How many times have we decided that it might be fun to try something new only to find that we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Well, for anyone who has had these thoughts about getting into computer programming, specifically Linux and/or Python, there are a vast number of ways to get started. The latest and greatest, however, is the Pi-Top [4] 1989-PT4GY1-ND kit with foundation, which is a Raspberry Pi driven CPU with a nice list of components to get you up and going in the computer programming universe.
Even though the Pi-Top [4] is an excellent place to start, if you havenβt used the Pi-Top products or Raspberry Pi products for that matter, you might find yourself under-equipped and maybe even a little discouraged. Have no fear! This post will fill in the gaps so that you can be on your way to Maker bliss in no time. Right out of the box, there are a few things that are going to be needed that are not listed or included with the Pi-Top kit. First, you will also need a keyboard and mouse with USB plugs in order to get around inside the Pi-Top and while it does come with an interactive LCD screen, just like any other Raspberry Pi device, a dedicated screen or monitor will be required. You will also need a cable to interface with said screen or monitor. There are a couple of different options for that. The newest monitors will have an HDMI port built-in so that you can use a standard HDMI cable like WM19091-ND:
Some of the older monitors donβt have this port. If you have one of the older ones, there are HDMI to DVI cables like 1175-1162-ND which should fit your needs:
After getting all set up with the right monitor and cables, the rest is as easy as (Raspberry) Pi. Just turn on the Pi-Top and the search portal opens up by default. With this, you can open up various apps that will be either for project discovery or for programming environments. The best of these options for those interested in learning python and Linux based programming will be βMuβ which is a basic programming environment and βpi-top Furtherβ which is a source for sample projects and code to help you hit the ground running.
If after reading through this, you still find yourself lost, let me know your questions by replying to this post.