Open Plugs is wise

[sj3fk3]

Sometimes I'm wondering if I'm the only non Windows user in the domotica world.. But that's a different topic

What I would want to know is if I'm the only one that would like the Plugwise eco-system to be more open? I would love to use Plugwise on my mobile devices, but for that to work I need a web-server on a Windows system? ugh.. I know the protocol for the plugs has been reverse engineered, but wouldn't it be more like 2012 if Plugwise B.V. just released a SDK? Isn't the future for these kinds of products to be open and accessible? Keeping it closed only makes hacking it a little harder and you'll scare away the more privacy or da

Also I would consider buying their new Smile P1 device, IF and ONLY if I can read the data myself.. without the use of a Windows computer and without me having to upload my data to their server.

[Mdamen]

I've attempted to go down that road before. Plugwise is not willing to share any information about their protocol.
I guess their main reason is the sleazy business model, which is based on harvesting user data. Not using their software will not allow them to harvest, so go figure.

[labium]

they have a good example in big brother google , apple etc , everbody is harvesting data , user data location data.

[pvgent]

@sj3fk3 Maybe the Plugwise Stretch 2.0 (release date 25 June) is a candidate for a PC/Server free solution.

plugwise.com/nl/idplugtype-f/stretch-20 ... f-25-juni# Sorry only Dutch info

[sj3fk3]

I've attempted to go down that road before. Plugwise is not willing to share any information about their protocol.
I guess their main reason is the sleazy business model, which is based on harvesting user data. Not using their software will not allow them to harvest, so go figure.

Hmm, I would think that they want to keep it closed because they are afraid of competition. A view that is both flawed and destructive in the end. I think you have a far better business model if your eco-system is open (at least have an API). They might have a advantage now, but the very second a competitor (and there will be many more in the near future) launches a open version, they will lose..

[Post-IT]

The Stretch indeed is aimed to stop using Windows as far as I discussed with the guys from PW. I hope to use the Stretch to hook my PW network to my KNX network.

[Post-IT]

Too bad they (again!) postponed the release of the Stretch lite. If I understand it correctly they needed some minor adjustments and in the end decided to then use a whole new PCB which means they have to start over. The new release date is now the same as the past few years: "omewhere this fall".

[labium]

I bought a fez spider starters kit from ghi electronics , i am thinking of making it a usb host for the plugwise usb stick and a serial client to connect it to the digi serial port server , must be a piece of cake with all that gadgeteer code. So i can use the plugwise stick on a remote location. No need for all that new stuff from plugwise.