The Naked Product Launch: 30 seconds to sell a robot Previously, you made it clear that most of you think that test harnesses are a GoodThingTM. Ready for launch: zarro boogs found Getting ready to crowdfund a product is not quite like shipping or releasing a normal product. We did find and kill at least the most critical of the bugs that I agonised over last week (hurrah) …
I have a theory is that this series of self indulgent, content-free advertorials is a new kind of torture weapon devised by the CIA, as a retaliation against Vladimir Putin's bot army. All I can say is "Go CIA!", but please stop inflicting it on us guinea pigs here.
Short version: It's an electronic TRV (Thermostatic Radiator Valve) head, designed to do what the likes of Hive do, but without the expense and data slurping, but with per-room control. The idea is that a "normal user" (ie the ones who haven't a clue what a time clock is supposed to do or how to program it) can fit these on the existing valves and instantly get the benefits. The only "complicated" bit of the install is connecting the (optional) relay interface to the boiler so the TRVs can signal when the boiler needs to run and shut it down when not needed.
Longer version: Head over to http://opentrv.org.uk/principles/ where the philosophy is explained.
What the fuck is this? Is that "comic" at the start supposed to be funny? Or to tell a story? I'm genuinely puzzled at what the shit is going on here.
I wish I hadn't bothered clicking every image in the comic, but I had to see if there was going to be a punchline. Or anything to justify the effort that went into producing it.
As for the rest of the article? It's like a Steve Bong column played straight. With a shit comic at the start. Or like being stuck in a lift while two of the clones from marketing dribble on about some twitter bullshit campaign they're planning.
Which is why a crowdfunded project would probably have to offer significant advantages over a normal product that is shipped and released already, other than simply being "open".
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
