Sighthound Video 7 BETA 1 is released

[foustep]

It's been a while since I posted. The time I've gotten myself a decent reply from the CEO of Sighthound (in which I thank you for that). However looking to the future of this product, it's support (the given private support is not bad) and development I just can't seem to place my finger on it.

I wanted to renew my license (I am still on version 5), however the lack of updates and community support hesitates me from renewal. I'm still on Windows Server 2016 which I do want to drop for a proper Linux (debian/ubuntu) installation because Windows requires way too much resources.

I've started to use Home Assistant for my home automation systems and there is free software in that which allows detection of objects in images and video (this is the main reason I have Sighthound Video). So the need to renew becomes less and less and the product itself is not really convincing me to rethink about this. I really do hope Sighthound takes this to the next level: less resource usage, OS-independent (docker anyone?) and transparant updates.

[visionik]

Hi Foustep-

Unfortunately Apple really screwed us (and many other developers) with Big Sur. Between breaking things and changing application installation certification, most of the scheduled we had budgeted to go into Sighthound Video 7 went into making Big Sur work. Since that part of the time was focused on Big Sur, we also used the opportunity to rewrite our iOS app, which we just released a few days ago.

We will be making some announcements soon, but in short, the next release of Sighthound Video will be the first to start moving non-Computer Vision parts of Sighthound Video (the Computer Vision parts moved in SV 6) from our prior application architecture (Python code going back to Vitamin-D) to our "next generation" architecture, which we call CORE (TypeScript microservices using AMQP). I just spoke with the lead developer on Sighthound Video about this for several hours yesterday. I can say with full honesty that the future of Sighthound Video has never looked better.

We will be making some announcements in a few weeks that will help you understand why I say this!

BTW, CORE is also built within Docker containers. That's how we ship CORE apps by default.

Best,

-Jonathan Taylor
-Chairman & Co-Founder (and Chief Sighthound Video User)

[arnljot]

Wow, much technical lingo there! Suddenly I do not feel cheated anymore! It does not matter that I bought a new M1 as long as you're telling me that in essence that "this time you'll come through for sure". "someday", "maybe" - I will keep paying the support fee gladly then!

There is nothing in the way that this company has acted that will make "take their word for it".

Launch Silicon-version, Support the New MacOS`s from release - then we can talk.

This: "We are working on: pentiumcoremicrowave#ccFishingrodXMLmetal - that is the reason why we don't release new versions etc etc etc" will not fly.

What kind of CEO speaks to his customers in tech lingo only?

[visionik]

arnljot -

I'm sincerely sorry we've let you down on Sighthound Video update schedules.

Please email me at [email protected] so we can refund anything you've paid us.

Sighthound Video has been[1] a labor of love. It brings in less than 5% of the revenue of our company today. There has never been a nefarious scheme to get people to renew - it's just not worth the money to be underhanded here. For many years now we've spent more developing it than it generated in revenue. That's now changing as we bring Sighthound Video into the same development process as our other products. I was also very open about this transition in strategy in my previous messages.

We have been very pleasantly surprised by the loyalty of the Sighthound Video community. We know it is missing features and progress has been slower than everyone wants. We know some users are disappointed - we are also disappointed! We've been very open about that.

Sighthound Video is used by individuals and families, by small companies, and even large ones in small settings. It's used at home by executives of multi-billion dollar companies. I use it personally; so do many of our employees. That's why we've kept investing in it every year.

We have also been very clear for years that this forum is not an ideal setting for modern interaction. We have a ticket system and now we have live chat customer support. Customers get support very quickly on both systems. The timeliness of responses here is exactly why we are shutting down the forum. Again, we've been open that this was coming for a long time now.

So far as your comment about "What kind of CEO speaks to his customers in tech lingo only?"

1. I am not the CEO anymore. RJ Burnham is. He was previously President and CTO, so you may find he has technical answer too.

2. This is a forum which has largely been used by more technical users who appreciate our technical openness, so I am happy to provide it. While you are clearly unhappy (or perhaps trolling?), other Sighthound Video users contacted me on the new Discord to thank me for the technical details.

3. If you'd prefer non-technical information, let me do so: Apple hit us and many other companies with big surprising changes in Big Sur. Changes which took a great deal of time to fix and work around. On top of that, a world-wide pandemic shut down our offices. It also caused challenges at our biggest customers. Many people in our country lost jobs and were laid off. Best made plans fell apart. None of that was in our control. Even with all that, we are disappointed in our performance, and I would love to give you a full refund. Just email me at the address above.

[1]I say has been because - as I've said in other posts - big changes are coming. Changes which are very, very good for Sighthound Video. I don't expect you to do anything about that, or take my word for it - but it's still true.

[BeanBagKing]

Just want to say that I do appreciate being spoken to in "tech lingo".

I do understand some frustration from the users here though, not because of the lingo, but there has been a lack of communication. Every so often it feels like things really pick up and there's some promising headway, followed by another decline in activity. Look at the 7.0 Beta announcement. Lots of good things, a clear roadmap, and then dates started to slip. No phase 2, then no Sighthound 7 by the end of the year, and as we approach March, no 7.5 in sight.

This is completely forgivable if you were blindsided by Big Sur or other things outside your control. The frustrating part though is that there haven't been any updates to this. Even a "Hey, we're off track, we don't have a new timeline, we'll post another updated on XX/XX/XXXX" would be nice. Until recently, we weren't even getting change notes.

As you said, I don't know if I'm willing to take your word for it, not until I see -consistent- progress. However, I do love Sighthound, my criticism comes from a hope that it will make things better.

[arnljot]

I am trolling? Really?
I am unhappy with you as a company and with my experience as a long time customer.

As for me assuming that you are still the CEO; well sorry then, but it seems that there has been quite a few CEOs over the years?

I received an email from a previous one telling us all, in essence the same things you are; «Sorry, we know, things will change», so I took his word for it and kept quiet for YEARS!

This is like the movie Groundhog day. The story repeats itself; Now there is a new official telling me the same things, and you are telling me that I am trolling? Seems more like YOU are trolling.

[visionik]

Apologies Arnljot, at the time (which was several posts ago, I thought we've had a good discussion since), you had posted on three different threads at once complaining - and I honestly did not know if you were trolling or not.

I think we've moved past that, but if not, let me know and I am happy to discuss it again or in more detail.

To my knowledge the only Sighthound Video CEO updates have come from me. It's possible I've forgotten one from long ago.

I have always been the Chairman of the company. I only took on the CEO role temporarily out of necessity. RJ, the new CEO, is doing a great job running things now.

I do hope you join us in Discord as this forum will be shutting down at the end of the month.

Best,

-Jonathan

[arnljot]

Thank you for your reply.

[visionik]

You're welcome.