hi bub, i think this would be of limited use. the cheap cameras wouldn't provide much of a viewing area so an intruder could come in from some unexpected location; most likely not the front door. if you could somehow construct a network of cameras, one for each room for example and the software supported it, then it might make sense. a different or coincidental idea might be to use the motion detection to trigger an alarm to scare off an intruder. or maybe the sound of a mean german shepherd upstairs . for real security, i would prefer to rely on a service such as aderick to install motion and heat sensors and an monitored alarm. our local opp respond very rapidly.
mxy

Limited use? I think not, especially after reading about this ... Imagine if you will, a quiet stretch of trail, maybe the view from your deck, out a window at a bird-feeder or out across your lawn ... now, in a place like here in the SBP, just imagine who you might snapshot in your lens ...

Such is the often dramatic and surprising result out of an Alberta forestry project which used motion-detection kits just like these to monitor animal and human land-use in some backcountry forests southwest of Calgary:

"Presence-absence: an exhibition of Livingstone Study images" explores the relationship between people, wildlife and landscapes in 1000-square-kilometres of provincial forest reserve at the headwaters of the Oldman River. The exhibition features a variety of color and black-and-white images captured during the last three years, along with facts and preliminary findings from the study.

"We thought a gallery display would be valuable because these images are unique from a photographic point of view and they also help to explain the research we are doing ...They really show people what's going on in their backyard." [ Cameras catch candid images of Canadian wilderness ]

Indeed. I can only speculate what goes on under the midnight moon in my yard! So thanks for those links, Bub -- no, I haven't forgotten the SBP Webcam Project, in fact I have accumulated a donated laptop (thanks Richard!), a viable O/S (PuppyLinux!), a linux-friendly camera and a wifi card (thanks to me) and now here I have a line on some camera software that could ensure the pictures are also interesting ... assuming folks like midnight racoon trashfests and watching monster skunks dig grubs ...