4 ms·

I totally agree, the demand & the means exist. However, the intent of retail providers is anything but enabling simple, automated controls. Everything is about

by tunap 10y ago

I totally agree, the demand & the means exist. However, the intent of retail providers is anything but enabling simple, automated controls. Everything is about grabbing the data cash bag and, as an afterthought, let's personalize your experience. I have been pondering this and the only conclusion I can come up with is the market controllers(more than mere "forces") have much to gain by selling the perception instead of reality and their treasure troves of patents(from commercial side) allow them to maintain this position. IMO, the digital revolution of ours has transformed sharing into one way collecting and the consumers into commodities. Both of which I find quite offensive, and sometimes, outright hostile. Alas, our money is our only true vote. Vote accordingly.

FussyZeus 10y ago
I suppose but it still seems like a copout (not on you of course, on them) to play the brand lock-in game. You don't need a centralized server to personalize and operating those servers, even on something like AWS, costs money. Why not put that on the consumer instead? Many consumers I know would prefer the roll-your-own solution and it saves the manufacturer money.
- komali2 10y ago
  Well, we are on a something.ycombinator.com website right now... why don't you throw together a prototype, register a company, and present to ycombinator?
  - FussyZeus 10y ago
    Well primarily because I wouldn't take VC money anyway, too much pressure to grow too fast. I'd rather have a company that lives and dies on it's own. Second because I'm not at all a hardware guy. Thirdly I'm not at a point where I feel entrepreneurial yet, I don't have enough experience. Lastly I'm incredibly lazy.
- tunap 10y ago
  Thanks for your manners, but it is probably a copout on my part. I have the wherewithal(-money) to build something like this in my own home but I believe most of these controls are over-engineered progress for progress' sake... for anything less than a few thousand square foot structures. All I really need is a programmable thermostat, a couple timer plugs & my 'routine'. As always, YMMV. As for the providers, I have to admit, a service economy cannot sustain itself using only transactional relations. In order to ensure future revenues, a contracted service agreement &/or proprietary walled garden approach is the only sustainable model they have come up with. I am a 'break-fix' geezer stuck in my ways and don't subject my clients to lock-in, but my widely varying income from month to month can make affording life difficult at times. edit: +&/or proprietary walled garden approach
  - FussyZeus 10y ago
    But this is assuming that I expect something beyond the transaction. I don't. I expressly DON'T want a continuing relationship where Nest decides my perfectly functional thermostat no longer works or that Phillips decides their controller is only going to work with Phillips light bulbs. I want them to sell me the product and then politely f*ck off so it keeps working. :)

by tunap 10y ago

FussyZeus 10y ago

I suppose but it still seems like a copout (not on you of course, on them) to play the brand lock-in game. You don't need a centralized server to personalize and operating those servers, even on something like AWS, costs money. Why not put that on the consumer instead? Many consumers I know would prefer the roll-your-own solution and it saves the manufacturer money.

komali2 10y ago
Well, we are on a something.ycombinator.com website right now... why don't you throw together a prototype, register a company, and present to ycombinator?
- FussyZeus 10y ago
  Well primarily because I wouldn't take VC money anyway, too much pressure to grow too fast. I'd rather have a company that lives and dies on it's own. Second because I'm not at all a hardware guy. Thirdly I'm not at a point where I feel entrepreneurial yet, I don't have enough experience. Lastly I'm incredibly lazy.
tunap 10y ago
Thanks for your manners, but it is probably a copout on my part. I have the wherewithal(-money) to build something like this in my own home but I believe most of these controls are over-engineered progress for progress' sake... for anything less than a few thousand square foot structures. All I really need is a programmable thermostat, a couple timer plugs & my 'routine'. As always, YMMV. As for the providers, I have to admit, a service economy cannot sustain itself using only transactional relations. In order to ensure future revenues, a contracted service agreement &/or proprietary walled garden approach is the only sustainable model they have come up with. I am a 'break-fix' geezer stuck in my ways and don't subject my clients to lock-in, but my widely varying income from month to month can make affording life difficult at times. edit: +&/or proprietary walled garden approach
- FussyZeus 10y ago
  But this is assuming that I expect something beyond the transaction. I don't. I expressly DON'T want a continuing relationship where Nest decides my perfectly functional thermostat no longer works or that Phillips decides their controller is only going to work with Phillips light bulbs. I want them to sell me the product and then politely f*ck off so it keeps working. :)