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MX on Linux: Difference between revisions
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=Using MX on UNIX-derived Operating Systems=
MX runs on various UNIX-derived operating systems (OS), including those found on Apple Mac computers, and those found on devices running Linux.
==Introduction==
This article focuses on a device called the Raspberry Pi. It is a small board of electronics that can actually run Windows, Mac OS, Chrome OS, various Linux distributions, or the Raspbian OS (based on Ubantu Linux). In this article, the focus is on the last OS, because that is easiest to install, so look elsewhere on the web for details of installing alternatives.
The article will give you some guidance on:
*Choosing a Pi model to buy
*Setting it up,
** either connecting it to a keyboard, mouse, and monitor (could be TV), and internet (wired Ethernet or wireless)
** or running it headless, where all instructions are typed into another device and the Pi has no keyboard, mouse, or monitor, but is connected to internet (wired Ethernet or wireless)
*Installing OS
*Installing Mono
*Installing Apache, PHP, MariaDB, PhpMyAdmin, and copying your database from another device
*Running MX
=Which Raspberry Pi to buy=
==First make a list of what you need==
*Do you want to use a mouse and key board?
** If so, a model with multiple USB sockets is advisable (like 3B+)
** This also applies if you want to be able to plug in a USB stick (perhaps for transferring files between devices, e.g. Cumulus configuration and data folder files)
*Do you want a wired connection to your hub or router?
** Maybe you are going to update external sites, a wired connection may provide a faster and more dependable communication than a wireless link
** If so, a model including an Ethernet socket is advisable (like 0W or 2B+)
** Remember that if you are operating the pi in headless mode, a wired or wireless connection to your LAN is needed for your other device to communicate with the Pi
*Will your MX need to update a database, feed data to a web site, upload to external sites, or control other devices?
** If so, a model Zero will have to do each task in turn, and you will see some delay in information updates, plus you will need to use a larger time between updates
** If so, a model Three (or Four) will be noticeably faster, and permit you to select more options in MX, and to update external sites more frequently
* What interface does your weather station use?
** If your station communicates to MX via wireless, then you choose a model that supports wireless at the right frequency
** If your station communicates to MX via USB, then choose between the model 0W with one USB socket, and the model 3B+ with 4 USB sockets
** If your station uses another communication port (such as serial interface), then you need the components that support that interface
== Now research how the various models relate to your needs ==
You can look up online what features are included in the various Pi models, and how they differ in power consumption, and cost. But your decision also needs to consider what you need. Here, I won't describe all the different models, but concentrate on just 2 for simplicity. The model Zero W is appealing as it has low power consumption, but has limited speed, it runs the various threads MX uses sequentially, and has limited interfaces for peripherals. The model Three B plus is appealing as it has medium power consumption, but can cope better with the multiple threads that MX starts, and has more interfaces built in, such as 4 USB 2 ports. Obviously, the model Four has more capability, but is less appealing as it also consumes more power.
= Setting up your Pi =
You can find, online, instructions about setting up a Pi. The obvious place to look is [https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/setup/ the manufacturer's web site], or the same documentation on [https://github.com/raspberrypi/documentation/blob/master/setup/README.md their github page]. However, you might look at [http://www.okdo.com/gettingstarted a supplier's web site], or various other sources of "how to" advice.
== The Micro-SD card ==
A Pi requires either a class 4, or a class 10, micro-SD card (or whatever goes with your Pi model) with a minimum of 8 GB. Various suppliers offer cards of 16 to 64 GB with NOOBS pre-installed ready for use in a Pi. You may even buy a kit that includes a Pi board with components and interfaces on it, a power supply, a micro-SD card, some connection leads, and a case that you can fit the board into to protect it.
Setting up a Pi is simple assuming you have bought a micro-SD card that is, either pre-installed with [https://github.com/raspberrypi/documentation/blob/master/installation/noobs.md NOOBS], or with the Raspbian Pi operating system pre-installed. NOOBS makes it easy to install (by default) Rasbian (insert the SD card into the Pi and when you power up the Pi, the operating system will be installed during that first boot. If you have a model with an Ethernet connection, and that is connected first, then NOOBS can offer a choice of other operating systems, or you can download another compatible operating system and install it on the micro-SD card.
==== Notes by ExperiMentor (in Switzerland) ====
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