MicroPython Forum (Archive)

Would a pyboard purchase support the project?

Probably a silly question, because the answer is certainly yes, isn't it?

The more interesting question: How does it do that?

The official store https://store.micropython.org is owned and operated by George Robotics Limited and therefore by Damien George.
Therefore I assume that by buying pyboard from the official store, I' m supporting the main developer financially, don't I?

btw. i found the old video from 2014 about the pyboard v1 production: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y2aYfXONs0
I guess you've all seen this before? I thought it was interesting

Yes
Yes
Yes

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Yes. Damien works on MicroPython as his full-time job, and although there are some other things that also support the project, the sale of pyboards and related accessories through his company, George Robotics, is a major part of what makes it possible for him to do that.

(Minor disclaimer: I am a part-time casual employee of George Robotics, although I participate on the forum in my own time)

FYI this video about some earlier history of the project might also be interesting -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm08hXeuv-I

Thanks, interesting.

Maybe the whole thing should be communicated a little more publically?

If the pyboard store was selling raspberry pi zero's with micropython already installed, Damien's revenue might increase by a factor of 10, or 100. Why? Because the hurdle to attach hardware would effectively disappear.

more like because the pi zero is a magnitude cheaper than the pyboards.. but there's no good support for a pi zero yet so it's nothing to consider at the moment anyway.
The pyboards are great hardware and I'd love to support Damien's work by buying from him directly but those pyboards are just out of my price range for my projects.

safetyfactorman wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 03, 2020 6:58 pm

If the pyboard store was selling raspberry pi zero's with micropython already installed, Damien's revenue might increase by a factor of 10, or 100. Why? Because the hurdle to attach hardware would effectively disappear.

Not sure that would really work out: MicroPython is open source so people can just buy a Pi Zero from wherever they want and put MicroPython on it and it would cost them less. Also don't underestimate the work ans cost involved in setting up a supply line where George Robotics needs to buy, modify, stock and ship Pi Zero's. To make that profitable the company would either have to sell a lot of those, or else make the price high enough to get a decent margin. To me none of those scenarios sound feasable. But I could be wrong of course..

I personally would buy 10 of them in a heartbeat, because my time is saved flashing the sdram card, or updating the flash. corporations might eat it up because they buy a boat load of them and then deploy. And Damien gets to be on the hook for support. That's why corporations will support it. And he is uniquely positioned to be the "best" at it.

On second thought, I should qualify that. micropython would have to run like openplc, on a dedicated core, in a way so that it is unaffected (runs at highest priority, and cannot be pre-empted) by raspbian.

What i miss are some cases and peripheral devices etc.

The whole M5Stack stuff seems to be really neat.