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My dishwasher won’t start until I let it update its firmware over the WiFi

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Re: My dishwasher won’t start until I let it update its firmware over the WiFi

#241

Post by JadeNB »

buro9 wrote: post #77
michaelt wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The Wi-Fi is useful [...] Performs updates, etc. Ah yes, get wifi so your dishwasher can get security updates, which you need because your dishwasher is on wifi.

Updates improve wash efficiency, etc. Not just security updates. Maybe a new cleaning powder comes with a new algo. Maybe there's a better dosing for certain levels of water hardness. But the gist is that it updates the whole module. I'm fine with this, Miele are like Bosch in that they look after the hardware they sell for decades rather than considering it deprecated the day it leaves a shop floor.

> Maybe a new cleaning powder comes with a new algo.

Ah, fantastic. "Now that we have updated the firmware, we have determined that you need the new proprietary cleaning powder. For your convenience, the dishwasher is disabled until you supply the proper cleaning powder."

Re: My dishwasher won’t start until I let it update its firmware over the WiFi

#242

Post by _fat_santa »

28304283409234 wrote: post #235

For this iot hell, I flick on the wifi hotspot on an old phone with 4g. Get off my LAN! Also, dishwashers are a scam, but that's a different ~~rant~~ topic.

I took it a step further and created a whole different network for IOT devices (TV excluded for phone streaming). Usually suffices the "connect to WiFi" requirement while not actually providing those devices with internet, or provide it in a very limited fashion.

Re: My dishwasher won’t start until I let it update its firmware over the WiFi

#243

Post by pettycashstash2 »

My Ikea FYRTUR Blinds did not work until I bought the Ikea TRÅDFRI Gateway. The only way to update the firmware was to do it via the gateway. In other words they were DOA without the gateway.

https://twitter.com/pettycashstash/status/148816796997279744...

Re: My dishwasher won’t start until I let it update its firmware over the WiFi

#245

Post by ethbr0 »

BruiseLee wrote: post #154
JohnJamesRambo wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have never once needed my dishwasher to be operated remotely. Load it and press start. The dishes get clean and it has no software just buttons. If the dishes get clean what further enhancements needed to be done?

In case of modern appliances, you are not the only customer/user of the product. Other customers are various advertisers that are interested in data about you. The updates provide enhancements for these other customers.

We should stop calling it the advertising industry and just call it the tracking industry. Advertising just happens to be the most obvious consumer.

IMHO, IoT is a clusterfuck because it's preying on users' past goodwill towards computing. Historically, computers have worked "pretty well" (especially in the last couple decades).

So users, when looking at a network-enabled fridge, toaster, etc. logically assume "Oh, this will be like my laptop."

What's not apparent to them is how good modern computing has gotten (unless they remember the 90s), or that the companies making IoT stuff have no prior experience in software, or that there are effectively no certifications, standards, or laws around IoT quality.

Re: My dishwasher won’t start until I let it update its firmware over the WiFi

#246

Post by helloworld11 »

It's extraordinary to see the number of people commenting here with "convenience" justifications for why this dishwasher.... a fucking dishwasher.... could indeed benefit from simply letting it run its firmware updates via WiFi. A number of silly, absurd pretects for essentially saying "well, it's not so bad really, I kind of see the point because it will let you do X and Y, Oh and the algo might recommend better soap!"...........

Again, it's a fucking dishwasher. Stack dishes. Press button. Wash dishes. It absolutely does not need a bloody algorithm trying to force you the owner into anything. The idea is absurd, and seeing so many defenses of convenience for such pushy, prying things is as well on the same site where so many people also frequently complain about our worrisome surveillance capitalism/corporatism future of constant user tracking and tech lock-in and siloing.

If some people can't even easily stomach the notion of washing dishes without dubious software updates and data hoarding algorithms, so many other, more serious parts of digital independence are well sold to hell down the road.

Re: My dishwasher won’t start until I let it update its firmware over the WiFi

#247

Post by nsxwolf »

Aeolun wrote: post #239
nsxwolf wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every dishwasher I've ever used, your best bet is to put everything on full blast, least efficient settings. Otherwise the dishes get "almost" clean. I always imagine the engineers standing around patting themselves on the back after testing, and marveling how their ideas worked so well most of the dishes got clean. The dishes all need to be totally clean, every time, or it's useless to me.

As long as I clean my dishes before I put them in the washer, I never have any issues.

Was that intended to be ironic?

Re: My dishwasher won’t start until I let it update its firmware over the WiFi

#248

Post by denton-scratch »

usrbinbash wrote: post #214
buro9 wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I just throw my laundry in the machine Into the dishwasher?

Oh, I have seen worse things in student dormitories. Ever seen someone use the coffe-maker to cook instant ramen?

I've had AirBnB guests that used the electric kettle to cook ramen. This is an apartment with a stove, oven and all necessary kitchen equipment.

Of course this is stupid; you put the dry ramen in a bowl, pour on boiling water, and wait a minute or two. That's what the instructions on the pack actually say. It's not necessary to boil ramen.

Re: My dishwasher won’t start until I let it update its firmware over the WiFi

#249

Post by dpark »

mrweasel wrote: post #70
krm01 wrote: post #40

Smart devices are overly complex. The entire point should have been to make devices work for you, but now when you buy a ‘smart’ washing machine, it requires you 30min of setup. Downloading apps, connecting it to wifi, providing GPS location etc. why? What’s the point. We need devices that make life simpler. Straight out of the box.

My dad got a smart heater, for my parents holiday home. The idea is that he can check temperature, and prevent frost damage from home. Yesterday he ask: "What happens it the company that makes the App decides that they don't what to do that anymore, or they go out of business?". Well, then the smart thingy stops being smart.

The real problem is how many of these things are going to just break? Most people probably won’t care if their smart dishwasher stops being smart. They’ll care if it stops being a dishwasher, though.

Re: My dishwasher won’t start until I let it update its firmware over the WiFi

#250

Post by formerly_proven »

pmontra wrote: post #79
michaelt wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The Wi-Fi is useful [...] Performs updates, etc. Ah yes, get wifi so your dishwasher can get security updates, which you need because your dishwasher is on wifi.

To be fair, it could also get functionality updates. For example they could upload a new totally different UX loved by the designers and that nobody else understands how to use ;-)

Miele (and BSH) is really good at industrial design in my experience so I'd be surprised if they'd do something like that. However, I also don't really see a particular reason why a dishwasher needs WiFi. Do people actually like... check on them and come running to unload it when it's done? I suppose for checking if it needs dishwasher salt or rinse aid it could make sense but ... eh
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