I got started making things with raspberry pi boards this summer 2016. I had played with electronics kits as a child but gave it up because I did not have the patience. I took the plunge and ordered one from amazon along with a sunfounder kit with breadboard and assorted sensors.
I had read online and bought books about how to use a Raspberry Pi.
When the amazon package arrived, I downloaded jasper, copied it to a memory card and booted everything up. i felt a little underwhelmed by that first boot because it was so fast and easy that. So next i started playing with the sensors and the fun started. I experimented with an IR receiver and a utility called LIRC because I wanted to record the signals from my TV remote. Next I played with an IR transmitter circuit so that i could play the signals back to control my TV volume. I looked at the clock and the evening had vanished. This was fun.
