> Why must everything be controlled by whoever I buy the hardware from?
Because they can, and they don't give a fuck whether you like it or not. Compare yesterday's article, "I Pay for News; Why Do I Still See Intrusive Ads?"[0].
There is some merit to argument that "non-techies can't manage their infrastructure", but I question its general validity. For one, an IoT device or a companion box can serve as a local endpoint, things don't have to go into the cloud. For two, a configurable device using open APIs could enable community-level support. I.e. my mother won't be able to set up a server for her smart thermostat data, but I can do that for her, and for her neighbours.
Alas, most IoT equipment is sold as loss leader, meant to lock you into whatever bullshit "platform" the vendor is pushing, and to hold your data hostage. Personally, I avoid IoT because of that - companies are just disrespectful. The design of their products is one big middle finger in the face of the potential customers.
This is my experience with IoT devices. Often it feels like a grab for customer data provided by the device and a way to get the customer locked into the device ecosystems.
I wish there were more IoT style systems that cared about privacy and portability.
Because they can, and they don't give a fuck whether you like it or not. Compare yesterday's article, "I Pay for News; Why Do I Still See Intrusive Ads?"[0].
There is some merit to argument that "non-techies can't manage their infrastructure", but I question its general validity. For one, an IoT device or a companion box can serve as a local endpoint, things don't have to go into the cloud. For two, a configurable device using open APIs could enable community-level support. I.e. my mother won't be able to set up a server for her smart thermostat data, but I can do that for her, and for her neighbours.
Alas, most IoT equipment is sold as loss leader, meant to lock you into whatever bullshit "platform" the vendor is pushing, and to hold your data hostage. Personally, I avoid IoT because of that - companies are just disrespectful. The design of their products is one big middle finger in the face of the potential customers.
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[0] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18214339