Not sure where all this hostility is coming from, c'mon folks, lighten up. A browse of the forums shows there's more than just MBA types involved. And I think we can all agree that fresh UI/web designers would be a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of what's been out there.
I'm not opposed to solutions that use cloud features. It's ones that require the cloud connection that I'd reject. All too often that's a sign of either lazy/incomplete programming or a money-grab. Neither of which I'd want anywhere near my home.
When a solution runs in on-premise gear it requires a lot of testing/reliability. Updates and stuff HAVE to be known to work (even Nest hasn't gotten this totally right yet). Half-done software or almost-there features can certainly be more readily developed when the target is up on the cloud. But for things like home automation there's no place requiring the cloud for basic and scheduled control of the devices.
Something that just proxies all connections to the cloud ain't gonna cut it. Something that uses the cloud to overcome the various hassles of firewall or proxied connections, yeah, that's fine.
Maybe for UI features, a la Logitech's Harmony, but not for daily operational use (aka Lowes Iris)