3 ms·

Maybe that's because this demand is much lower than you imagine? Nobody cares about open source.

ocdtrekkie 11y ago
We already have huge widespread popularity for things like the Raspberry Pi and the Arduino. The former is nearly a household name, even if people have no idea what to do with them. And even if you don't know what open source does, is, or means, the benefits of such a product will prove itself over on it's own.
- TeMPOraL 11y ago
  Yeah, Open Source / Open Hardware in IoT is a step back in the direction of how things always were and how they are supposed to be - you buy the device, you own it. People understand that. They expect their washing machines and microwave ovens to work until the hardware itself breaks (let's forget for a moment about the sick practice of planned obsolescence). They expect to be able to repair them or find a third party that can. People don't have to understand "open source". They will understand the concept of "works until hardware dies", or "can be taken to a repairman for fixing", or "I can go to a mall and buy an extension from some random vendor and it will work".
  - tamana 11y ago
    People do NOT expect to repair their home appliances anymore. Repair costs more than replacement.
    - TeMPOraL 11y ago
      Maybe in the US.
    - ocdtrekkie 11y ago
      This is doubtful. Nobody buys a new furnace when it has a problem. Ovens, fridges, and dishwashers are all generally far cheaper to repair with a local repairman than replace. A lot of house or condo sales now come with "home warranties", where a flat fee guarantees your appliances for a year, and repairs only cost a $100 deductible. Computers in most cases, even, are now appliance-like. They get replaced less often, and it's often more affordable to repair them than replace them.
- rimantas 11y ago
  Huge as compared to? Yep, on HN you will get a sizeable proportion of those interested. The world is not HN though.
soundwave106 11y ago
I think people care about open standards a lot, even if they don't know it. EG: When someone buys a USB device, they expect that they can plug it into any computer and (for non-specialized devices) have it Just Work. A lot of the home automation world is a closed, proprietary mishmash right now. (Although there are some open standards ranging from old school stuff like X10 to newer Zigbee stuff, I don't think products like Nest use them). I also think people expect that when they buy a device, some corporate decision isn't going to brick it. (Stories in this line in my opinion will eventually kill the current hype on the "cloud"). "Open source" is probably less important to most end users, but it can be quite important to developers, power users, and tinkerers. And enthusiasts can drive products.

We already have huge widespread popularity for things like the Raspberry Pi and the Arduino. The former is nearly a household name, even if people have no idea what to do with them. And even if you don't know what open source does, is, or means, the benefits of such a product will prove itself over on it's own.

TeMPOraL 11y ago
Yeah, Open Source / Open Hardware in IoT is a step back in the direction of how things always were and how they are supposed to be - you buy the device, you own it. People understand that. They expect their washing machines and microwave ovens to work until the hardware itself breaks (let's forget for a moment about the sick practice of planned obsolescence). They expect to be able to repair them or find a third party that can. People don't have to understand "open source". They will understand the concept of "works until hardware dies", or "can be taken to a repairman for fixing", or "I can go to a mall and buy an extension from some random vendor and it will work".
- tamana 11y ago
  People do NOT expect to repair their home appliances anymore. Repair costs more than replacement.
  - TeMPOraL 11y ago
    Maybe in the US.
  - ocdtrekkie 11y ago
    This is doubtful. Nobody buys a new furnace when it has a problem. Ovens, fridges, and dishwashers are all generally far cheaper to repair with a local repairman than replace. A lot of house or condo sales now come with "home warranties", where a flat fee guarantees your appliances for a year, and repairs only cost a $100 deductible. Computers in most cases, even, are now appliance-like. They get replaced less often, and it's often more affordable to repair them than replace them.
rimantas 11y ago
Huge as compared to? Yep, on HN you will get a sizeable proportion of those interested. The world is not HN though.

soundwave106 11y ago

I think people care about open standards a lot, even if they don't know it. EG: When someone buys a USB device, they expect that they can plug it into any computer and (for non-specialized devices) have it Just Work. A lot of the home automation world is a closed, proprietary mishmash right now. (Although there are some open standards ranging from old school stuff like X10 to newer Zigbee stuff, I don't think products like Nest use them). I also think people expect that when they buy a device, some corporate decision isn't going to brick it. (Stories in this line in my opinion will eventually kill the current hype on the "cloud"). "Open source" is probably less important to most end users, but it can be quite important to developers, power users, and tinkerers. And enthusiasts can drive products.