IoT pet feeder leaves pets hungry when servers crash - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: radar_macgyver
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 06:36:30 am
content: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36912992This is awful. How could they think it's a good design when you need an internet connected server to feed a hungry pet?

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 06:43:14 am
content: Devices get smarter, people get dumber.I actually watched Idiocracy for the first time last night.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 06:52:38 am
content: Wow, total crap design - no failure mode for when the server is MIA. Kind of what I expect from the "IoT".

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 06:56:47 am
content: Fast time to market with high profit and low reliability. Welcome to the Internet of Shit.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 06:57:02 am
content: I hate how stuff that has no business being connected to an internet server is designed as such. There is absolutely zero reason for this (other than they can probably use it to spy on you). I like the idea of being able to remotely manage stuff, but the way consumer products are designed is terrible due to the fact that it relies on 3rd party servers. Especially something as simple as a pet feeder, it should just have it's own web server that you can connect to locally. No need for "the cloud". If you want remote access, that's what VPN is for.

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 07:15:54 am
content: Quote from: Jeroen3 on July 29, 2016, 06:56:47 amHa! That gives a whole new meaning to IOS...

author: RGB255_0_0
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 07:21:54 am
content: No local storage to handle times when offline = dumb device. I smell a class action lawsuit.But then again, should you have a pet if you have to rely on tech to feed it?

author: borjam
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 08:02:33 am
content: Not in the IoT realm, but you can find plenty of good (or bad) designs everywhere. I've seen network equipment that stops forwarding traffic when the control software crashes, which is insane in most cases unless that control software must enforce some security rules based on the monitored traffic.Ideally, such a device should rely on the cloud *only* for monitoring or to push configuration changes, so that it woudn't stop working if the central servers become unreachable for any reason. After all it's not exactly rocket science to use a timer to feed everyday at the same time.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 08:08:37 am
content: The IoS -Internet of SubscriptionsThe business model of entrepreneurs that have no product to sell, and no budget for legitimate development.... or too much ch money and market power - to force users into participation.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 08:09:35 am
content: Quote from: Jeroen3 on July 29, 2016, 06:56:47 amIn my recent experience it is exacly what IOT is about. Putting a GHZ ARM with Linux to operate a relay, so a script kiddie can write a 20 line code. No error management whatsoever, management is a bunch of kids, who watch TED and think that everything can be done in 20 minutes.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 09:26:21 am
content: Not to mention making it extremely easy to take ownership of such IoS nodes.Soon... "Help, my neighbour hacked my fridge!".

author: Kilrah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 10:22:02 am
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on July 29, 2016, 06:57:02 amI'm not against it, because setting up a VPN and its requirements is far out of reach of the typical consumer, if you required that you'd limit sales of your thing to a couple of geeks, no chance of widespread adoption. Having both the thing and you report to an external provider is a good idea and works. BUT, this x1000:Quote from: borjam on July 29, 2016, 08:02:33 amThe device must store its configuration and work with that regardless of availability of the service. AND offer a built-in server so that even if the convenient portal fails or the company shuts down you can still manage it locally when you're at home, and still use it remotely through VPN / port forwarding even if it means learning some things or having it configured by someone who knows. Having devices that just become paperweigths because they absolutely require a server to do anything or the only way to connect to them and set them up is through a portal that has died is

author: Galenbo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 10:24:03 am
content: What is different from what was expected?Where was something different promised when device_not_working ?If the fuel network is broken, everybody has to walk.If the electricity network is broken, everybody has to brush their teeth manually.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 10:29:15 am
content: Quote from: Galenbo on July 29, 2016, 10:24:03 amIts more like "someone parked his car on the road, everybody has to walk", and "electricity network down, so you cannot use battery powered stuff magically anymore"

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 10:31:17 am
content: Quote from: Galenbo on July 29, 2016, 10:24:03 amIf the internet is broken, pet feeder uses feeding schedule it received on previous syncing with server. Is this that hard to do?

