dianedebuda
The following reply is just my own personal thoughts regarding some of your questions and based upon my own experiences. Others' may have different experiences because no two pool owners set their equipment up in exactly the same manner typically and most have varying degrees of requirements from thier automation systems.
I want local pc access, not via the web. So as I understand the current situation, this is not possible with the native Pentair software but is doable with Android (and iOS). You can use an Android emulator to use the Android app on a PC. The Pentair web software currently has a major glich - is it usable at all? There's some user-created software for PC control in the works, but not ready yet. That a valid summary?
Currently, you can have local access if utilizing an iOS or Android device (it's an option when you open the app). This is because those are applications (apps) which reside on the device.
But when using a PC/MAC/Laptop computer, you must access the IntelliCenter via the web client (there is no app that resides on the computer unlike ScreenLogic). And there in lies the rub for many of us (not all). Using the web and consequently the Pentair web servers tends to be "glitchy" in some areas of operation if you know what I mean. There are obviously issues at the web server level. The web client is about 80-90% usable for my requirements. Other's have no problems at all with it but they will have different requirements then I may have.
I liken it to two Jeep owners. One owner drives their Jeep just around town and the other takes their Jeep on extreme off-road excursions and tours. When the off-roading Jeep owner complains that they are having some minor issue with the suspension that is not quite right, the owner that drives his/her Jeep to the market and back, replies "I'm not having any issues with my Jeep" Well of course your not. Some are looking to have their automation do EVERYTHING that it was designed to do without encountering "buggy" or "goofy" results.
At one end of the scale, some IntelliCenter users just want to control a pump, have 2 or 3 different schedules and turn on a light. At the other end of the scale, others desire or have a need for varying complexities of macros and scheduling requirements while controlling several pumps, heat pumps combined with solar, complex lighted water features with spas, complex equipment pad plumbing etc. etc. and like me, many users are just somewhere in between, and want to automate what ever they possibly can, do a little manual water testing and then swim, swim, swim.
Hope that makes sense.
Yes, there are many projects and efforts in the works currently, to use either "home-brew" software and/or existing add-on hardware in combination with their IntelliCenter in order to eliminate the need for the Pentair web servers. Some are trying to possibly emulate the "ScreenLogic" concept with the IntelliCenter such as the Pentair EasyTouch and IntelliTouch automation systems incorporate (I'm currently focusing my efforts here at the moment). In my opinion this is where these two other automation systems are far better than the IntelliCenter. A desktop client versus a web client.
Thanks for the questions and please stay safe.
r.