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I've skipped out on products _specifically_ because they have an app. I see apps as a liability, not a feature. Give me dumb products please. My air purifier do

I've skipped out on products _specifically_ because they have an app. I see apps as a liability, not a feature. Give me dumb products please. My air purifier doesn't need a god damn app, just an on/off switch with some LEDs, please!!!

jjav 4y ago
Agreed. Anything with an app is a liability I want to steer away from. Not only due to the obvious security, privacy and availability problems, but because the lifetime of apps is very short in the grand scheme of things. I'll bet there is zero chance a phone app for a solar install today is still going to be working in the 25 year lifetime of that solar panel system.
bavila 4y ago
When I got my security system in my home installed, I asked the sales representative about getting a key fob to arm/disarm the system. Her response was basically, "Oh, haha, you're too young to be asking for one of those. You can just use the app!" Right, because I really want to have to take out my phone, unlock it, click an app icon, wait for it to load and authenticate my credentials (assuming I'm not forced to sign in -- again), find the arm/disarm button in some cluttered UI, and then click the button. As opposed to just pulling out the key fob and clicking the arm/disarm button? No apps, please.
- Nextgrid 4y ago
  Not to mention that the whole app thing will rely on a server and a functional internet connection, so you can forget about interacting with your alarm system if there's a cloud or network outage. I feel like modern-day developers have effectively forgotten how to do local network communication. I know about NAT traversal and similar problems, but you can still architect your system in such a way that your cloud backend is a dumb NAT traversal helper/proxy, which then makes it trivial for your client to offer a cloud-less, local connection option for those users that know how to forward ports/have IPv6/etc (or when you go out of business and your cloud service goes offline).
- CatWChainsaw 4y ago
  Did you end up being able to get a fob?
  - bavila 4y ago
    Yes, for like $60 or something ridiculous like that.
    - CatWChainsaw 4y ago
      That is total BS, my condolences to your wallet...
Froedlich 4y ago
I have an 8-camera home surveillance system. It really wants to talk to the mothership in China, but it will work without it. However, the only interface to its control box/recorder is through a plugin for Internet Explorer 7. I have to access it through a virtual machine running Windows XP.

jjav 4y ago

Agreed. Anything with an app is a liability I want to steer away from. Not only due to the obvious security, privacy and availability problems, but because the lifetime of apps is very short in the grand scheme of things. I'll bet there is zero chance a phone app for a solar install today is still going to be working in the 25 year lifetime of that solar panel system.

bavila 4y ago

When I got my security system in my home installed, I asked the sales representative about getting a key fob to arm/disarm the system. Her response was basically, "Oh, haha, you're too young to be asking for one of those. You can just use the app!" Right, because I really want to have to take out my phone, unlock it, click an app icon, wait for it to load and authenticate my credentials (assuming I'm not forced to sign in -- again), find the arm/disarm button in some cluttered UI, and then click the button. As opposed to just pulling out the key fob and clicking the arm/disarm button? No apps, please.

Nextgrid 4y ago
Not to mention that the whole app thing will rely on a server and a functional internet connection, so you can forget about interacting with your alarm system if there's a cloud or network outage. I feel like modern-day developers have effectively forgotten how to do local network communication. I know about NAT traversal and similar problems, but you can still architect your system in such a way that your cloud backend is a dumb NAT traversal helper/proxy, which then makes it trivial for your client to offer a cloud-less, local connection option for those users that know how to forward ports/have IPv6/etc (or when you go out of business and your cloud service goes offline).
CatWChainsaw 4y ago
Did you end up being able to get a fob?
- bavila 4y ago
  Yes, for like $60 or something ridiculous like that.
  - CatWChainsaw 4y ago
    That is total BS, my condolences to your wallet...

Froedlich 4y ago

I have an 8-camera home surveillance system. It really wants to talk to the mothership in China, but it will work without it. However, the only interface to its control box/recorder is through a plugin for Internet Explorer 7. I have to access it through a virtual machine running Windows XP.