author: station240
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 10:38:53 am
content: Waiting on the lawsuits when someone comes home from a week long holiday to a dead/sick pet.Never mind the company server's being down, what happens if your phone line gets cut during a storm, and shittytel* don't notice until you ring up to complain.The fuel distribution system is the worst, the tankers are diesel, petrol pumps are electric, and the electricity to heat the crude to refine it.It's not a network as no one runs fuel pipelines to bowsers, bar the odd airport.* generic term for your local crappy telco, eg Telstra, Comcast, BT etc

author: System Error Message
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 10:44:47 am
content: mr robot season 2 episode 1 showed a very good example of how disastrous IoT can be with everything relying on internet and some server.

author: Kilrah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 10:50:49 am
content: Quote from: Galenbo on July 29, 2016, 10:24:03 amThe difference is feasability...It is of course not practical for an electricity supplier to provide local storage at each of their customers' locations in case their network fails, and you wouldn't expect them to do that.But it's a few lines of code to make sure a pet feeder can work without internet connection (probably actually simpler than making the online version...). There is no excuse not to do it, and it's normal to expect it. Not doing it is stupid and unprofessional from the creators.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 10:58:15 am
content: Quote from: station240 on July 29, 2016, 10:38:53 amDon't worry the supplier's lawyers, your contract, and the legislated supply agreements protect them from ever giving you a dollar in compensation under those circumstances.Tell your local media and political representative what you think of that situation!

author: borjam
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 11:45:44 am
content: Quote from: Galenbo on July 29, 2016, 10:24:03 amWell, your Internet connection can be much more unreliable than electrical power. You can suffer an outage. The router can hang. Your WiFi network can be rendered almost useless by a careless neighbor (or yourself!) buying one of those awful "TV transmitters" or a baby cam. Your ISP can experience connection problems to the network of the "cloud provider". There are too many failure modes.Of course, most pets can not be left alone at home for a week, period. But that's an entirely different matter.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 11:56:55 am
content: People buying such stuff deserve an extra largefor not asking what will happen in case of an Internet outage or when the servers are shut down. It's the same silly mistake as with computer games, which require an Internet connection. How many times have we seen vendors shutting down servers, because they don't make enough money or think the product/game is outdated? More than enough! No servers, no fun. It's so

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 12:24:24 pm
content: All I can say is my dogs have an automatic feeder that feeds them twice a day in metered amounts-----ME!!!!! IoT pet feeder?

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 01:15:12 pm
content: Is there an English word for something being horrible and hilarious at the same time?

author: borjam
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 01:50:06 pm
content: Quote from: daqq on July 29, 2016, 01:15:12 pmA friend invented a similar one: craptacular. Or maybe he borrowed it?

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2016, 02:16:22 pm
content: Quote from: borjam on July 29, 2016, 01:50:06 pmSimpsons. According to urban dictionary.

author: Galenbo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2016, 12:32:20 pm
content: Quote from: borjam on July 29, 2016, 11:45:44 amGood you know this networking trivia.Quote from: borjam on July 29, 2016, 11:45:44 amSo, buy a device that doesn't need constant network availability. Look at at the specs and tests instead of relying on a colourful package.And, period, at least do a basic test of what happens when one of the working conditions isn't met.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2016, 03:34:11 pm
content: Quote from: borjam on July 29, 2016, 11:45:44 amThat's why in the era before ubiquitous smartphones, when people actually *gasp* talked to each other instead of "facebooking" and "twittering", you asked your neighbor or friend to feed your pet (and clean up their toilet, if needed). Certainly no problems with power or server outages there!

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2016, 03:57:38 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on August 03, 2016, 03:34:11 pmI agree, everybody needs good neighbours, they should talk. That's when good neighbours become good friends.But, I live in a commuter area where the street empties in the morning until late in the evening so socialising with them becomes difficult.That's not to say it doesn't happen but I know very few of them.