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[ken]

Having upgraded to the latest release, timers
based on dusk now trigger hours early while
others do not.  I would have therefore liked
to uninstall the latest set of patches and
regress to the previous version for the long
weekend until this is fixed.  But I see no
way to regress an update.

If X10 intends to be in the software
business, or the service of delivering
software updates and/or plug-ins, then I
suggest regression is an important feature to
offer.

So far, all I have saved locally is the
original "stub" which was provided when I
first registered, and everything since that
time must be downloaded as far as I know.  I
think this is not the correct way to deliver
software that is written specifically for a
proprietary device such as the CM15A because
of recovery issues that might prevent access
to the downloadable code.  E.g. I might
choose to dedicate an old laptop running
Win98 to the AHP function, but that doesn't
have network connectivity under the stairs
where an appropriate centralized outlet exists.

I view AHP like a device driver.  Since the
CM15A is protected by its proprietary nature,
the AHP application is useless without one
and, in my opinon, should be freely available
to anyone for saving to diskette or CD.  That
would allow regression and satisfy this wish.

[ken]

Oddly enough, timers are working correctly
now. I cleared interface memory before
"downloading"  everything that I had double
checked.  Here's hoping that it remains
working correctly after my next change.

[X10 Pro]

I'm glad AHP is working for you now. Putting
in features to allow you to choose which
version of the software to run could be
useful, but probably only to a very small
number of users. I'll take a look and see
what it would take, but I can't guarantee
that we'll be able to offer this. You should
be able to contact ahpsupport@x10.com to
request older versions if you need them.

[ken]

I think there should be a download site among
your web pages where the versions are listed
along with the release notes for each.  If
version 3.158 isn't working for me, for
example, I could then download and install
3.157 until 3.159 becomes available or I can
watch for a fix for my specific problem.

As I said, this registration requirement
serves no purpose, in my opinion, other than
to emulate Microsoft's model of forcing a new
license to be purchased when one buys a new
computer.

If I sell my X10 collection, what software
will the new owner use to run the CM15A?  Are
you saying that the AHP "license" is non
transferrable but the hardware is?  I don't
know if you can actually say that for
software that is provided without a paid-for
license.  Your software isn't stand-alone.
I.e. you're not going to make a profit by
selling software that runs on specific
hardware nobody owns.  If I haven't bought a
CM15A, then AHP is of no value to me.  I just
don't understand this requirement for a
registration ID.  If not for that, you could
provide free access to every back-leveled
version of AHP.

[rj]

Ken - Did you get an answer about how to go
back to a previous REV? If I knew that X10
was going to handle this software this way, I
would have waited a few years before buying
it. Maybe AHP users will have to set up our
own peer-to-peer software server to support
ourselves. 3.158 isn't working for me. This
registration B.S. is reminds me of microsoft.
But we went and bought a piece of hardware
with it-that doesn't work without the
software. I've been using X10 stuff for
years, but I never trusted the company.

[ken]

RJ: No, I've received no response via this
message board.  It went dead a few days ago
with no posts by an X10 Pro since.  There
seems to be a shuffle in the wind.  Being a
moderator must be a pretty tough job.

We concur on sentiments on all points.

[X10 Pro]

We don't currently have a way to support
regressing, but since it has been requested
we're looking at how we can do it. I'm sorry
we didn't reply sooner to this one.

[bblackmoor]

How do I install Activehome Pro on a computer
wirthout a network connection. Where is the CD???

[ken]

Right now, the versions are coming so fast
that I wouldn't want a CD.  It's too
permanent.  Maybe in the future X10 will be
shipping a CD with the CM15A.  I don't know.

[bblackmoor]

This isn't rocket science. There MUST be a CD
that has the software for the hardware.
That's just so basic I am flabbergasted that
it's missing. Then, for people who want to
update (and I am sure I would be one of those
people), there needs to be a way to download
the update to ANY COMPUTER, which can then,
if needed, be burned to a CD and loaded on
the computer to which the CM15A is connected.
X10 controls my security system for my house:
I WILL NOT connect that computer to the
internet. Period. I paid for the hardware,
damn it, and if I can't get the software for
it without jumping through ridiculous hoops,
I am damn well returning it and buying that
Smarthome system insteasd.

You x10 guys, if you are reading this, have
until Tuesday to resolve this. (I don't
expect you to work over the weekend, of
course: that would be unreasonable.)

[ken]

I agree completely with everything you say,
especially wrt connecting a security
controller to the Internet.  But to play the
devils' advocate: you don't get a Windows CD
when you buy a computer anymore either.

[chris harkins]

For sure, you get no CD when Windows is
distributed with a computer.  But there is a
level of software validation and acquired
maturity that Windows has that NO ONE could
claim exists for the ActiveHome Pro product.
This product should never have been released
to the market, let alone charge money for it.
A simple thing like an uninstall procedure
for Activehome Pro is still unavailable.
Buyer Beware.  Also note that the forum for
the ActiveHome Pro application does not
appear on the regular forum listing.  Wonder
Why?

[Ken in ON]

Chris wrote: "you get no CD when Windows is
distributed with a computer.  But there is a
level of software validation and acquired
maturity that Windows has"

Much of my time with my friends is spent
re-installing Windows on their computers
because it has trashed the filesystem.  Real
operating systems do not do that to
themselves.  I think that a Windows CD would
be a good thing to provide with a computer
with Windows pre-installed, if I ever bought
one.

Just my opinion.

[clarity]

I have bought Dell and IBM computers and
both brands DID come with a CD for the
version of Windows installed on the
computer. So, why can't X10 provide a CD for
the software which they sell for use on a
computer. The idea that you can only
download X10Pro software from the internet
limits it use to computers which have
internet access. AND, the X10Pro software
seems to try to get internet access even
AFTER it has been loaded, much like a worm.

[rj]

Clarity -

You guessed it. AHP is tangled in the usual
X10 sales campaign. There is an x10nets.exe
process running even when you don't want to
talk to the module. It tries to connect to
the internet when you run AHP.... and maybe
when it feels like it. I block it at my
firewall and only allow it to connect when I
want updates. Don't get me started on X10's
sales mentality, I simple don't trust them in
my computer.