[Syonyk]

The Pis, and especially the compute module forms, are used for more than just clasroom toys and low power geek desktops. The CMs are a long term support item that, in recent forms, are FCC certified with wireless. Because it's a "module," with onboard wireless/antenna/etc, you don't have to perform the (quite expensive) certification tests for a wide range of products that can then have a perfectly good little computer and wireless in them.

Unfortunately, when those aren't available, it's a problem for not just those who want Raspberry Pis, but for everyone who wants to buy or sell any of those products based around a Pi. You can't just trivially redesign to anything else, not that there's anything else available...

I'm trying to build some YARH handhelds for various projects, and outside the stock of Pis I have a few of, that's just going to end up on hold, because I can't get any of the boards I figured would regularly be in supply places.

It's another breakdown of JIT.

[Vivtek]

Yeah, same. I have an ag robotics application that I can prototype with stock on hand (glad I prebought a few Pi Zero W now) but I won't be able to scale up my test fleet for the foreseeable future, and that's going to be a problem.

[myself248]

Are you using pi-specific features, or could you pivot onto a beaglebone or odroid or something?

[Vivtek]

All I really need is WiFi, Linux, relatively low power draw, and low cost, and I can fake the WiFi with an ESP8266 if I have to. Beagleboards seem to have the same supply problem as the Pi, though. Odroid is something I'd never heard of, so I'm going to look into that - thanks!