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Seems to me that there is a huge opportunity in open source programmable home appliances. I only want the hardware from the manufacturer, and I’d be willing to

by jl2718 7y ago

Seems to me that there is a huge opportunity in open source programmable home appliances. I only want the hardware from the manufacturer, and I’d be willing to pay a lot more if it could run open source software. It seems theres no way a monolithic supplier could compete, but why don’t we see anything like this?

JohnFen 7y ago
I would actually prefer appliances that didn't require software at all.
- bluGill 7y ago
  Software is everywhere and can do things that cannot be done without it. However the software needed is hard real time embedded and shouldn't run on the same CPU as the stuff we are complaining about.
  - JohnFen 7y ago
    > Software is everywhere and can do things that cannot be done without it. Yes, I know (I am a software engineer with a large amount of embedded work in my resume), and I don't mind it at all when the software is actually doing useful things that can't be done well otherwise. But there's a lot of things that are being computerized where there's no actual user benefit to doing that. All that does is increase the number of points of potential failure.
Nasrudith 7y ago
Sadly we are the niche generally - if an appliance has its firmware done right usually there is no need for another software package and few wish to program for such packages. An open source hardware very standardized and modular serviceable model would probably be a decent analog to the domain - it would commoditise the parts and help counter the nicheness in terms of economies of scale. The rarity of people who know enough to roll their own appliance design is probably one of the biggest obstacles. It isn't like 3D printing currently. Apparently even manufacturers who are advantaged by logistical simplicity apparently already regularly tweak the yearly designs based upon cost advantages. I suspect that ironically technological advancement could eventually make fridges better that way - thermocouple based copling has had a slow but steady upward trend line. If it keeps up then a bunch of cooling thermocouples, electronic thermoneters, a power supply, and a few microcontrollers/a Raspberry Pi descendant in an insulated box could put it in more traditional "hacker" skillsets.

by jl2718 7y ago

JohnFen 7y ago

I would actually prefer appliances that didn't require software at all.

bluGill 7y ago
Software is everywhere and can do things that cannot be done without it. However the software needed is hard real time embedded and shouldn't run on the same CPU as the stuff we are complaining about.
- JohnFen 7y ago
  > Software is everywhere and can do things that cannot be done without it. Yes, I know (I am a software engineer with a large amount of embedded work in my resume), and I don't mind it at all when the software is actually doing useful things that can't be done well otherwise. But there's a lot of things that are being computerized where there's no actual user benefit to doing that. All that does is increase the number of points of potential failure.

Nasrudith 7y ago

Sadly we are the niche generally - if an appliance has its firmware done right usually there is no need for another software package and few wish to program for such packages. An open source hardware very standardized and modular serviceable model would probably be a decent analog to the domain - it would commoditise the parts and help counter the nicheness in terms of economies of scale. The rarity of people who know enough to roll their own appliance design is probably one of the biggest obstacles. It isn't like 3D printing currently. Apparently even manufacturers who are advantaged by logistical simplicity apparently already regularly tweak the yearly designs based upon cost advantages. I suspect that ironically technological advancement could eventually make fridges better that way - thermocouple based copling has had a slow but steady upward trend line. If it keeps up then a bunch of cooling thermocouples, electronic thermoneters, a power supply, and a few microcontrollers/a Raspberry Pi descendant in an insulated box could put it in more traditional "hacker" skillsets.