Right, I know the language around this makes it a little difficult. Old thermostats don’t necessarily have electronics more sophisticated than a relay and a bimetalic strip. But having a small computer in there doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be online.
Dumb X <- offline/manual/no app (or none that works if you’re not in your home network/no cloud
Smart X <- requires a increasingöy more costly monthly subscription, spies on you and shits itself on the thought of losing internet access. Usually yields worse results than Dumb X
Right, I know the language around this makes it a little difficult. Old thermostats don’t necessarily have electronics more sophisticated than a relay and a bimetalic strip. But having a small computer in there doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be online.
Just use the terms as every layman does:
Why? It’s leaving out a very important third option. We should not be beholden to the definitions set by people who have limited understanding.