Hardware Platform
Proxima is a desktop computing system, but it is quite different to a typical OS you would find on a regular desktop PC.
- Initially, Proxima will only run on Raspberry Pi boards.
- Other arm64-based computing devices may be supported in future.
- It is not suitable for traditional PC platforms (x86 and x64) for a variety of reasons.
(A Raspberry Pi is a small single-board computer to which you can add a case, monitor, keyboard and mouse, in order to build a desktop computing console.)
Proxima's unique design means it fills certain classic roles of an OS (Operating System) and BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) in one. Fundamental input/output services are provided directly to applications without Proxima itself needing to be modified when apps are added or removed.
Hardware requirements
| Compute board | Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 |
|---|---|
| CPU architecture | arm64 |
| RAM | 4GB minimum |
| OS storage | 2GB microSD card in on-board slot |
| User storage | Mass storage media via USB (exFAT or FAT32 recommended) |
| Display | HDMI 1080P monitor. (or DVI with adapter) |
Installing and booting Proxima
Proxima is installed on a microSD card which is slotted directly into the Raspberry Pi board and remains isolated from the user's files and apps.
After powering on the machine, Proxima boots into an idle state where the system is not currently running any apps. It is always safe to turn off the power when Proxima is in this state.
For files and apps, the user adds one or more storage drives to the machine. This may be a hard drive but a USB thumb drive will do. Because apps are decoupled from the OS, these drives can even be swapped between different Proxima machines when a set of apps needs to be used on a different device.