Re: Open Source

["Robert L Bass" <RobertLBass@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Karl Denninger" wrote:
>
> See how their "fuck you" was effective in preventing me from adding
> ZWave support?
>
> NOT!

I seriously doubt they care whether you add Z-Wave support to your
app.  That doesn't mean I think your program isn't good or that they
think so either.  The point is that to companies like Zensys small,
independent developers like yourself are irrelevent.  You don't
contribute to their revenue so they don't offer you support of any
kind.

> The amusing part of this is the arrogance of Zensys in thinking
> that the MANUFACTURERS of devices who speak Zwave have interests
> aligned with theirs.

The only thing that matters to Zensys is that numerous major
manufacturers are developing hardware and software that will use
Z-Wave.  However, the intersts of Zensys' manufacturer-clients are
similar to those of Zensys.  They want to make money selling their
products.  As long as they are paying Zensys for the privelege of
doing so, that's alignment enough.

> Of course they do not; the device manufacturers have an interest in
> selling devices!  Their interests align with mine - that is, to
> have protocol definitions and support available.

Actually, they mostly don't care about you either.  Again, that's not
a snipe at you or the quality of your product.  It's just the fact
that you're a tiny player selling a product that very few of their
potential customers are going to buy.

> This is simple economics - the more different pieces of software
> and hardware that can "speak" to their devices, the more devices
> they will sell.  Without other products ability to speak to their
> devices they are worth far less.

The economics aren't quite that simple.  They are interested in
relationships with companies that can sell tens of thousands of
Z-Wave products.  Developers like Zensys spend considerable resources
building a support team to work with major buyers.  The return on
that investment needs to be far more than you can offer.  For
example, lets say one of their engineers might spend 20 hours
assisting Leviton in getting their Z-Wave line up and running.
Leviton, in turn, buys licensing to build and sell 250,000 dimmers a
year.  Perhaps the engineer spends only 2 hours working with you but
in return you and your future customers buy 500 dimmers a year.
Zensys has a finite number of engineers.  Two hours spent with each
of 10 developers means they have no time for one Leviton-sized
developer.  The result is you get nothing from them.

There's a parallel in the electronic security industry.  I'm an alarm
system dealer spending over $1M a year on alarm parts.  An end user
spends between $500 and $3000 on alarm parts once every five or ten
years.  Honeywell (one of our manufacturers) offers me unlimited tech
support but they won't even talk to an end user.  The reasons are
simple enough.  They have only just so many engineers and if they
spend their time talking to John Q Public they won't have enough
staff to talk to people like me.  There's another, darker reason as
well.  Many alarm dealers won't buy from a manufacturer who supports
end users.  Fortunately, the home automation industry doesn't
precisely parallel the alarm trade in that respect.

> This is the conorundum of so-called "consortia" specifications
> where some "central body" holds the specs and sells them off for
> what are often rather insane prices.

The what?  This is a very simple matter of IP rights.  Zensys
developed it.  It's their property to do with as they please.  If
they wanted to sell to small companies and freeware developers they'd
set their prices accordingly.  Clearly, they're not interested.
You've found a way to do what you want without their help.  That's
great, but it means nothing to Zensys.

> The result?  Those who wish to run HomeDaemon, use ZWave devices,
> and want to use a ZWave PIR will buy Intermatic CA9000s in
> preference to the other brands and models of PIRs that may be on
> the market, now or in the future.

For companies like Zensys, the fact that some fraction of the small
number of people who use Home Daemon might buy a few devices from
Intermatic is not significant enough to merit their attention.
They're looking for companies whose licensing fees will pay them in
the millions -- not a few hundred dollars -- per year.

> This gives Intermatic a competitive advantage; that is the "quid
> pro quo" that they obtain by disclosing their state machine details
> to the public.

It gives Intermatic a cometitive advantage among the small fraction
of HA users who implement Home Daemon.  It's nice they co-operated
with you and I'm glad to hear your software works with it.  Had I an
interest in running a Unix HA server, I'd probably be using your app
myself.  But like the vast majority of HA users (and dealers) I
don't.

> It is also why Zensys' position is economically bankrupt...

Do you think so?  They have among their clients most of the largest
players in the industry.  Here's a partial list:

Cooper Wiring Devices, Danfoss, Intel, Intermatic, Leviton, Monster
Cable, Universal Electronics, Wayne Dalton, 4HomeMedia,
A-1 Components, Actiontec, Advanced Control Technologies, Aspalis,
Betronic, Boca Devices, BuLogics, ControlThink, Crayon Interface,
CyberTAN Technology, Digeo, Digital Gardener, Digital Media Research,
ELDAT, Electronic Solutions, Embedded Automation, Embedit, Everspring
Industry Co., Exceptional Innovation, Goggin Research & Engineering,
Hawking Technology,
HIGH-DEF Technology, HomeSeer, Horstmann Controls, Hunter Douglas,
Hunter Fan Co., ICOM Technology, iControl Networks, Impact Holding,
Inlon, Ingersoll Rand, Innovus, Jasco Products, Jet Home Automation,
KTC Tech, Lagotek, Lantic Systems, Logitech, Merten, Navicom
Technologies, Panasonic, Pelham Sloane, Portable Innovation
Technology, Prevas,
Reitz, Scientronic, Seluxit, Semilink, SMK Corporation, Superna,
Synergy Consult, Techniku, Tell It Online, Tridium, uControl,
ViewSonic, Visualize, Westell, Winegard, Xanboo, Z-Wave Tecnologia,
Zykronix, Allion Computer, Capitol Sales, CasaWorks,
C & S Electronics, DEL Motorized Solutions, DPC Distributors, Draper,
Inc., ELK Products, Emergency Power & Automation Specialists, Empower
Consultants, Express Controls, Home Director, Prodea Systems, PSI
Contact Center, RCS,
SmartHome-Products, Twisthink, Vero DUCO, Window Modes

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

==============================>
Bass Home Electronics
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
Sales & Tech Support 941-925-8650
Customer Service 941-232-0791
Fax 941-870-3252
==============================>