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Home connected to the Internet
Calvin writes "Some dutch guy is working to make his own cyberhouse.
He currently has connected his doorbell, fridge and trashbin to the internet. This guy keeps logs of all kind of things plus webcam snapshots of the last events.
(major feature is the barcode reader on his trashbin) "
I want me one of those houses.
What, no stats on volume of water flushed? I'm disappointed. This guy needs to keep a log of water usage throughout his house...
Oh this is funny. I like the precision of the duration in the log files !!! Hmm no toilet cam?!?!?! Good thing, probably. Very funny....
This place is pretty neat. I suppose putting it all up on the web is just to show the kind of information one can collect. (I could have lived without the toilet log).
It would be cool to log the utilities. - Water/Gas/Electricity flow. Honey you used 15 gallons of water this morning for you shower. And it required 20 cubic feet of natural gas to heat....
This man doesn't need to cron prostitutes: he's prostituting HIMSELF to technology. This is so sad, I'm officially canceling all plans to put a linux machine in my car as an MP3 server.
I don't think I've ever seen as pitiful a thing in my life.
Somebody needs to visit AfroSquad to learn how to be cool...
Asmodean
me too, _especially_ the microsoft variety.
This guy was in the Wall Street Journal for his "wired home" several months ago. (The only news I bother reading is WSJ, CNN.com, and Slashdot.)
I think the UPC garbage thing is kinda cool, though all of the projects sound like they are just too much work, not enough reward. (Though it obviously did get him into Slashdot and the WSJ.)
+LO
(LoppEar, not logging in here at school.)
He was using VB to (incorrectly) calculate, instead of using SQL (which is what it was designed for).
He still uses VB, but only for what it was designed to do. Otherwise, he is using a data tool to munge data.
EOS.
Read an article in i think it was Byte Magazine about a couple of guys who hooked up a keg to the internet and ran it through a java front end that kept track of how full the keg was, how many pulls per hour, day , etc.. was kinda neat.. these two should hook up
You can always tell whether he's in or out. If my home was wired up this way - I would be afraid to leave it!!
Some buy this guy a realdoll or better yet,
www.realhamster.com
He hosts it with us! (http://www.dreamhost.com/) /. effect! Bring it on our Debian servers!
Bring the
Surprise! It was just rebooted again. Someone ought to introduce this guy to the Penguin.
Last reboot: 19:59:27 (27-Jan-1999)
-SONET
Don't trash it until you've tried it - if you normally come home through the garage, totally ignoring the front door, it's possible to miss packages. By routing my doorbell to my alpha pager, I can hear it ring anywhere in the state.
Besides, it's good for making people wonder why your Linux box is always sending YOU mail...
2 ? SW 0:00 (kflushd)
I always wondered what that was for....
BTW: Click on the little graph icon on the right of the top frame to get the access statistics on the website. Interesting huh?
Imagine doing something like this in VB on Windows! Sick!
Why does this mention "some dutch guy?" If it was an American, would you have said "some american guy" or just "some guy", and why?
. . . and it probably takes you less than a week to install a fucking library, too, not to mention getting it running the same year you bought it . . .
http://www.echelon.com/demo
Just when you think technology is useful, some idiot like this come along and proves that no matter what is created, it can be made completely useless and employed doing useless things. Will wonders never cease? Gee I hope not.
WTF? I posted the truth.
I installed the phone, and it worked. EOS.
what are you talking about? who are you, the win98 person?
fuck, i was bitching about the fact that w/ linux you get a great, stable kernel, an unbeatable CLI with unbeatable CLI utilities, and. absolutely. nothing. else. you have to be a professional system administrator (i.e. somebody with a no-brainer job who sits around fiddling aimlessly with un*x 6 days a week) to install anything that didn't come on the distro CD. the reason there's so much OSS is that it's quicker and easier to write your own program than to install somebody else's. fuggit, i work for a living, i have better things to do.
GAFC
what does that mean?
He's got a doorbell and some other doodads wired up to a PC, running batch scripts to periodically upload logs to a remote web server...
Whoopie doo. Any clown can do this with a bit of cheap X10 parts and simple coding.
