>> I don't think there's any need to suggest outside influences >> other than pricing. IMO X-10 simply plays it cheap, That, and general ineptitude. A few years ago a letter to the editor to Home Automation magazine complained that most X10 products did not provide a way to query the device as to its status. Someone from X10 responded in a letter to the editor (I think it may have been the founder/president) something like "What we are doing is home control, not home feedback". The concept that feedback is an important part of control systems was apparently foreign to him. X10 is the poster boy for the worst what our patent system promotes. OTOH, every once in a while, they do come up with an interesting, inexpensive gadget. --BobG -----Original Message----- From: pic microcontroller discussion list [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of Jeff DeMaagd Sent: Monday, July 02, 2001 2:51 PM To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: Re: [EE]: Bulb Life (x:Modulating headlight) ----- Original Message ----- From: Barry Gershenfeld > 2. I have always thought that the one place that X-10 "blew it" > was that you cannot start a dimmer up from zero. If the things > would turn the lights on using a slow ramp up from "dim", I > think the life of any bulb would be extended. Maybe the bulb > manufacturers "influenced" the design. I don't think there's any need to suggest outside influences other than pricing. IMO X-10 simply plays it cheap, note the lack of 5 cent screws to attach the serial dongle to the computer. One is needed in order to use it competently as a pass-through device, or jiggling the computer would cause it to fall under the weight of the attached cable. Jeff -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics