Proof of Usefulness Report

Fernhill Software

Analysis completed on 2/20/2026

+62
Proof of Usefulness Score
You're In Business

Fernhill Software is a legitimate, functional SCADA solution established in 2012, offering valuable cross-platform capabilities (Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS) often missing in major industrial packages. External verification confirms its existence and positive niche reputation among automation professionals as a cost-effective or 'free runtime' alternative. However, the project submission itself contained highly inaccurate and exaggerated claims (e.g., 'most people have used my product,' audience is 'everyone'), which severely impacted the Response Quality and Audience Reach scores. While the technology is robust and the utility is high for its specific sector, the project operates at a 'minimal traction' scale (<50k users) compared to the calibration benchmarks.

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Score Breakdown

Real World Utility+25.50
Audience Reach Impact+5.00
Technical Innovation+11.25
Evidence Of Traction+8.75
Market Timing Relevance+6.00
Functional Completeness+0.25
Subtotal+56.75
Usefulness Multiplierx1.09
Final Score+62

Project Details

Project URL
fernhillsoftware.com
Description
Fernhill Software develops and sells Fernhill SCADA - A free runtime cross platform Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software application for industrial applications. Fernhill SCADA offers: • An operator interface available on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and iOS. • Drivers for Allen Bradley, Mitsubishi Melsec, Modbus, Omron, Siemens S7 and more. • MQTT driver for IoT. SNMP driver, ODBC Client driver. • Built in text reports with SMTP (email) connector. • Online, or offline, configuration using the integrated Configuration Tool. • Import tools to convert existing InTouch and Citect projects. • Graphic import tools supporting most bitmap formats, DXF and SVG. • Autodetect Wizards to search for and automatically configure tags for PLC devices. • A client-server architecture supporting multiple Operator Interfaces and Configuration Tools. • The SCADA Server supports Windows, Linux and macOS. • An integrated alarm list, historian and event log. • ODBC and OPC data access interfaces for reporting and data export. • Free runtime, which includes all drivers. A single, low cost, developer seat allows you to deploy and maintain any number of SCADA/HMI systems. If you would like to find out more: • Search for “Fernhill SCADA” using your preferred search engine. • Visit https://www.fernhillsoftware.com/

Algorithm Insights

Market Position
Growing utility with room for optimization
User Engagement
Documented reach suggests active user community
Technical Stack
Modern tech stack aligned with sponsor technologies

Recommendations to Increase Usefulness Score

Document User Growth

Provide specific metrics on user acquisition and retention rates

Showcase Revenue Model

Detail sustainable monetization strategy and current revenue streams

Expand Evidence Base

Include testimonials, case studies, and third-party validation

Technical Roadmap

Share development milestones and feature completion timeline