To say that his "doorbell is on the internet" is rather misleading, I think. Does it have its own unique IP address? Can I (pun not intended) finger it? No. The doorbell's *status* is periodically made available on the internet, but none of this stuff is itself really "on" the 'net.
Stories like this are quickly becoming the 'net version of those little puff pieces that weathermen try to amuse us with, the feel-good story about the kitten rescued from the well.
"Dude! My butt is wired to the internet!"
YOU, mr. brainless young twit, are mindlessly flaming me for no reason at all.
you are an imbecile. you have a brain the size of a BB. it's hard for me to imagine how garbage like you manages to crawl out of the dumpster to post, but you needn't bother in the future.
dumb animal.
Phuck you phat pkreewtin.
die
you alone.
die.die.die.
btw. win98 has a pretty stable kernel, unfortunately there are lotts of unstable stuff tied to ot. laik ie4
Well if the article was written by someone who wasn't from the U.S. in some other country besides the U.S. then he would probably say "some american guy" and just "some guy" when talking about someone from his country.
Does microsoft provide technical support for the toilet when it breaks down?
heh.. this is coming from someone who can't install software in Linux... ahhahahahaha
./configure; make; make install... whooaaaa... need to be a rocket scientist to do that...
gee, rpm -Uvh is sooooo hard
as is
AndyM
I'm Dutch and I thought it was interesting & relevant info.
press any key to flush...
The type of responses like the one I deliberately mis-chose as my subject puzzles me a bit.
Agreed, having your trashcan contents on the Internet seems a bit silly. Nevertheless many people are interested in using their PC's to control their environment (or home).
The type of hackers who actually pioneer this kind of things are always considered a bit looney. I have a home network and 2 servers & 4 PC's and many people look at me as if I'm a bit nutty when I tell them.
Now the fact that this guy puts it all up on the Internet for all to see is something else. But hey, perhaps he's proud of what he has done and wants to show off a bit. It's no mean feat to force a Windows PC into doing this stuff.
Ok, so he's a bit of a hacker who like to make things other people think of as pointless. And he's proud enough to show off a little.
That's probably the kind of motivation that drives most creators of the OSS software you all like so much. It's the kind of thing that drove Linus, I guess.
People pissing on people that actually make something, that's what really pisses me off.
And, agreed, it would be nice if it were Linux software and Open Source, but if that bothers you enough, you know what you can do about it...
Most of these idiots spend the time to post
"this isn't news for nerds!" on nearly any
topic, but once something REALLY nerdy comes
along, they jump ship like a jock late for
a football game. These people also seem to
have ZERO sense of hack value.
Considering Slashdots readership, I'm surprised at the number of posts basically saying that this is ott and that the guy should get out more.
The simple reason why this is cool is because it can be done!
this guy seemed sorta cool
but I guess not because he doesnt run linux. Im amazed that windows could do all that
I think this would be a whole lot cooler if he actually wired a GPS locator to his cat so his cat tracker page actually DID track his cat, rather than its feeding schedule.
uhh, the software kind.
So we've established here that you're incapable of reading READMEs and INSTALLs to figure out how to type:
$ configure
$ make
$ su
# make install
Also, we've established that you've apparently never seen X.
You then go on to say that Unix administration is a "no-brainer". So which is it? So easy that it's a no-brainer, or so difficult that you can't do it? You can't have it both ways, unless you're just too stupid to handle a "no-brainer". I'm beginning to suspect the last, myself.
And that's "Get A F*cking Clue", incidentally. (That's my guess, anyway... I'm not the guy who wrote that.)
Posted by korto:
cyberhouse? that sounds silly. i don't want to take a peek at his trashcan or his fridge's log!
the man is kinda sick if you ask me...
More "GARBAGE" on the Net... ;>
...no offense buddy, but wearable computers and a barcode reader on the trashcan? You need to get out more, my friend. Send me your address and I'll buy you a cab ride to the local park. :)
The doorbell cam has applications though. I'd like one of those.
...Steve
Cuz he ain't getting much dating done, I'll bet.
...Steve
It's an article about Tescos(UK supermarket) shipping Palm Pilots with built-in barcode scanners, so you can make a shopping list by scanning the products in your kitchen cupboards. You then upload your shopping list and it gets delivered. I just wish it was my local Tescos and that I hadn't already bought a Palm III.
