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friendly reminder: Everything that can connect to the internet or your phone is either:
1. based on open standards and just connects to whatever client/server you point it at (like a web browser or FTP client), or
2. going to turn into a useless brick at some point in the future https://twitter.com/robdaemon/status/1290071666547073025
1. based on open standards and just connects to whatever client/server you point it at (like a web browser or FTP client), or
2. going to turn into a useless brick at some point in the future https://twitter.com/robdaemon/status/1290071666547073025
you'd think that the local-networking-to-your-phone ones would be immune to this, but you're wrong for two reasons:
1. NAT is a nightmare so a lot of the "local" systems go through a remote server anyway
2. what happens when the app goes away?
1. NAT is a nightmare so a lot of the "local" systems go through a remote server anyway
2. what happens when the app goes away?
apps get obsoleted or removed from sale or replaced by a newer version that doesn't work with the old hardware.
and then even though it doesn't depend on a remote server, it still bricked your hardware unless you keep an old phone with an old version around.
and then even though it doesn't depend on a remote server, it still bricked your hardware unless you keep an old phone with an old version around.
and god, I just realized that this points to the next version of that old story:
There's a factory that's running some Big Important Process and it turns out it's all running off a 386 running windows 3.0 because the ISA card it needs only works there
There's a factory that's running some Big Important Process and it turns out it's all running off a 386 running windows 3.0 because the ISA card it needs only works there
the next version is when you have to scrounge ebay for replacement parts for a t-mobile mytouch 3g running android 2.2.1 because that's the last version that'll run the ancient APK that can talk to your Smart Dishwasher
"Hey, is your laundry done in the dryer yet?"
"No, I'm having to run it again, I can't put the dryer on high heat mode because my iPhone 4S died again so I can't use the app"
"No, I'm having to run it again, I can't put the dryer on high heat mode because my iPhone 4S died again so I can't use the app"
And here's the thing:
DO NOT TRUST COMPANIES TO MAINTAIN SERVERS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR YOUR HARDWARE TO WORK.
It doesn't matter what kind of company they are or how big they are, they can still kill your device
DO NOT TRUST COMPANIES TO MAINTAIN SERVERS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR YOUR HARDWARE TO WORK.
It doesn't matter what kind of company they are or how big they are, they can still kill your device
Small companies go out of business or get acquired.
Big companies decide that continuing to pay for the server and the bandwidth isn't worth it.
Big companies decide that continuing to pay for the server and the bandwidth isn't worth it.
Besides, you'll probably just buy a New Thing, and maybe it's from them? That sounds like win/win to them: They stop paying to keep some old shit running, and maybe you pay them for a New Thing!
so they eventually decide to kill it.
so they eventually decide to kill it.
And here's the big difference for this when it comes for hardware:
When someone turns off a server for an old videogame, now all the users can only play singleplayer. Bummer, no more death matches.
When someone turns off a server for an old videogame, now all the users can only play singleplayer. Bummer, no more death matches.
when someone turns off the server for a smart device,
ALL THOSE SMART DEVICES GO IN THE TRASH
ALL THOSE SMART DEVICES GO IN THE TRASH
Remember Reduce, Reuse, Recycle?
Well, these are things that can't be reused (they got bricked), recycling them is hard because of the non-removable lithium batteries, so your only option is to REDUCE.
DON'T BUY THE SMART FUTURE-BRICKS.
Well, these are things that can't be reused (they got bricked), recycling them is hard because of the non-removable lithium batteries, so your only option is to REDUCE.
DON'T BUY THE SMART FUTURE-BRICKS.
Anyway that's just a random rant on "smart things".
For more info on this kind of nightmare, see this very good thread from @atomicthumbs: https://twitter.com/atomicthumbs/status/1210662988828442624
For more info on this kind of nightmare, see this very good thread from @atomicthumbs: https://twitter.com/atomicthumbs/status/1210662988828442624
Also the entirety of @internetofshit. I can't believe I forgot them.
I didn't realize this reached a thousand retweets when I wasn't looking.
So I'm legally required to point out that if you enjoyed this rant and want to support me continuing to get mad at IoT things, feel free to drop me a dollar or two on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/fooneturing
So I'm legally required to point out that if you enjoyed this rant and want to support me continuing to get mad at IoT things, feel free to drop me a dollar or two on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/fooneturing
or set up a monthly donation on my patreon.
Thanks! https://www.patreon.com/foone
Thanks! https://www.patreon.com/foone
