More importantly, they are raising consciousness of fundamental problems that can lead to very damaging consequences by doing cheap pranks with trivial consequences.
I use a robot vacuum not connected to the internet. It has a remote and the same settings as an internet connected robot vacuum such as radial pattern, along edges, spot clean, etc. I hope it spurs people to consider these kinds of tools that don’t need to be connected to the internet to function over tools that don’t have a local/offline mode.
this whole subthread is upsetting. horrifying to see HN glorify the antagonist. the family was made to feel unsafe in their own home. yes, the manufacturer was negligent but that does not make it okay, it just means multiple parties are at fault. don't spin roomba terrorists as do-gooders. this teenage hacker was spreading hate and fear.