How about some response?

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I have been working in the Home Automation field for some time - I am researching, yet again, for an article I'm writing on the plethora of Home Automation products in the marketplace.

I'd really like to write something positive about Pluto. Conceptually, it is great. Installation is hardly the 'click thru' as advertised in these pages. Cross platform compatibility is wonderful, as described, although unconfirmed at this time. However, the install has a certain amount if 'inferred product knowledge',  although nice for the developers of the product, is hardly the method for those unfamiliar with the product.

I continue to struggle through getting this product installed and working. I have had it installed and running once. On subsequent installs, which I do to ensure the install wasn't a fluke, it has been very problematic.

Response on this website is spotty at best. Online help has been spotty as well; sort of the MS IM 'Oops, I forgot that I am signed in'.

I'm planning to have this piece done for publication in the Sept/Oct timeframe. It would be nice if I could have this working, to permit a comparison to a few of the other HA products I am writing about.

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Hi,

here's response   ...  Please don't get me wrong, I'm also patiently waiting for new release that appears to be major milestone. I'm also not using it for the moment cause Xine freezes occasionaly and I don't want to lower WAF (Wife (kids) acceptance factor).... And I'm also going through frustrating phases, but I'm trying to find positive thoughts and potential also....

Well I'm Pluto's user for a long time (I started back in "romantic" time, where guys had a lot of time solving problems in remote or IM assistance ). But I can understand that things got tightened with more and more users and more and more partners coming in. Afterall, team of professionals is currently developing, responding, helping, etc...

Project is going through crucial phase now, and team is putting efforts in release of more or less stable version to attract open source community also.

I bet you ask why we're still stuck with Pluto ? I'm currently not aware of any other project that would have such potentials as Pluto does and being opened at the same time. Also if you try to figure how complex system is that takes care of our media, house and life then at least I'm admiring team courage to deal with difficult problem.

Frankly said, I'm not sure if such system is yet possible to implement and make stable with all other problems going on under linux (drivers, stability of media programs, ivtv drivers and majority of apps and drivers being in alpha or beta stage)....

And yes, I think you're fully right - a little help on forums would boost community acceptance and size. If I can judge from my experience, when coming to new project I always first take a look at activity on forums and maybe a lot of potential users went by... But I hope that this effort (project) will go on and attract new people.

Hope this discussion helps a bit,

regards,

Rob.

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Don't get me wrong...I've looked at, and written about, other HA systems. MPlus, Premise (which I currently use; RIP), CQ, and on and on...Pluto, conceptually, seems to be headed in the right direction. Can it be the 'non-Crestron and AMX' product of choice?
From what I've read, and from what I occaisionally get to see (like if I get it to work), Pluto can; particularly from the aspect of the 'average' homeowners perspective. Once it can become mainstream, you would have a monster of a product.
Initial set-up has to be easy. Adding other stuff can be more difficult; techies enjoy it...and as you said the WAF will be huge if it works properly.

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I really like the concept of "WAF"    :lol:  

It's nice to know that there are many of us in the same boat ....

Regards
MarcoZan

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On that subject I got a few bonus points a few days ago when I copied the rest of our MP3s that I ripped from our CDs ages ago to the Pluto core.
That "box stitting in the loungeroom" became a lot more interesting for wife and before I knew it she was setting up playlists and singing along to all our old crappy music.
"WAF" was at least good that day

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My strategy on WAF is mainly based on kids.

Kids love cartoons, so that "box sitting below tv set" comes very handy to manage "one touch play" of favourite movie of the day.

When kids are happy, wife is happy too and this always keeps WAF safely over the guard level.

Besides this, I've added a magic button (light scenario) to simultaneously switch on/off those nice old lamps near the sofa that she likes so much.

This way when something is not working fine, wife push me to solve the issue and also allow me to take extra time to maybe improve some features.

At least if I cannot get anything good out of HA, I may try a diplomatic career ...   :lol:

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again, we apologize for late responses, hopefuly some of you get the main idea, we're very stressed with developing, fixing stuff, mainly getting the best  from us so we can have a good product to market.

we keep responding on forum and live support, indeed sometimes answers are coming late.