For makers, its huge. The first time I put a garage door opener on the internet so I could open it with my smartphone was early 2007. At that time it required a chain of ill suited hard to program parts totaling nearly $300. Its was $90 just for a module to "get it on the internet" via RJ45 ethernet.

I did it again 3 months ago with a TP-Link 703 running openwrt. $22. Built-in wifi AND RJ45, usb port for io. (although I used the GPIO hooked up to is LED to save a few bucks). So that made it cheaper than buying a new remote at sears. Now I can see if the door is open and open and close it from anyhere. And give my friends temporary access to the door on Facebook.

Why is it important? Its the difference between "$297 of patented KCD IP, LLC technology"(1) requiring a monthly subscription to use doing almost but not quite what I wanted, and spending an weekend making it perfectly what I wanted for $22 with what I already had.

(1) http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/dap_10155_12602_DAP_Garage+Do...