Haiku Haiku developing ideas

[tigers]

I am aware that there is HaikuHelper that can do anything with the data form my OmniPro BUT:

1. It's MAC only (I can't afford one just for Home automation! Still have to try out Hackintosh...);
2. it requires a computer always on, which may be a problem for someone;

so my suggestion is to have a way to develop some sorts of "plugins" for Haiku on iOS that could allow us to, just to give an example, send mails or SMS when certain flags change state or on certain events, or record the thermostats output, or... anything else we can think of.

I think this should be implemented in a more "closed" way as it is with HH: no "custom" scripts, and they can be written in a non-friendly language to be implemented directly. They could be downloaded and configured from inside Haiku and maybe saved/managed via iTunes.

I have no idea if and how this could be practically done, just giving away my ideas.

 

[jdk972003]

Apple is glorified Unix. If Haiku wants to break into a larger market, they could just make haiku helper run on a unix based micro controller.

Then they are not dependent on users being Mac households. And they could even sell their own hardware controller to work in conjunction with Haiku for a fraction of similar systems like HS and CQC (think $150 vs 1K).

I was waiting for this transition to take place. Haiku helper is a different take on HS or CQC. Instead of building a robust software platform that does not need the Omni capabilities other than alarm, Haiku can just focus on integration with the Omni and let Omni hardware do the heavy lifting. But they need to expand their base by getting away from Mac only. The haiku helper does not seem to be an intensive program at all.

Everyone seems to have an ipod/iphone. Macs are a different story. They really need to evaluate this.

 

[lupinglade]

Its not that simple, as Haiku is heavily integrated with Mac OS X technologies that don't exist on other unix-like OSes. The Mac mini though makes a great home automation addition for many purposes and especially because of its low power usage.

You can get an older Mac mini for quite cheap these days, which is more than good enough for HaikuHelper. Just make sure it can run Mac OS X 10.7.

 

[tigers]

I must agree with Bal. I've sern chinese boxes for 30$ running a Linux server with Ethernet and USB ports with a ftp server, samba and a torrent client. How difficult can it be (for a good programmer of course, or I'll do it myself) to send and receive some script and events over the network?
I'm not saying it'd be better than HH or than could make someone rich, but it could be' very nice. The solutions out there are good but overpriced.

Oh, and I wanted to clarify that by no means I am implying YOU should do it. You chose Mac and OS X and it's OK, you know Why better than we do.

 

[heffneil]

Guys you have already saved a huge bundle running an Omnipro over just about anything else in the world. Now you are going to buy a super cheap app ($50 Haiku) and $80 for Haiku Helper which puts your total software at $130. I mean that is CHEAP - super cheap. So go spring for a refurbished mac mini and use it as a HTPC along with your Haiku helper and you have killed a bunch of birds with some a stone and your total out of pocket is far less than control4 or crestron with all you are able to do!

 

[jdk972003]

Oh don't get me wrong. I am not complaining nor trying to say there is anything wrong with the current approach. Far from it. Great product found a good nitch market. But the problem with nitch markets (and lets be honest here, HA is in a nitch by itself), is adding the Mac nitch to the top of the HA nitch makes for an even smaller audience your targeting. My comments are simply aimed to increasing the audience size Haiku can hit.

I would tell you transitioning to something like a micro controller or PC based Haikuhelper elevates your software package to a level in which HAI has to start considering just purchasing you vs trying to run their own software team and their plethora of programs. That is where Lupinglade REALLY cashes in.

Its just a matter of time until the alarm companies ditch the additional expense of hardware touch screens for tablets. Once they do that, they either have to buy the software or make it themselves. And history has shown how minimal their software skills have been as they just can not keep up.

The thing I think Haiku has to be especially weary of, is if HAI makes that transition to supporting tablets directly, they could well steal your market right out from under you. Their current software which allows someone to setup a bunch of their touch sceens for intercom, etc is only little steps from doing the same thing for tablets. Once they do it, people and dealers will tend to choose HAI vs the 3rd party every time.

Soooo I guess what I am saying is think about where you want Haiku to go long term and where the market is heading. Thats why I mentioned a simple, small custom hardware piece that someone like HAI could easily pick up and start producing when they buy you!

 

[heffneil]

PC's just aren't the future anymore. Mac minis are energy efficient smaller footprint and a overall good piece of equipment. As a PC to mac convert (and who isn't that is a mac fan) I am not looking back. I have several machines that run Windows because I have to. Perhaps I am the anomaly but I am looking for programs that run on Mac (OSX) vs things that run on Windows. I can't run upstart without a windows machine. Boooo

Invest Apple Hardware and you won't regret it.

 

[jdk972003]

Actually, i will probably just set up a virtual machine running OS X. I can do that on my current computer and achieve all that a mac does without purchasing anything.

I totally get the simplicity and clean interface of mac's. But anyone who thinks Mac is going to be the wave of the future is speaking from their heart or wallet, not from a objective point of view. Choose a large company..I mean like ExxonMobil or Edward Jones. Not one is running macs or OSX as their standard in their server systems or desktop systems. The reality is Mac has a long long long way to go until they have even a small portion of the infrastructure to support those types of organizations and for those types of organizations to have enough IT people to support such a mac oriented work place. And workplaces are what drive desktop and server software.

Macs are running at the other end of the game, residential users and therefore high margins by prioritizing simplicity and interface (hence the ipad and iphone).

I am neither a PC fan or a Mac fan. I am a Chemical Engineer and businessman who looks at the reality of a situation and plans accordingly. Reality, PC's rule most of the iceberg. Macs own that small tip above water so it looks like its a lot more than it is.

Funny enough, its the opposite on tablets. MS has not even gotten to the party yet and I honestly have no idea where that comparison will end up. Its going to be about pricing in the end as the Kindle Fire proved. Apple is doing great because of economies of scale, but if any one player can start impacting that market where they could take the same advantages, they would drive Apple marketshare down by driving price down. One thing Apple has always refused to do is lower their margin.

 

[heffneil]

i bought a vizio tablet for a remote in my family room with irule and I have the thing in the drawer and won't take it out. It is horrible. I bought it because it was cheap and now it is a door stop. I prefer my ipad over and over again. Also Exxon isn't running HAI

Neil

 

[jdk972003]

LOL true!