Posted to the Fediverse yesterday. This is a stark warning about how technology can do what it wants, and how when we don't have access to the code that makes it work, we don't know what it is doing.

A good reason to support software freedom

• Amazon's Ring used to spy on customers

You are better off with a RaspberryPi and a Camera Module along with a suitable programming language such as Python and hacking your own.

We can perhaps discuss at a future STEM Group.

Tags

#Amazon#Ring,#Privacy,#Spying.#Alternative,#FreeSoftware,#Python,#RaspberryPi,#CameraModule,#Hardware,#Hacking

This years challenge launched on 22nd September.

Mission Zero offers young people the chance to have their code run in space! Write a simple program to take a reading from the colour and luminosity sensor on an Astro Pi computer on board the International Space Station, and use it to set the background colour in a personalised image for the astronauts to see as they go about their daily tasks.

Entries for Mission Zero 2022/23 are open from 22 September 2022 to 17 March 2023. 

Links

• AstroPi – Mission Zero

Tags

#AstroPi,#RaspberryPi,#ISS,#Coding,#STEM,#MissionZero,#CodeClub

The next Paignton Library code club is on 17th September. There will be the usual mix of coding, troubleshooting and discussions. I

We now have some of the Vodafone resources so will be sharing them if anyone is interested.

We still have a few printed resources, which will be binned if no one wants them. Simple fact is, we are running out of space.

Links

• Paignton Library
• Code Club
  • Projects and activities
  • Environment
  • Space Projects
  • Scratch
• E-safety * Vodafone digital parenting
  • Social media Checklist
• Online information
• Sense about Science
  • Sense about Science – peer review
• Supporting critical thinking and reliability online
• LateX Bibliographies

Tags

#CodeClub,#Information,#RaspberryPi,#Troubleshooting, #esafety,#misinformation,#SenseAboutScience,#Vodafone, #DigitalParenting,#StudySkills

Next session

• Next Week is the STEM Group meeting 10/9/2022
• Next Code Club is Saturday 17th September 2022.

Please contact Paignton Library for details and booking.

The next Paignton Library code club is on 3rd September. There will be the usual mix of coding, troubleshooting and discussions. I should have some e-safety resources too.

Links

• Paignton Library
• Code Club
  • Projects and activities
  • Environment
  • Space Projects
  • Scratch
• E-safety * Vodafone digital parenting
  • Social media Checklist
• Online information
• Sense about Science
  • Sense about Science – peer review
• Supporting critical thinking and reliability online

Tags

#CodeClub,#Information,#RaspberryPi,#Troubleshooting, #esafety,#misinformation,#SenseAboutScience,#Vodafone, #DigitalParenting

Next session

• Next Week is the STEM Group meeting 10/9/2022
• Next Code Club is Saturday 17th September 2022.

Please contact Paignton Library for details and booking.

So we had another quiet session today, with 4 young people, plus a parent, nevertheless it was productive. Time was initially split between looking for an iphone cable (could not find one), and also troubleshooting a Raspberry Pi, which seemed more successful.

There was also a discussion on e-safety, in terms of posting online and how this can have consequences later on, employers can do searches on applicants for example and also what to post, also a brief discussion on asking for evidence and finding proper, credible information on the internet, I did give peer review a brief mentiobn

It seems really beneficial to have conversations.

This has prompted me to dig out a few resources I have here at home. These are set to one side for the next session. I have also asked the library if they can send off for some copies of the Vodafone digital parenting resource.

We also have access to a tablet with the Lego WeDo software installed so if anyone is interested they can have a go at code club without having to bring along own devices. However attendees can, it really helps as you can store projects on your own device.

Links

• Paignton Library
• Code Club
  • Projects and activities
• Scratch
• E-safety * Vodafone digital parenting
  • Social media Checklist
• Online information
• Sense about Science
  • Sense about Science – peer review
• Supporting critical thinking and reliability online

Tags

#CodeClub,#Information,#RaspberryPi,#Troubleshooting, #esafety,#misinformation,#SenseAboutScience,#Vodafone, #DigitalParenting

Next session

• Next Code Club is Saturday 3th September 2022.

Please contact Paignton Library for details and booking.

The Raspberry Pi Jam is this week, Saturday 2nd October, 10-12 pm. This is half an hour earlier than it used to be back in pre-Covid times.

Just to remind you what happens:

It is a drop-in session as always so you can stay as long or short as you wish. Children over 8 years old can be left but parents are welcome to stay. There will be refreshments for which there is a voluntary contribution. Please bring your Raspberry Pi if you have one or any other tech/code project you are working on. If you don't have a Pi, don't worry, we have some to share.

We are still encouraging people to be Covid safe by wearing a mask.

Hope to see some of you there.

Best wishes

Matt Chamings

• Libraries Unlimited

#Tech,#Event,#RaspberryPi,#Jam,#Barnstaple,#Library

I am back at Code Club today, 2nd session since our return. If you are still not sure what Code Club is, then you have clearly being living in a cave since about 2012. Anyway, it is a coding club for children, generally 9-13 years of age.

The Paignton Club is a little more advanced, in that some of the attendees are working through a responsive web design course.

It would be really good to get MORE code clubs in Torbay, and in fact would be really nice if those clubs could collaborate, share expertise, maybe some resources.

Links

• Code Club
• Paignton Library
• Projects
• Advanced projects
• Stem ambassadors

Tags

#Coding,#Programming,#Scratch,#Python,#HTML,#CSS,#Python,#MicroBit,#RaspberryPi,#Lego,#FreeCodeCamp,#More

The Pi Wars competition has an online conference coming up on Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th of January. Tickets are free and there is a packed schedule of experts talking about a range of robot related topics. You don't need to sit through the entire weekend but can dip in and out when you have time. It should be really fun and informative.

Details from https://hopin.com/events/pi-wars-conference-2021

#RaspberryPi,#PiWars,#Conference,#Talks,#Robots,#

CEEFAX was a text based TV information service provided by the BBC back in the 80 to 90's. It may have started earlier, not sure.

Fast forward to 2020 and we have working version on the Raspberry Pi computer.

You can read more here.

I am in the process of testing this out. My Raspberry Pi is running Raspbian 9.4 so I am in the process of updating this. It seems the latest update to Raspbian is 9.9.

This may be a long process, so I will have to post an update to this tomorrow. But in the meantime you can read up more.

If I get it working, I will see if I can bring it to the next South Devon Tech Jam on the 14th March. It may be something to have along side the Retro Computing area we are going to be setting up.

• RaspberryPi
• South Devon Tech Jam

#bbc, #tv, #text, #information, #service, #raspberrypi, #computer, #southdevontechjam,#sdtj, #march

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