small linux systems for ad hoc peripherals with questionable documentation/support

[Mike Marchywka]

I was interested in making a "thing" interface computer
( lab eequipment bascially ) and haven't looked at this
since RD-232 and IEEE-488 were trendy. A lot of complete equiepemnt
has ethernet or wireless but may also have USB without a lot of
support for linux. So, I was looking for low level USB utilities
to roll my own. But a lot of simple modules now appear to interface
with either raspberry or something called Arduino. Eventually
I would like the whole thing to run off of 12v so poer matters
but its not a hige issue now. Instead of getting a raspberry,
I found this linux mini, 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBQXCQQ7?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

it looks like it uses grub but may have to modify it to boot from
USB. I wanted to reload the OS ADAP and have a way to replicate
it once I get a system I like and I thought I could do that booting
both boxes from USB and using either dd or rsync .
In any case, for peripherals I got some stuff like this, 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075GHTCTS?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

but soone discovered a lot of support for Arduino, 


https://www.amazon.com/ELEGOO-Board-ATmega328P-ATMEGA16U2-Compliant/dp/B01EWOE0UU/ref=sr_1_2_sspa

although I still have no idea what that is exactly. I wanted simple
things like a "front panel" with switched and LED's as
well as less trendy sensors for pressure or maybe to control
stepper motors for howe brew prottypes. 

Curious if anyone can comment on software coverage for this stuff.
These are the things I found in current repo 
Thanks. 

Arduino 
apt-cache search arduino
arduino - AVR development board IDE and built-in libraries
arduino-builder - Command line tool for compiling Arduino sketches
arduino-core - Code, examples, and libraries for the Arduino platform
arduino-mighty-1284p - Platform files for Arduino to run on ATmega1284P
arduino-mk - Program your Arduino from the command line
flashrom - Identify, read, write, erase, and verify BIOS/ROM/flash chips
junior-programming - Debian Jr. programming
kicad-templates - Project templates for KiCad
libmosquitto1 - MQTT version 5.0/3.1.1/3.1 client library
libmosquittopp1 - MQTT version 5.0/3.1.1/3.1 client C++ library
mosquitto - MQTT version 5.0/3.1.1/3.1 compatible message broker
mosquitto-clients - Mosquitto command line MQTT clients
octave-arduino - Octave Arduino Toolkit
pd-pduino - interfacing with the Arduino from within Pure Data (Pd)
simulide - simple real time electronic circuit simulator
snek - Embedded system programming language
snek-bin - Host binary version of Snek programming language
texlive-pictures - TeX Live: Graphics, pictures, diagrams


 apt-cache search raspberry
cec-utils - USB CEC Adaptor communication Library (utility programs)
debootstick - Turn a chroot environment into a bootable image
dphys-swapfile - Autogenerate and use a swap file
google-cloud-print-connector - Google Cloud Print CUPS Connector
kicad-templates - Project templates for KiCad
libcec-dev - USB CEC Adaptor communication Library (development files)
libcec4 - USB CEC Adaptor communication Library (shared library)
libpigpiod-if-dev - Development headers for client libraries for Raspberry Pi GPIO control
libpigpiod-if1 - Client library for Raspberry Pi GPIO control (deprecated)
libpigpiod-if2-1 - Client library for Raspberry Pi GPIO control
libwiringpi-dev - Raspberry Pi library for controlling GPIO devices
libwiringpi2 - Raspberry Pi library for controlling GPIO devices
minetest-mod-pycraft - Minetest mod - (most of) Raspberry PI Minecraft API
pigpio-tools - Client tools for Raspberry Pi GPIO control
python-periphery-doc - Peripheral I/O (Documentation)
python3-cec - Python 3 bindings for USB CEC Adaptor
python3-gpiozero - simple interface to everyday GPIO components used with Raspberry Pi (Python 3)
python3-minecraftpi - Raspberry PI Minecraft API python client library
python3-periphery - Peripheral I/O (Python3 version)
python3-pywws - software for wireless weather stations
unburden-home-dir - Remove or move cache files automatically from user's home
welle.io - DAB/DAB+ Software Radio
wiringpi - Raspberry Pi tool for controlling GPIO devices



 Mike Marchywka 
44 Crosscreek Trail
Jasper GA 30143
was 306 Charles Cox Drive  Canton, GA 30115
470-758-0799
404-788-1216