My biggest problem is with hardware/software combos bolted to something like tractors.
When I was working as a surveyor for my families construction company, we gradually transitioned to having surveying capabilities added to our machines.
And I can tell you they are overpriced pieces of garbage that still work but boy they are backwards. There is some really cool tech but it's obscured by really old buggy software.
The problem with bolting things to existing equipment is you are going to face so many hurdles that is why only a certain type of companies even try to do it. Those include being allowed to integrate with the hardware. Usually not companies that developers interested in elegant solutions. Not that I don't think people that work for those companies can't do interesting things they are usually hindered in doing so.
That is why most companies trying to innovate go the route of building things themselves.
That is also where you would find people that believe in open source that want to do interesting things.
Why bolt things to a tractors whey you can just mod something like a 4x4 vehicle.
I'm a person that would not build a farmbot or probably work much on it in my free time. Have plenty of side projects. But I think their tech is cool and their methodology I feel is right. So I would probably join them as a developer if things lined up. I can't say the same for any of the other projects.
What you need to look out for is when developers are excited about something. It doesn't mean it's the right solution but it's really good starting point.
When I was working as a surveyor for my families construction company, we gradually transitioned to having surveying capabilities added to our machines.
And I can tell you they are overpriced pieces of garbage that still work but boy they are backwards. There is some really cool tech but it's obscured by really old buggy software.
The problem with bolting things to existing equipment is you are going to face so many hurdles that is why only a certain type of companies even try to do it. Those include being allowed to integrate with the hardware. Usually not companies that developers interested in elegant solutions. Not that I don't think people that work for those companies can't do interesting things they are usually hindered in doing so.
That is why most companies trying to innovate go the route of building things themselves.
That is also where you would find people that believe in open source that want to do interesting things.
Why bolt things to a tractors whey you can just mod something like a 4x4 vehicle.
I'm a person that would not build a farmbot or probably work much on it in my free time. Have plenty of side projects. But I think their tech is cool and their methodology I feel is right. So I would probably join them as a developer if things lined up. I can't say the same for any of the other projects.
What you need to look out for is when developers are excited about something. It doesn't mean it's the right solution but it's really good starting point.