Nest Reminds Customers That Ownership Isn't What It Used to Be
<i>> In an ideal world, Hub owners would be free to point their devices at a different central server, run by a third-party competitor or a trusted friend, or even run such a server on their own. They would likewise be free to collaborate on improved software that would unlock the potential of the Hub hardware or purchase such software from a competitor to Nest.</i><p>This ideal world exists, and it is glorious. I somewhat recently set up a Raspberry Pi 2 with <a href="https://home-assistant.io" rel="nofollow">https://home-assistant.io</a> and a cheap z-wave USB stick. The interface is through a webpage (not an app), and I access it remotely using a OpenVPN server on my router.<p>It's interfacing with door sensors, motion sensors, wall switches, cameras, my stereo, HUE lights, etc. It can email me or send me SMS for notifications. When I wake up and walk past a motion sensor, the lights come on in a dim scene. When I come home and open the door, the lights turn on. I have tons of rules and it's super fun. Totally self-hosted, and the main server is completely open-source (written in Python3).<p>I haven't set it up with a thermostat but lots of other people have.