[Petrosius]

My question was not why there was a need for computer control, but why would it have to be connected to the internet. Why could this not be accomplished by a free-standing and independent computer?

[TigerLikesRoosterNew]

Better management. Computer itself needs to be monitored and maintained, too. Preferably in real-time. So it is better to have remote servers process all data from sensors.

It is a simplified setup. You only need to deploy sensors and rudimentary devices locally while heavy duty computing is done in remote servers. Cutting down the cost of deploying stand-alone computers all over the place.

[Garth Tater]

"Why could this not be accomplished by a free-standing and independent computer?"

That computer and its software would still have to be monitored by a real, live person, otherwise the inevitable dead fish would start to smell which might offend some of the guests and if the computer isn't connected to the internet then that job can't be outsourced to Habib in India.