"There are countless horrible things happening all over the world and horrible people prospering, but we must never allow them to disturb our equanimity or deflect us from our sacred duty to sabotage and annoy them whenever possible." -Auberon Waugh
Saturday, August 16, 2025
I don't think I want a house that is "smarter" than I am
I've got a neighbor who's extremely fond of gadgetry and all types of smart applications. He brags because he can adjust his house's thermostats when he's a thousand miles away. Seems like a dubious advantage. One of these days, some Russian cyber gang is going to unlock his doors while he's gone and steal his stuff.
I've never lived in a smart home - and I don't mean just because it's always been full of Pacos. I think beyond a certain point, the ability to remotely access appliances and electronic equipment is simply a fad.
I've always been interested in computers, communications (especially radio), and remote technology. I ran an amateur radio repeater site for years, and I had very good remote control of the equipment. It saved me from making long drives to the repeater site ... ... especially considering it was snowed in every winter.
There were multiple security features involved, especially for the INTERNET connections.
Personally, though, I've always drawn the line at remote control of home devices. Ain't gonna happen. There are times and places where you do NOT want that level of remote control.
As a federal employee, I watched the development of remote controls for hydropower projects. Literally, a console operator in Portland, OR, can control multi-megawatt generators in Idaho over the INTERNET.
There's an operator on site at the dams to step in there are problems, but the control of multiple dams in the Pacific Northwest are centralized into one office in Portland. This is wonderful for managing the power grid, but the vulnerability of the system is incredible. ESPECIALLY if there's a communications outage ... ... when is not a rare occurrence.
And add in AI, a technology that I view as no where ready for prime time (and may never be), and it's a scary thing all around.
I guess I’m lucky I’ll never live in a smart home.
ReplyDeleteForget refrigerators and thermostats, there are internet enabled sex toys.
ReplyDeleteNatural selection is sneaky. We keep trying to organize society to protect the terminally stupid, but they will always find new ways to invoke Darwin.
I've got a neighbor who's extremely fond of gadgetry and all types of smart applications. He brags because he can adjust his house's thermostats when he's a thousand miles away. Seems like a dubious advantage. One of these days, some Russian cyber gang is going to unlock his doors while he's gone and steal his stuff.
ReplyDeleteI've never lived in a smart home - and I don't mean just because it's always been full of Pacos. I think beyond a certain point, the ability to remotely access appliances and electronic equipment is simply a fad.
I've always been interested in computers, communications (especially radio), and remote technology. I ran an amateur radio repeater site for years, and I had very good remote control of the equipment. It saved me from making long drives to the repeater site ... ... especially considering it was snowed in every winter.
ReplyDeleteThere were multiple security features involved, especially for the INTERNET connections.
Personally, though, I've always drawn the line at remote control of home devices. Ain't gonna happen. There are times and places where you do NOT want that level of remote control.
As a federal employee, I watched the development of remote controls for hydropower projects. Literally, a console operator in Portland, OR, can control multi-megawatt generators in Idaho over the INTERNET.
There's an operator on site at the dams to step in there are problems, but the control of multiple dams in the Pacific Northwest are centralized into one office in Portland. This is wonderful for managing the power grid, but the vulnerability of the system is incredible. ESPECIALLY if there's a communications outage ... ... when is not a rare occurrence.
And add in AI, a technology that I view as no where ready for prime time (and may never be), and it's a scary thing all around.
I don't want any part of The Internet of Things.
ReplyDeleteI like owning my own property.