Editor’s Letter//
These days, you can use a computer almost every day of your life without ever attempting to code. But
why should coding and programming remain such a mystery? In this issue, David Hayward, our boy with
the bitmaps, takes you on a journey through one of the most common programming languages there is;
Python. One of the easiest ways of learning the Python programming language is to try it out on a
Raspberry Pi. This extremely cheap single-board computer is designed for hackers, tinkerers, and coders,
so it’s the perfect starting place for those who want to learn to code. ‘But what’s a Raspberry Pi coding
feature doing in an Apple magazine?’, you might say. Simple. You don’t actually need a Raspberry Pi to
code using its operating system and tools. Instead, you can install Raspberry Pi Desktop (a derivative of
Debian Linux) on your Mac. So we launch this issue’s cover feature with a guide to doing just that, with
both the free, but clumsy, VirtualBox or the paid-for, but awesome, Parallels Desktop. These virtualisation
apps let you run alternative operating systems, like Raspberry Pi Desktop, alongside macOS, and you
don’t even need to reboot your Mac to switch between them.
But it’s not all about programming. Have you ever worried about how safe your kids are online? In our
tutorial section, we bring you some great guides to staying safe with your iOS device, covering parental
controls on the iPhone and iPad, and also some of the web’s premier social networking and
entertainment sites. In our reviews section, we cover the amazing Affinity Publisher, the latest app from
Serif that plans to democratise computerised media by keeping the price down and the quality up. The
Station app is a great multipurpose repository for regularly used Internet platforms, and the Logitech
G502 LIGHTSPEED is the last word (to date) in gaming mice. Finally, don’t miss our competition, where
you could win a 28-litre STM Myth rucksack. It’s all in Essential AppleUser Magazine.
Find us online at:
@bdmpubs
BDM Publications
http://www.bdmpublications.com
Ian Osborne
Editor
Email:
[email protected]
AppleUserMAGAZINE
