What Would You Like In A Brew Controller

[Yorg]

So realistically, when do you think you'll have something others will be able to start playing with?

What did you think of the Brewtroller efforts?

 

[seravitae]

Timeframe? I don't want to set one simply because I work on a lot of things at once (including university and other courses I attend to) so I can't realistically estimate a date or anything. However I will be working on it solidly towards the end of the year for my own brewery as a prototype, so hopefully a release next year could be expected.

Brewtroller is a step in the 'right direction' as far as im concerned but not what I am looking for, the system is not complete, it is offered as a partial kit. Every mate and his dog can put together a little arduino setup, but I'm looking to create a much more complete system, physically and philosophically.

Hard to say much more because I'm still at the mucking around stage - I have a working prototype on my desk but it's still a sandbox trial at the moment.

 

[Phrak]

You're right that the Brewtroller is (currently) incomplete, but importantly, it's an open source initiative. There's nothing stopping anyone from jumping on-board the project and enhancing, extending and improving the project as a whole.

There's also nothing stopping anyone from offering a customised or complete Brewtroller hardware kit for sale, with whatever component the purchaser wants, which sounds like something you'd like to do.

Personally, and IMHO, I'd rather see efforts put into the evolution of one open-source project, making it even more awesomer, rather than the development of another, competing product that does much the same thing.

Whatever your decision Sera, I'll be keenly watching your progress
Brew strong!
Tim

 

[seravitae]

Hey Tim,

although I am a fan of open-source for particular projects, I have also noted that creating an open-source project also can cause more issues than it's worth. For instance, open-source projects dispite having a larger technical following often don't guarantee service or support, leaving users high and dry when their product doesnt work. It also has other caveats, in that you must understand a greater intensity and variety of technical skills (which I've found most people aren't normally interested in). To that end that is one reason I respect brewtroller but am not particularly interested in it.

Also I feel that people who adopt open-source projects, modify it and then package closed-source for sale haven't actually put in the hard yards to create the product so there's a philosophical dillema for me here. Again to that end, people who are interested in community projects are quite welcome/encouraged to support projects like brewtroller, but I am looking to sell a closed source and properly supported system to run alongside OS projects like brewtroller. Much like how as much as people hate windows, they have a dedicated team fixing problems 24x7, whereas *nix operating systems, if your bug gets fixed, either you did it, or you got very lucky.

I have kept variabilty and flexibility in mind when developing the system concepts, and have come up with some excellent ideas for making the system easy to upgrade when I release new software with bugfixes/features at minimal effort of the brewer. It is looking at this stage I will offer a "Lite" system for 3-tier/2-teir infusion/HERMS/RIMS setups which will generically run with most setups, coexisting with another brewing product (details to be released if/when fruition is apparent). I will probably be offering an "Advanced/Complete" version with much more features for the keen tinkerer, of which the "Lite" unit can be upgraded again at minimal effort and without requiring a new system - the basic "Lite" unit will be able to be upgraded to the Complete unit without having to ship out a whole new system. Plug and Play, as it were.

More details will be provided as soon as something interesting happens. Currently about ~40% through the prototype of the Lite version.

cheers