Re: Re: X10/Room Occupancy/SWMBO acceptance

[Andy Laurence <andy@xxxxxxx>]

> > So you're telling me that in a hotel where they have a light
> > switch on the wall above the bed, you don't use it?
>
> Dunno if you intend it that way, but you seem to be coming across
> v.angry/agressive in your responses m8!

Ooh, no sorry.  Not my intention at all.  If I come across as
angry, 
please ignore the angry bits - I'm not, and don't get angry on the
'net.  
Ever.

> But to answer your question, a hotel is a bit different -
> everyone 'knows' they are and there is probably a (perfectly
normal)
> switch near the headboard.  Not a momentary one, not one on a
> minitimer - just a regular on/off switch.

Yup, what if you had a switch that looked the same, but was momentary and
had the same effect?  Would that not be a solution?  You'd
probably need 
to modify a switch by hand though to do it :-/

> Now yes, in my house, I could start cutting up the headboards
> (though in fact the guest room does not have a solid headboard,
it's
> a set of rails) and start wiring in switches, but as I said
before,
> I am not about to rewire the house as it has already been rewired
> about 18 months ago when X10 was not yet on my radar.

OK, I see your point, but that's not the same situation for everyone. 
I 
suppose our differences here are that I'm looking at this generically, and
you're looking at this from your set of circumstances.

> No cutting up, so I use a pronto instead right?  This brings me
back
> to the guest scenario - I don't want to have to explain this kind
of
> thing to my mum/friend/house sitter so I want them to be able to
be
> blissfully unaware of any automation and use light switches or
close
> curtains if they so wish......

Agreed.  Perhaps you could mount a switch on the wall that operates
wirelessly?  Would save rewiring.

> Clearly we have different ideas of what is/is not acceptable or
even
> desirable in an automated home.....

I don't think so.  Anything which requires you do something
non-obvious is 
a step backwards, IMO.  There'll be nothing of that description in my
house.

> > OK, how about this.  Light switches are all manual. 
When you
>
> [....]
>
> Hadn't thought about the alarm being activated because you have
> switched off the light but could work.....

Yup.

> Not sure about light coming ON in the morning automatically
though.

No, I wasn't sure about that either.  You could have a daily alarm set
so 
the light comes on gradually to wake you up.  Wouldn't work in summer
though :-)

> I have been doing it for the last weel whilst SWMBO is away and it
> does help me to get up (even if it's damned annoying!) but as I
> often get up a lot earlier than SWMBO, it may not be desirable to
> turn it on and thus disturb her.

Probably not.

> This automated light will not be very automated at all it seems,
but
> if it can be made to be a positive thing without introducing any
> additional steps for SWMBO to perform then I think she is more
> likely to accept changes later on where it _is_ necessary to
change
> what you do/use a pronto before you go to bed/wake up/take a
> leak/whatever - even if fundamentally I think it should be
> unnecessary to do so (though of course practically it _may_ be
> necessary).

Exactly.

> > Most definitely, but I do see advantages of automated
curtains.
> > Mainly in
> > the ability to fake someone at home whilst you are away.
>
> Well yes, it's nice to think that this sort of thing and lights
> going on/off will deter burglars, but really if it's a pro, they
> will have cased the joint and know.  If it is a chancer, they
may
> not care if the house is occupied and just go in when ppl are
> asleep.  And even if an alarm goes off, how many ppl actually
take
> notice of them and how many just turn over and try and get back to
> sleep?  Same with car alarms, same even (According to a
watchdog(?)
> I think test some months back) with rape alarms in a park where
ppl
> simply ignored them as none of their business.....

Yup, I'd agree wholeheartedly, but if you're in a house and the alarm's
going off, you'll be out of there like a shot.  Also, if a house alarm
goes off in the middle of the night, it annoys people so they usually do a
bit of curtain twitching.  Here at work we have a direct line to the
police which triggers with the alarm.  The alarm is also so loud that
it's 
disorientating to walk around inside.  I stood outside the door as the
alarm was turned off after a false alarm, and it was almost painful
then.

> Maybe it helps I dunno, but personally I think either an alarm
will
> deter burglars or not.  The pretend you're there thing doesn't do
it
> for me......

OK, it's all personal opinion really.  Each person will see it a
different 
way.

Andy
-- 
Building a community network for Bristol
http://consume.andylaurence.co.uk
- updated 06/08
4x4 in town - bog brush for your teeth
NB: Alternate E-Mail - andylaurence at yahoo dot co dot uk

Yahoo! Groups Sponsor

ADVERTISEMENT

For more information: http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
Post message: ukha_d@xxxxxxx 
Subscribe:  ukha_d-subscribe@xxxxxxx 
Unsubscribe:  ukha_d-unsubscribe@xxxxxxx 
List owner:  ukha_d-owner@xxxxxxx

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.