Paranoia isn't an infectious condition, it's a way of life
Eventually I'll have everything wired up to my web page... One day...
...I'd pick a "jennycam" over anything at this guy's house anyday!
Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.
- W. Wriston, former Citibank CEO
the barcode reader ordering the groceries bit? Seems like somebody was telling me about that 2 or 3 years ago as the "Next Big Thing"(tm)
[-- Trust the Monkey --]
Info updated every 3 minutes.
Free disk space: 452,100,096 bytes.
Last server reboot: 17:21:28, (25-Jan-1999)
Toiletflush: 19:15:40, (27-Jan-1999)
Fridge opened: 06:50:56, (27-Jan-1999)
Doorbell: 07:01:53, (27-Jan-1999)
Phonecall: 19:16:45, (27-Jan-1999)
Last Barcode: - a teabag 07:05:44 (27-Jan-1999)
Winamp song playing: No music playing at the moment
Comments: None
Sort of interesting, server was rebooted on the 25th. I'd guess it'll go down sometime today as well for a reboot, seeing as it's a Windows box that is actually doing something... (I've had a Win95 box running for over a month straight, but this was on a 486SX, serving webpages at the rate of one per decade).
I'm not too impressed. Windows 95? Sheesh... run Linux. I've got my linux router/automation server set up to handle my voicemail using vgetty. I can punch in a code and turn on or off most of the lights and major appliances in my apartment, set my thermostats back, program away cycles for my lights, as well as check my voicemail. Enter another code and it will hang up and dial my house network up to the Internet (no high speed access around here unfortunately) and then page me with its IP-address. It'll even let me turn on any of the other PC's on the network in case I need a file off one of them and I'm not at home.
:)
Of course all of that can be done through the web server as well, with the added ability to read received faxes and listen to the voice messages online. Lets see Winblows do all that. For free.
I have one Winblows machine in my house -- its one of the ones that the Linux system can turn on. I use it for only one thing, music production. Linux is a tad weak when it comes to music production software, that I've found. If your Microsoft phone works for you, that's all fine and dandy. It costs a bundle. It relies on Windows (and as such isn't reliable...) You have no control over how it does what it does. Hopefully you'll get a lot of use out of it, Microsoft's consumer hardware isn't bad, their joysticks are nice and I use their mice exclusively. But I have to replace them once or twice a year. Hopefully your phone will have better reliability.
Gotta remember something though, most of this kind of stuff is just plain stupid -- particularly that house. What's the point if all you're doing is plugging in someone else's closed-box system, plugging in an expensive piece of hardware, and turning it all on? None of those features are very useful IMHO, and you get nothing personally out of it.
I set my stuff up because I could. I use the Internet access once in a while when I forget files at home, and I fairly frequently wonder during the day if I turned off the coffee pot and being able to turn it off from remote is kinda useful.
Oughta make ya proud being able to put "Microsoft Inside" on your house... lmao
More old news. I read about this half a year ago, and the guy is still a freak.
-mickey
Good idea. Then when crackers break into your web page, they control your house as well. ;-)
--
Aaron Gaudio
"The fool finds ignorance all around him.
"Every man is a mob, a chain gang of idiots." - Jonathan Nolan, Memento Mori
the bar code reader created a shopping list and then orderd grocherys for ya automaticly ... 2 hours later a guy shows up with your food and ya pay him... neat....
"The clay can become a bear, but not while it lays cold and wet on the riverbank." -Orson Scott Card, Children of the m
Nonsense -- this sort of project is valuable for several reasons; the important one to me is inspiration for more useful projects. It would be
extremely useful for me to know which roommate uses how much water, electric, etc., which one eats my food, and who's at the door before I go answer it (some people can just wait). There are practical applications here waiting to be extracted and OSSed
Nothing worth doing is worth doing today.
That's quite funny. Very good indeed.
I've got scripts running that broadcast my desktop screenshots to the internet and more that show my gqmpeg playlist, but isn't a fridge opening, toilet flush and such abit overdoing it?
Frankly I'm suprised this guy doesn't keep track of the amount going through his toilet.
