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Setup ASSUMES a pc with wi-fi

I went to set up my TWINE for the first time using my Win7 desktop PC. Since that machine has no built-in wi-fi (CAT-5 cable only), I was stuck. Then tried my old Acer netbook, and that had trouble logging in to the TWINE "network" (and maybe java issues too). Finally I used my wife's Win7 laptop to get it going which worked flawlessly. I'm really bothered by the implicit assumption that ALL users have a PC with wi-fi connection. It would have saved me some frustration if there was a polite reminder that this is a requirement.

Answers

  • 8 Comments sorted by Votes Date Added
  • Wi-fi is pretty ubiquitous. But it would probably be good if it was listed as a requirement.
  • Yeah, I ended up using my cell phone. Pain in the ass would be an understatement.
  • I'm mostly hard-wired here. I had to wait to get a mobile device that had wifi. I had expected that I would have to connect peer to peer from any other client on the network. But, I realize now that might not be so simple.

    I suspect we're at a point in time when wifi is starting to out-number wired. I'd love to hear what the designers think about this problem.
  • I used my iPad to get setup. It was easily the best setup experience I have had. Step by step instructions with separate pages that only showed up when those steps were ready was brilliant. Kudos Spermechanical!
  • We can't stop in here very often, but we like reading the feedback.

    1) We can provide an upfront reminder that this requires a Wi-Fi device to set up. I'm working on explicit requirements at the beginning of setup along with better IE and phone support. Setup works great for most people, but when it doesn't, it can be very frustrating.

    2) Yes, we're well past the wired-wireless crossover point and onto the next transition: This Black Friday for the first time, tablets outsold laptops.

    We've completely committed to wireless connectivity, and that's affirmed by the many interesting uses y'all have come up with that take advantage of Twine's portability. Being small, we have to make hard decisions on where to focus.
  • Yes, but on my desktop, Ethernet still beats WiFi by about +40% transfer speed. Why should I give that up.
    I solved that problem by setting up Twine on my iPad, which only allows one WiFi connection, and reconnects to my own network when Twine shuts off it's hub after a successful connection. Only one minor caveat - the password/passphrase entry box that iPad puts up will capitalize the 1st letter, even if that is not what you want, but, easy enough to reverse.
  • Twine is a "wireless square with sensors..."
    The amount of data actually transmitted makes any speed differences between wired and wireless negligible.
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