Open Source · The Register
Hobbyist xenomorphs Raspberry Pi into Alien-themed DIY laptop
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◎ Multiple-sources
They've all been there: You're doing maintenance on a Weyland-Yutani hauler dragging mineral ore back toward Earth, and there’s no terminal handy to tap into the MU/TH/UR AI to check ship systems.
Key facts
- With a Pi Zero you're likely going to want to run Raspberry Pi OS Lite and have a command-line only interface," Merrick wrote on his PS-85 build page, where you can find instructions, 3D print
- Merrick doesn't take his look from retro science fiction, either: He's also a lover of retro computing, as seen in the PX-88, which was the predecessor to his newer PS-85 design
- The 1970s retro future aesthetic is perfect for an Alien porta-terminal build, which is where the PS-85 comes
- I built the PX-88 first and it took a few months of working on it in my free time," Merrick told The Register in an email
Summary
Okay, maybe the megacorporations, starships, androids, and hostile xenomorphs of the Alien film franchise aren't real, but the aesthetic popularized by the 1979 film and its successors has captivated plenty of people, including Jeff Merrick, who has a passion for building his own "cyberdecks," custom-designed computers that often mimic cyberpunk and retro sci-fi aesthetics. The 1970s retro future aesthetic is perfect for an Alien porta-terminal build, which is where the PS-85 comes in.
"With a Pi Zero you're likely going to want to run Raspberry Pi OS Lite and have a command-line only interface," Merrick wrote on his PS-85 build page, where you can find instructions, 3D print files, and everything you need to build your own.