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What about industrial IoT? Even if a manufacturer publishes updates, the clients would likely not want to change anything, often. If you have a plant with 1,0

by realo 3y ago

What about industrial IoT? Even if a manufacturer publishes updates, the clients would likely not want to change anything, often. If you have a plant with 1,000 units of gizmo-A and update them during a week-end and now 200 of them do not do the thing they used to do anymore... you have a big problem. There is a genuine fear to update anything in many industries and I am not sure how this can be overcome.

Kim_Bruning 3y ago
I'm not sure it should be overcome. Updating software is not a panacea and not always the best thing to do. In industrial hardware it's often better to have a known quantity. Especially with equipment that can cause damage or even kill people. Even if it isn't quite that high stakes, dealing with constant random updates is a cost factor with no clear commercial gain. This doesn't mean there can't be updates, but they need to be done on the factory's schedule, not on the schedule of some random supplier.
- numpad0 3y ago
  Yeah, I don't operate software controlled heavy machineries, but it's not comforting when I update a physically moving machine and it makes different sounds than before due to altered algorithms and parameters. Also, it's not considered a huge issue in smartphones and laptop computers, but updating firmware on Flash ROM degrades its performance such as data retention periods. Firmware updates are not always a rocket surgery, but like a surgery, not without risks. I think advocating frequent updates to all types of electronics is slightly irresponsible. (Edited to add! I'm writing in good intentions but I'm not a US person, in case that matters)
  - SimingtonFCC 3y ago
    Flash ROM comment noted. It would be bad if getting a label required a manufacturer to do something objectively anti-user.
SimingtonFCC 3y ago
Comments against push updates and highlighting industrial applications would be a very important part of record development. I would expect industrial buyers to have very different needs from commodity consumer hardware buyers and it would be great if they (and their vendors) were represented on the record!

by realo 3y ago

Kim_Bruning 3y ago

I'm not sure it should be overcome. Updating software is not a panacea and not always the best thing to do. In industrial hardware it's often better to have a known quantity. Especially with equipment that can cause damage or even kill people. Even if it isn't quite that high stakes, dealing with constant random updates is a cost factor with no clear commercial gain. This doesn't mean there can't be updates, but they need to be done on the factory's schedule, not on the schedule of some random supplier.

numpad0 3y ago
Yeah, I don't operate software controlled heavy machineries, but it's not comforting when I update a physically moving machine and it makes different sounds than before due to altered algorithms and parameters. Also, it's not considered a huge issue in smartphones and laptop computers, but updating firmware on Flash ROM degrades its performance such as data retention periods. Firmware updates are not always a rocket surgery, but like a surgery, not without risks. I think advocating frequent updates to all types of electronics is slightly irresponsible. (Edited to add! I'm writing in good intentions but I'm not a US person, in case that matters)
- SimingtonFCC 3y ago
  Flash ROM comment noted. It would be bad if getting a label required a manufacturer to do something objectively anti-user.

SimingtonFCC 3y ago

Comments against push updates and highlighting industrial applications would be a very important part of record development. I would expect industrial buyers to have very different needs from commodity consumer hardware buyers and it would be great if they (and their vendors) were represented on the record!