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| Volume 3 Issue 1 February 1998 |
Features
Interviews
Reviews |
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| HTINews
Interview - Jan98 - [HTI Home Page] |
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Interview Topic
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Question 1. Why did IBM choose Savoy Software (CyberHouse) to work with on the HDPro system? What role do you play?
IBM is a very sophisticated vendor to sell to. They are viewing the home, neighborhood and community as potentially part of computer network. Savoy's product CyberHouse was designed from the ground up as a peer to peer client/server operating environment for the home. Specifically to integrate information services from the internet, telecom, finance, utility, and entertainment sectors with the myriad of new devices, controllers, and appliances coming into the home. I believe we were chosen in part because our founder Dave Nelson is implementing his vision of how this type of "home operating environment" would work through CyberHouse. Dave is a well known computer network scientist and has been credited with founding one of the first companies (Apollo) that sold and commercialized hardware and software products around the network concept.
Question 2. Will the HDPro system look and feel like CyberHouse, Home Director, a combination of the two or ... a totally new interface?
When we designed CyberHouse we concentrated on the network architecture and felt the the user interface would be left to our partners. CyberHouse is open and has the hooks in it to easily incorporate third party user interfaces. IBM has experts in user interface and I'm sure spends millions of dollars understanding human/computer usability issues. Savoy is not exactly sure of IBM's UI plans for HD Pro but one would conclude that by using our base technology and adding the expertise that IBM has to offer will be a big win for the customers.
Question 3. How does the HDPro system fit into your vision of the "Household web"?
Savoy's vision of the HouseHold Web is essentially a system level piece of software managing, controlling, and monitoring household devices and appliances. Not unlike the way an operating system manages the peripherals in a PC. The disk, mouse, modem, video capture card, keyboard etc. need the operating system to manage the communication and interaction between all those devices. The house will soon be just another node on the network. Savoy views your home as a computer in need of an operating system. Our relationship with IBM gives credance to our goal of HouseHold Web meets WorldWide Web.
Question 4. Will Cyberhouse continue as a stand alone software solution for home automation? Where do you go from here?
Yes, Savoy is moving excellent technology into the market
faster than any of our partners can absorb it. We move fast and
have a world class engineering organization that can swiftly
integrate leading edge hardware and software. Just recently we
decided to integrate voice command technology which took us about
two weeks from start to beta.
Partners like IBM have rigorous product standards that bring an
extremely high level of quality to any product carrying their
brand. I see Savoy's strength as providing the latest and
greatest technology quickly into the CyberHouse architecture with
partners like IBM productizing pieces of that technology which
they deem desirable. CyberHouse will continue to be available in
the market.
Question 5. How does the CEBus Home Plug and Play standard fit with HDPro / CyberHouse?
Savoy does and will continue to support CEBus. Cyberhouse basically runs on a standard PC and supports popular third party software and hardware components. CEBus is not out there in a big way yet ... Savoy is waiting for a low cost CEBus to PC interface. When this device appears CEBus will jump onto a whole lot of radar screens.
Question 6. - What is the difference between HDPro / CyberHouse and a system like HAL2000?
My understanding of HAL is that it is an excellent application that combines Voice command with X10. CyberHouse is different in that we are NOT an application but more of an environment. Think of us as a home operating system. CyberHouse integrates information services outside the home with devices, controllers and appliances. For instance an alarm condition in your home could facilitate a voice warning to the intruder, snap a picture via a low-cost PC camera at the scene, digitize it on the PC and email it to you or anyone you designate using the internet. When you receive the urgent email and photo you could initiate a video conference with your house using CyberHouse and NetMeeting which is bundled with Win95 via phone dial up or internet. Using all the devices and software products is where Cyberhouse really shines as an environment.
Question 7. Look into your crystal ball and tell us what HDPro / Home Networks will be able to do for us by the year 2000?
I can't answer for IBM but I can give you some insight into where Savoy sees the the market heading. I use the term "virtual presence" in any environment you frequent whether you are local, mobile or remote. We also see personal software agents that perform very valuable functions to the networked person/family.
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