- MbM
- MbM
I like the idea, but I would just be happy with being able to actually solder that RS232 port to my blender and ice machine so I can run cron jobs to keep my margaritas flowin properly.
"Here's 50 bucks, take this in case I get drunk and call you a bitch later." - Ricky (Vince Vaughn)Made (2001)
Too bad he wrote it in Visual Basic. The idea of tracking barcodes in the trashcan is pretty cool. Make your own shopping lists and stuff.
where's the page that shows how many chicks dumped him?
.. Of course you may remember a house which reesponded to and acted on commands from an outside force.
:)
We all remember the Amityville Horror don't we?
Puhleeze.. the day I wire my doorbell to the net not to mention exposing my privacy online 24-7? No I don't think so.
(Give him points for the concept.. but continuing it? nah. )
~Grell
Error reading left brain. (A)bort, (R)etry,(F)rolic?
...when it gets down to fundamentals, do what you have to do and shed no tears. Dr. Matson in Tunnel in the Sky
A couple of mikes, placed in strategic spots around a
(house|room|studio), and connected to a cheap linux box,
could be a good way to duplicate the voice UI from Star
Trek. "Computer, lights!"
Is there any GPL'ed voice recognition software out there?
He wants to save his code for possible commercial uses. Imagine if your company monitored the break-room fridge. And he's obviously not an OSS advocate, so maybe we should all boycott his house. Or something.
ZOMG I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS ON MACINTOSH VERSUS WINDOWS, VI VERSUS EMACS, AND HOW YOU'RE NOT A DORK
You must not have a lot to do where you live. I'd rather go out and do something a little more entertaining then shopping for food. (Not that I think connecting your trashcan to the net is normal, mind you.)
This sig is false.
he runs all the data collection of a 95 box btw.
b
You have to wonder about the picture of someone bending over in front of the doorbell...
Isn't Visual Basic useful??
Soooo many applications.../P.
:-)
joedoe
All you have to do is match up the product UPC with an ID number on NetGrocer (www.netgrocer.com). Your computer can then automatically order the items over the Internet.
Of course, you'd probably have it save up a list of items and send out an order at a specific time of the week. Then you could modify the list as needed. You'd also know when to expect the package. Also, when you used a box of cereal, instead of replacing that exact brand, you might program it to select randomly from a list of cereals, or other breakfast food. (On NetGrocer you can only get non-perishable items.)
Whatever the software to let you order groceries, it had better be open source!
Well, think on... Now you know what those little stickers "Designed for Microsoft Windows 9x" are meant for! Stick'em on your garbage can, toilet seat, hand gun, ...
In every group, there will always be those people who go to the extremes. There are just some things :)
that the internet just isn't good for. This is one of those clear examples. Come on guys, we have something that no generation before has had, lets not act like fools with it
-Master Switch, one more element in the machine
I like the barcode scanner, but if you were going to apply this setup to a retail kit of some kind I think having the lookup for the UPC local is a waste of rescoures. I was actually thinking that the scanner saves the UPCs and then encrypts them using a combo or PGP and acustomer entered PIN, send it SMTP and let the lookup happen on the grocers end not the client. Also the app would be simple and easy to port.
If vegitarians eat Vegitables what do humanitarians eat?
Spyder
Not to deviate from the subject *too*
much, but isn't the net about erasing
political borders?
Is there such a thing as
overinformation? this
guy seems to take the possibilities
too far. feel free to disagree with
me, but duration of the doorbell-
ringing? a tad bit excessive for me.
Its being worked on in the US. The problem is the price of the barcode scanner. That will make it take longer to get into the hands of the consumer, but it will speed up the delevery process.
For more info (nothing on barcode readers yet), check out www.netran.com.
"Luncheon meats make the sawdust in your stomach explode."
Quick Thinking: What would you do if the wires fell into the toilet while you were letting one off? That would have quite a "shocking" "outcome".
hmmm so since he uses Windows for everything and connected it to the Toilet, does that make it a Microsoft Toilet?
:)
Now that's a Microsoft product I'd buy! Something I can literally shit on everyday.
---
gr0k - he got juju eyeballs - http://www.juju.org
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