Linux as base for Meteohub-Appliance.

[netsigi]

Hi all,
After Years of using Meteohub and some more or less productive discussions on the forum. I decided to write a small summary about things you should know when you consider use Meteohub.

You can test Meteohub for free. This is good to check the functionality.
Then You buy a license for Meteohub. It is advertised as troublefree Linux based Appliance.
The Meteohub application part gets regularly updates. There are Bugfixes, new Functions, new Hardware.
There was a time where too much different hardwares existed. Smartbedded was forced to reduce that to a smaller base. Understood well.
If your platform is no more supported, you can change your license for free or a small fee.
On the Operating System there are only some bugfixes when something is broken in Meteohub functionality.
If You read about security flaws in Linux, do not expect that your OS on Meteohub gets a patch.
When You consider to buy a licence for i386 (Alix, VM) in spring 2015, be not surprised, when You get a Kernel which is from 2008.
The Kernel is Linux meteohub 2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486 #1 Mon Oct 13 06:47:02 UTC 2008 i586 GNU/Linux.
This system was officially discontinued in February 2010. If it's actual you could patch at least some known problems on your own risk.
If you do not understand this: Compare this of a really old Virus Scanner that got his last update some years ago.
If you want a actual OS use Rasperry PI. It is quite powerful, but be aware that it can be not reliable caused by slow/faulty SD-Cards.
You can login via SSH. You are able to tweak the box according to your skills. You can even install packages like rsync for backup if you can configure an outdated repository. But be fair on this too: You cannot expect any support if you break something.
Why not an appliance as installable package? Some bulb with Tomcat/xSQL/ It was questioned from time to time. But this is a free decision from developer.
And to be honest: Who wants to support packages on QNAP/Synology/XX-wrt and so on? Maybe the future will bring new options. Maybe docker?

It helps when you know something about firewalls, reverse proxys and VPN's to get around some OS Limitations.
Also how to redirect disk mounts to more reliable and faster storage devices can help.

If you dont care about all this: Run Meteohub. If something is broken: Call Support. If it not helps: Buy new storage media, reinstall Meteohub. Restore Backup.

I do not want to hurt a business. I have never a problem to pay for software. I even pay since quite some years regularly small amounts for OSS Projects.

[admin]

Could you please stop running an anti-Meteohub campaign in this forum! I do run
this forum to offer support for the product. I did explain more than one time that
your demand on regular kernel and distribution updates for all the supported platforms
would rise efforts on my side that I decided to better invest into functional enhancements.
That OS updates are not trivial has to do with the fact that Meteohub interferes to a
large extent with lots of the OS admin functions in order to allow doing all settings
(including network) from the Meteohub web interface and to keep the user completely
away from the Linux underneath. This "appliance" approach is the way I decided to
develop the solution and it looks like there is a market and demand for that.

Regarding the security aspect you are making use of to underline your argumentation,
I would like to make clear that Meteohub is by no way intended to be directly exposed
to the Internet but located in a secured environment in a users LAN and that it is in
no way as exposed to any virus like a PC that downloads content via browsing or email
reception from the Internet (the two standard infection methods).

I will not further comment on the provocative lines in your "summary", but ask you
to take a break and may be some fresh air. Thanks.