of course.
but, these possibilities are not the reason here!
I wish, that you would decide to make a branch, where native a Windows build was developed.
In NOT doing so, I think our problem lies.
Because we had to find into a server-holding software, in order to run HA as a server…
In lack of better free options and proper advice, we ended up with Virtualbox.
And, USB-HW-connectivity is a challange, in all these environments…
because that the software has to go through at least 1 step/layer og “a chain of layers”, in order to get in contact with for instance an USB-stick (such as our standard & recommended “sonoff zbdongle”.
Stability comes through simplicity…
and, too many layers - plus too many separate pieces of code (add-ons, integrations, etc etc) - in total makes up for A LOT of possible problems.
So - what exactly causes this problem, is nearly impossible to seek out - since all layers has to be present/running, in order to make your “car” running…
so, I have decided to switch away from your poly-element/piece glued-together solution, from all different kinds of supporters - with a multitude of error-combinations…
and, instead go for something just a bit simpler…
So far, this is OpenHAB, which:
- runs directly on Windows, on top of the integrated and very/full-proven Java.
- and which has got a more user-friendly way of doing things,
- and has got much less integrations-etc (giving less error-possibility due to incompatibility in the immense combinations in HA),
- and which has got good “focused” tools (such as a better “semantic” interface, and a better scripting tool),
OpenHAB is for sure, not as versatile as HA - but it surely is more balanced and user-friendly
- in that it is less chaotic /big
- and in that it isn’t for linux nerds! …
- HA not having native support for Windowsm actually tells me all … you want the “nerding” work - and, you don’t really care about the more “common” user…
- and, when we (the “semi-professional / not nerdy” people) try to do, what we “on paper” should be avble to do (i.e. run HA through a server-platform) - and then things go wrong…
- or to put it differently: Then lack of stability becomes an issue!!! … and, then we see ourself, going through a lot of error-seeking advice - … instead of the community just admitting: that “HA actually only runs stable, directly on linux, and typically on a stand-alone machine such as the Pi!”
We even don’t have any other software, running on our dedicated and new WIndows-PC…
- And, signal-channel interference is absent and under very well control.
- our philips-hue uses zigbee-ch-25, our sonoff-zbdongle uses ch-11,
- and our wifi-AP’s/mesh uses wifi-ch-11,
- and we live in the countryside, with no to very little interference,
- and the units last time disconnected during the night, where NO microwave-owen or other PC was turned on!,
- and, the usb-dongle is appr. 1 meter away from the windows-serverm and is placed high, and can physically see the units that it disconnects from!
but, as long as the problem is not seen as anything but a “context-based”; then HA will not change… and “a native windows-version” will not be developed, and users with less/no HW-knowledge will (continue to get to think, that they should just have done this-or-that, to make it all work (stable)…
and or, that they were just not smart enough, to make it all work!
A real shame, because I love your approach and interface, and all the possibilities…
…
but, it also has to work, with windows! … or at least with a server-solution that is much closer to 100% stable - which is something that should be in focus, and that HA clearly should clearly reccomend or warn against - regarding which one works /doesn’t work /is not stable!
…
(especially a solution with a “close to native” USB-dongle sw-path - should be recommended - i.e. that works rock-stable, in the connection from HA to the dongle)
…
And why?: Partly because there is so many windows users, and so many old office-pc’s that are nearly ideal as home-servers. I know, that HA earns money on the Pi-units, but second to this, must come a larger community - making it easier to put pressure on the companies, to make them support HA,
(regarding a server-platform, that natively/fully supports hW-connections /USB-dongles , - my guess is, that such SW probably exists - but probably it is not cheap/free - but, then just write this very clearly! , then people know, what they step into, also economy-wise!)
