I found quite a good use for mine. I'm sure I could achieve it with something like DD-WRT, but it was fun:<p>Installed Debian on a Pi 3 Model B. Put the device in a case[0].<p>Installed dnsmasq[1] to manage local DHCP/DNS. Forwards to Google DNS. Also have everything running on a local search domain, along with some reservations.<p>Installed OpenVPN along with a dynamic DNS daemon[2] so I can VPN into my home network from anywhere. Good for setting up things for download while at work for example.<p>[0] <a href="http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/development-board-enclosures/9098132/" rel="nofollow">http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/development-board-enclosures/9...</a><p>[1] <a href="http://www.thekelleys.org.uk/dnsmasq/doc.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.thekelleys.org.uk/dnsmasq/doc.html</a><p>[1] <a href="http://freedns.afraid.org" rel="nofollow">http://freedns.afraid.org</a>
I wonder how many of them are just collecting dust in peoples' desk drawers.<p>We ordered two of the original ones for our office to play around with them, but only now, after 4½ years, I finally managed to find use for one as music player, after I decided I was too lazy to plug/unplug the speakers from my laptop.
One of my clients has just started using them as the smarts in its range of industrial tank controllers. I've persuaded them to open source one of the smaller hardware designs to put back to the community so there's another few hundred pi's that will be sold over the next few years. (<a href="http://rodyne.com/?p=754" rel="nofollow">http://rodyne.com/?p=754</a>)<p>With the right power supply and watchdog controls and tons of information how to use them they are quite suitable for many non-critical automation tasks.