Re: Why, in the name of all that's holy
The external server does serve a useful purpose. If I've been away from home for a week or two, and it's been very cold, I can turn the heating on remotely a few hours before I get home to warm the house through. Or, conversely, I can turn the heating off remotely if I've gone away and forgotten to do so.
I guess it's up to the individual whether that's worth the down sides.