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It takes 5 cloud services to hear my doorbell

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Re: It takes 5 cloud services to hear my doorbell

#231

Post by buran77 »

whstl wrote: post #222
buran77 wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> As an engineer (the traditional kind) Isn't everybody? Your whole case rests on the insistence that OP's core requirement is no good. Not for any objective engineering reasons, just because you think so. I have a simple question that any engineer can answer in a heartbeat. Is a Christmas tree light installation with a bunch of series connected incandescent lights (I'm talking literally one of those classic Christma…

> Your whole case rests on the insistence that OP's core requirement is no good I never said it wasn't good. I just said it led to over-engineering a doorbell. "Good" or "bad" are words you're putting in my mouth.

Now you're trying to weasel out of this (whstl out?).

I was trying to be diplomatic and use "good/bad" as shorthand for "should be part of a well engineered (not over/under) product or not". You don't like it, then let me use what you actually said: engineers who implement all the requirements given to them are like the Nazi soldiers who executed the people they were ordered to execute. Neither good nor bad, just over executing, right?

I asked you a question because it was an easy way to apply your logic on something concrete, so you can see that if it fails on something so simple, maybe it's not actually useful at all. You pretended not to see it like a fine engineer with responsibilities. Tripped on a Christmas light.

Re: It takes 5 cloud services to hear my doorbell

#233

Post by throw234259 »

mrb wrote: post #162
throw234259 wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You would be surprised that 99% of the solutions out there are complete over engineered stacks that depend on wifi devices, Internet access, connecting to various cloud services... Interesting context you live in. Here in east europe, 90% of devices you find on eshops are cheap chinese buttons with AAA batteries, that emit signal and another reciever device that plays sound. The sound is not customizable, but it is…

" The sound is not customizable " This is EXACTLY the problem! Try finding one that I can customize with my own chime and you will only find expensive, unreliable, over engineered stuff.

Than you are perhaps under engineering. Buy generic button that integrates into smart home, and trigger sounds on your home theater.

Or buy 5, and decide which tone you like most.

Re: It takes 5 cloud services to hear my doorbell

#235

Post by whstl »

buran77 wrote: post #231
whstl wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Your whole case rests on the insistence that OP's core requirement is no good I never said it wasn't good. I just said it led to over-engineering a doorbell. "Good" or "bad" are words you're putting in my mouth.

Now you're trying to weasel out of this (whstl out?). I was trying to be diplomatic and use "good/bad" as shorthand for "should be part of a well engineered (not over/under) product or not". You don't like it, then let me use what you actually said: engineers who implement all the requirements given to them are like the Nazi soldiers who executed the people they were ordered to execute. Neither good nor bad, just ove…

I am also trying to be diplomatic and I would like for a more charitable interpretation of my messages.

My whole point is that "something being in the requirements" is not a shield against something being considered "over engineering" by others. There's nothing more to it.

Re: It takes 5 cloud services to hear my doorbell

#236

Post by darrylb42 »

al_borland wrote: post #197
shakna wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have an overengineered wifi doorbell, and I've yet to have a delivery where it was used over knocking on wood.

I haven’t had a delivery person knock in quite a long time. Package deliveries haven’t knocked in close to 20 years. I’ve even noticed DoorDash drivers don’t even knock anymore, they awkwardly stand in front of the porch and try texting. I now open the door as they are walking up to the porch to avoid that. I don’t know if it’s a policy or some kind of shared anxiety, but I find it really weird.

I had one food delivery driver call me while standing in the middle of the street. Seemed like he was afraid to approach and knock or ring. So strange.

Re: It takes 5 cloud services to hear my doorbell

#237

Post by kelvinjps10 »

artisinal wrote: post #12

I fail to see the relation between a video doorbell and stopping a burglar. Burglars wear masks. Also, a doorbell ringing on the outside of the door is not only silly but in case of an apartment complex highly annoying for your neighbors. And make sure your neighbors like being monitored through your five services. Personally I have a button outside my front door. It is connected with a copper wire to the other side…

It's about risk, even one time where we noticed buglers and just turn the lights on, they left. Just the fact they're getting noticed might be enough.

Re: It takes 5 cloud services to hear my doorbell

#238

Post by triceratops »

darrylb42 wrote: post #236
al_borland wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven’t had a delivery person knock in quite a long time. Package deliveries haven’t knocked in close to 20 years. I’ve even noticed DoorDash drivers don’t even knock anymore, they awkwardly stand in front of the porch and try texting. I now open the door as they are walking up to the porch to avoid that. I don’t know if it’s a policy or some kind of shared anxiety, but I find it really weird.

I had one food delivery driver call me while standing in the middle of the street. Seemed like he was afraid to approach and knock or ring. So strange.

Do you perhaps live in a place where people answer the door with a gun in their hand?

Re: It takes 5 cloud services to hear my doorbell

#239

Post by nunez »

This was me a few years ago, but the admin job I gave myself maintaining this stuff eventually got old. These days, I use native HomeKit for everything. Preferably over Matter/Thread, but HomeKit is a requirement. No HA. If it doesn't native work with HomeKit, it doesn't run in our house.

Re: It takes 5 cloud services to hear my doorbell

#240

Post by dxdm »

whstl wrote: post #227
dxdm wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course you can call things over engineered, but seem to want to include questioning the requirements, specifically also those of the example we're talking about. Once you start that, you also need to stop somewhere. For example, we could even question the need for a door in the first place. Not saying that we should, but if you want to take over defining other people's requirements, you're putting this on yourself…

I am just saying over and over that the over-engineering part itself can come from a "requirement", which seems to be the contentious position here. Some other people mentioned the doorbell project was over-engineering and I just agreed with them.

I agree that requirements need to be kept in check to avoid over engineering. However, I think it's hard to decide for other people far away what their requirements ought to be.

So I don't agree that you can call mrb's basic wireless doorbell "overengineered" for requirements reasons alone without opening yourself up to the same scrutiny that you're applying to him.

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