12
Debian on beagle bone black, basics? (lemmy.world)
submitted 8 months ago by half_built_pyramids@lemmy.world to c/linux@lemmy.world
6 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Messing around with Linux for the first time in a bbb.

I've learned things like ls -1al, those types of basics.

I'm getting the picture that Debian for the bbb is kind of bare bones, no pun intended. Is that right?

I'm interested in some bigger picture basics like that. Any suggestions for resources?

top 6 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] tal@lemmy.today 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I'm getting the picture that Debian for the bbb is kind of bare bones, no pun intended. Is that right?

I mean, I wouldn't say that.

Debian has various "sets" of packages that you can install, and you can omit things like a desktop environment if you want. It doesn't have a particularly small package repository.

There are "small" distros out there. OpenWRT targets consumer broadband routers, which have limited memory and storage capacity, for example.

If you want a way to characterize Debian...hmm.

Well, l'd say that they've got more of an ideological free-software bent than most distros, require users to enable non-free repos.

Debian is notable for being, in 2024, the biggest "parent" distro. Most Linux distros are derived from some other distros. Today, there are two particularly large "family trees", Red Hat and Debian, with Debian being at the root of the largest tree.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Linux_Distribution_Timeline.svg

So a large chunk of Linux distros out there take Debian and then modify it in some way to make their own.

It's been around for a very long time, as Linux distros go.

It doesn't have a company running it the way Ubuntu or Red Hat do.

It does major releases of stable about every two years, which is less-frequent then most distros I've used, more comparable to, say, Ubuntu Long Term Support releases.

Maybe less of a focus on ease-of-use for new users.

[-] half_built_pyramids@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago

Gotcha, thanks. Seems odd like this one is stripped down, so it can fit on emmc, and it's still 3 gigs

[-] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 2 points 8 months ago

What are you interested in doing with the Beaglebone Black? Without that, not sure how to answer. If you're just looking into learning *nix command line stuff, then there are a lot of tutorials out there.

[-] half_built_pyramids@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

Trying to get some libraries working, like python pwm.

[-] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 2 points 8 months ago

Hopefully someone will answer with more experience. I was under the understanding that the Beaglebone images had pwm already installed and configured. The python looks pretty straightforward.

[-] half_built_pyramids@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

So, turns out, the pins aren't static anymore and are described by their file descriptors.

Instead of something like pwm.start(pin_14, cycle 50%)

It's

f = open("dev/pwm/duty_cycle", "w")
f.write(50)
f.close()

So, file descriptors in Linux are something you need to learn about it you want to code python in a bbb.

Edit: formatting

this post was submitted on 08 Apr 2024
12 points (87.5% liked)

Linux

8315 readers
145 users here now

Welcome to c/linux!

Welcome to our thriving Linux community! Whether you're a seasoned Linux enthusiast or just starting your journey, we're excited to have you here. Explore, learn, and collaborate with like-minded individuals who share a passion for open-source software and the endless possibilities it offers. Together, let's dive into the world of Linux and embrace the power of freedom, customization, and innovation. Enjoy your stay and feel free to join the vibrant discussions that await you!

Rules:

  1. Stay on topic: Posts and discussions should be related to Linux, open source software, and related technologies.

  2. Be respectful: Treat fellow community members with respect and courtesy.

  3. Quality over quantity: Share informative and thought-provoking content.

  4. No spam or self-promotion: Avoid excessive self-promotion or spamming.

  5. No NSFW adult content

  6. Follow general lemmy guidelines.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
MigratingtoLemmy@lemmy.world