So I have been a victim of corporations killing off old firmware for new ones. I have invested a lot into Vera
3 V+, 1 V-edge, 1 V-Lite, 1 Atom.
Seeing as though you have started to invest a lot of resources in this new Linux firmware. My question is with respect to the Ui7, is there plans in the immediate roadmap for development, I ask that because I see more activity around the new Linux firmware (RTOS) vs Ui7. I really don’t want to invest any more time in this when the ultimate goal is to phase it out by the end of 2020 and force everyone to migrate to the new firmware.
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I am finding this a concern as well
C
For what it is worth, I actually see things very differently… The current V+ and VS hardware platforms and even the Edge, are perfectly capable Linux HA controller platforms (current chipset for an embedded Linux OS, modern ZWave+, Zigbee and Bluetooth radios). They each run embedded Linux, specifically OpenWRT, perfectly well and eZlo is still selling each of these on the open market.
The eZlo/MIOS “Linux firmware” layer is, in the context of this thread, what they are revamping (i.e. re-architecting). @melih has said numerous times that the embedded Linux is part of their strategy, and while it may not be immediately backward compatible with the V+ and VS, it behooves them to support the “current” Linux hardware platforms that they are selling because the legacy stack appears be a miserable beast to wrestle into something “supportable”.
Remember, Linux is an operating system that provides a hardware abstraction layer and presumably the next-gen firmware architecture for varying radio support is akin to a plugin architecture so the hardware platform specialization is reduced to “shims” enabling better support, at a lower cost, across a broader set of hardware platforms without needing a ridiculously huge engineering team. And there is already evidence on this front - I am already running an early version of the new Linux firmware on an Edge and it runs great (it includes initial refactoring of the legacy monolithic’ish firmware into a suite of smaller, lighter-weight, purpose-built local services).
While I am by no means in the know, I believe the new hardware just one of the elements in their strategy that will drive product costs down and ubiquity up to enable a broader future set of home automation use cases for the masses.
If you internalize the eZlo team’s posts, you can see evidence of an architectural transformation by a talented team - they are “modernizing” their entire software stack in parallel (cloud solutions using a micro-services architecture using scalable cloud technologies, a brand new embedded RTOS, re-architected Linux firmware, new iOS & Android clients, etc.) while concurrently investing in new hardware. The eZlo team is tackling this all while trying to bend the existing long-in-the-tooth legacy stack (i.e. plug the holes in the dam) into something supportable to minimize the precious resources it steals from the next generation stack.
For those of you who have lived through such a transformational vision/product/technology, people/team, company and cultural transition like this, you know that it takes guts, vision, leadership, talented technology experts across a large number of skills, focus and determination. IMHO, we have seen plenty of evidence of this and while these things take time and many here are frustrated, I’m actually feeling encouraged and quite bullish about the bright future before those of us who see this through with the eZlo team.
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I will be curious to see where Ezlo/Vera wind up with the big three (Amazon, Apple, Google ) announcing an alliance to form an open standard for smart home devices. I’m sure they will have their work cut out trying to keep manufacturers in compliance (didn’t seem to work for z-wave as some didn’t 100% comply with standards). The Vera will probably always have its niche with the tinkerers but for the majority of people that want home automation I think they would find it difficult integrate and configure.
Blacey,
You are not an employee of EZLO, are you? Reading your extensive response got me somewhat confused.
@Tim88 - I agree because the big three are even making it accessible to tinkerers and DIYers. But it isn’t really here yet but will be interesting to watch the market forces at work. My money is on whichever is adopted, standardized and deployed by large homebuilding & home renovation companies or somehow trojan-horsed into homes.
@AndrewG - nope, I’m just someone with respect for innovators who have a vision and are willing to place a bet and fight to win. It isn’t as easy as some may make it seem or others think it is.
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Due respect to your views, @blacey and eloquently put. I My experience in similar situations has led me to a different view, but only time will tell.
C
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Agreed, I really believe this is a make or break year for Ezlo @Sorin you should make your team aware of this
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