[LINK] Has the world just gone light-headed, or completely bonkers?

[Roger Clarke]

The thing my inadequate imagination isn't coming up with is why I would 
want active silicon inside my light-bulb assembly.

Remote operation of lights can be achieved by installing active silicon 
in a control panel that operates a bank of switches.

____________


> On Wed, 2019-07-17 at 10:21 +1000, Roger Clarke wrote:
>> If you need to reset the software in your GE smart light bulb --
>> firmware version 2.8 or later -- just follow these easy instructions

On 17/7/19 11:24 am, Karl Auer wrote:
> This procedure saves them the cost of a reset switch in the bulb
> circuitry. A switch that they cannot have people operating in the
> presence of 240V mains power, so would have to be on the base of the
> bulb, inaccessible when the bulb is in place.
> 
> With the switch, the procedure would be "turn off light, remove bulb,
> set switch, insert bulb, turn on light, bulb will flash three times,
> turn off light, remove bulb, set switch off, insert bulb".
> 
> However, this procedure does not ensure that the customer turns off the
> light before removing or inserting the bulb, so dramatically increases
> the risk that the customer will electrocute themselves while trying to
> reset the bulb. As bulb resets are not a function of ordinary light
> bulbs, these electrocutions will immediately become "GE's fault", and
> they don't want that.
> 
> The actual procedure directly incorporates having the bulb in place and
> safe. The many steps ensure that the bulb is highly unlikely to reset
> accidentally.
> 
> So not as insane as it may first appear...
> 
> Regards, K.


-- 
Roger Clarke                            mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au
T: +61 2 6288 6916   http://www.xamax.com.au  http://www.rogerclarke.com

Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA 

Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Law            University of N.S.W.
Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University