Raspberry Pi Forums

I ordered a Raspberry PI 3 B+ which should arrive in a few days. Even though the specs on the Asus Tinkerboard looks interesting, I am concerned about the over heating and lack of community support.

MaxK1 wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 22, 2018 12:01 pm

They totally underestimated/ignored the importance of community/support.

One aspect of Raspberry Pi is the longevity of software support for hardware. A related aspect is that the same software runs on all models. This kind of stability is important for schools where capital investments are expected to last decades and teachers need time to develop suitable lesson plans. The hobbyists and so-called makers also benefit. In particular, longevity gives time for a community to develop around a particular product.

Something similar happened a number of years ago with the Canon HV20 high-definition video camera. This camcorder was manufactured for many years with minor updates as the HV30 and HV40. The product's longevity and the fact that it was the first inexpensive high-definition camcorder that supported the 24 frames per second used in cinema allowed a community of amateur film makers to develope around this camera.

On the other hand, some manufacturers create incompatible products so quickly there is no time for a community to form around any one of them.