Current Automation Technology Gap

[Dirk]

Dirk, speaking url is fine and well but remember that the demand is for both online and local override remote control, so it’s a hybrid animal

Sorry, ya lost me there.

I'm not suggesting that it's either Pentair's way, or put together a complete DIY solution. Or that web-based is the answer, necessarily. I want Pentair (or one the others) to keep doing what they're doing with their controllers (is that what you mean my local control?), but add features that make their controllers more versatile (like unlimited schedules, improved interfaces, customization, web browser controllable, whatever), and then open-source the protocols (or use standard ones), that would allow savvy users, or third party developers, to expand the capabilities even further. If one of the big players did that, they'd devastate the competition and take over the automation arena, which would then drive sales of the rest of their offerings as well.

The rub would be, the others would follow suit, and then compete head to head, making Pentair's market grab short-lived. (Like the way Apple blew apart the smart phone market, but then later others caught up, and arguably surpassed). It'd be a gamble, but sometimes when a company does that there's no catching up for the others, or at least they stay perceived as "the one to own" allowing others to grab only the smaller market segments (like super cheap, or super high end, etc).

I don't have the roadmap, I'm just blowing smoke. I just know I don't like proprietary, it's crippling what pool automation could be, and I believe it's short-sighted...