DesktopX Weather Widget Issues - Read This

Friday, July 10, 2009 by Island Dog | Discussion: OS Customization

As many of you know from reading the forums over the past couple of days, that weather feeds being pulled in from DesktopX created widgets/objects have stopped working.  To make a short story even shorter, TWC has shown a requirement put upon all widget creators and users, and anyone else accessing their data to abide by new and quite specific demands/rules.  This goes for anyone using the feeds, not just WinCustomize users.

If you want to continue to use TWC weather feeds you will need to abide by their new rules, which includes a requirement to place a logo and links back to them.  Several DX coders including sViz and Vad_M have been posting new feeds, and some code fixes to help others fix their weather objects. 

An ongoing thread from sViz can be found here:

Which ever new weather feeds creators decide to use, they need to make sure they also abide by any rules or guideline imposed by the originating feed provider.

Starting Monday, July 20th, we will start removing broken weather widgets from the WinCustomize galleries that have not been updated and/or violate any ToS/ToU in regards to weather feeds. The WC moderators are going to keep a close eye on the DesktopX queues so that updates will be pushed through as soon as possible.  When updating a current skin, please be sure to make a note in the description that it has been updated with a new weather feed.  If authors are do not have a copy of their widgets and are not able to retrieve them from Wincustomize, they are available by request to an admin.

We understand this has caused quite a stir, but this is nothing that can be easily fixed as it’s an issue that is not in Stardock’s nor WinCustomize’s hands.  Please keep an eye on the forums for updates from DX coders who are looking at alternative solutions.

Regards,

Spencer
WC Admin

248 Reply 77 Referrals
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Philly0381
Reply #1 Friday, July 10, 2009 12:11 PM

It is unfortunate that this has happened, but it's what needs to be done. 

If any of the skinners needs a tester of thier weather widgets I have XP Home 32 bit and Vista Home Premium 64 bit and will be happy to test for you.


bilbo1930
Reply #2 Friday, July 10, 2009 12:19 PM

Philly0381
reply 1
It is unfortunate that this has happened, but it's what needs to be done. 

If any of the skinners needs a tester of thier weather widgets I have XP Home 32 bit and Vista Home Premium 64 bit and will be happly to test for you.

Yep I'm ready for the tests too... xp pro32/vista ultimate32 ...


Wizard1956
Reply #3 Friday, July 10, 2009 12:23 PM

 

It is unfortunate that this has happened, but it's what needs to be done.
  I agree with you on this ,Philly.

The WC moderators are going to keep a close eye on the DesktopX queues so that updates will be pushed through as soon as possible.
Thanks ID, and all you moderators.


sViz
Reply #4 Friday, July 10, 2009 12:30 PM

Starting Monday, July 20th, we will start exiling weather widgets from the WinCustomize galleries that have not been updated and/or violate any ToS/ToU in regards to weather feeds.

By exile do you mean permanently deleted from the galleries or locked down/hidden so no one can download them? And this applies to themes as well, yes?

And will emails be sent to the authors informing them of the reason for the deletion?


Philly0381
Reply #5 Friday, July 10, 2009 12:31 PM

With the help of the community members the weather widgets can get updated, tested and back in the WC Gallery Library before anyone notices.


ZubaZ
Reply #6 Friday, July 10, 2009 12:33 PM

By exile do you mean permanently deleted from the galleries or locked down/hidden so no one can download them? And this applies to themes as well, yes?

And will emails be sent to the authors informing them of the reason for the deletion?
Exile means removed forever.  We are providing the week so that any author who does not have a copy of their widgit will have time to grab it from WC.

The authors will be notified via the standard moderation email that their object has been removed.


Kendawg78
Reply #7 Friday, July 10, 2009 12:41 PM
I disagree that it's not in Wincustomize's hands. If you go to McDonalds and get a cold hamburger,whats going to happen? You'll get another one. Thats what Stardock has done in the past. Or a coupon. Or a discount. But you come away as a customer a little bit happier. I think that with all the work the skinners are forced to do or Wincustomize,the customer has been lost in all of this. The answers that I've read so far consist of the customer fixing the script or deleting the widget. I've simply gone back to using Stardock themes. And since all of their products I've purchased....they are obligated to me in ensuring that they work. On this side of the equation,at Wincustomize,I purchase everything I can from skinners when they put it up for sale. I bought Vad_M's clock even though I had his beta. Simply to provide support for the skinning community. So it's disheartening to me when I read skinners bemoaning the process. It's not a lot of money. But over time it's added up. And when Wincustomize says,"out of our hands". I don't believe thats ever the case.

Vad_M
Reply #8 Friday, July 10, 2009 12:45 PM

Hi Spencer,

That TOS is not a new. Seems it operates more than 2 last years! If certainly - not less than 1 year! Just a few days ago TWC changed their RSS url. Nothing more!

Starting Monday, July 20th, we will start exiling weather widgets from the WinCustomize galleries that have not been updated and/or violate any ToS/ToU in regards to weather feeds. The WC moderators are going to keep a close eye on the DesktopX queues so that updates will be pushed through as soon as possible. When updating a current skin, please be sure to make a note in the description that it has been updated with a new weather feed.

Hmmm... Hmmm... I have updated all of my widgets. They work but don't show the TWC logo because I've used the second method through xml.weatehr.com that don't require the registration. So seems they will be exiled together with other...

If yes - no any problems for me. I'm just very sorry to thousands of people who have downloaded and used them... What they will do now?


Island Dog
Reply #9 Friday, July 10, 2009 12:51 PM

I disagree that it's not in Wincustomize's hands.

As I said, we didn't create the code nor the weather widgets affected.  These are user-created widgets that are being affected, it's the responsibility of the creator to fix them if they wish.  There is nothing we can do otherwise.


ZubaZ
Reply #10 Friday, July 10, 2009 1:00 PM

Hmmm... Hmmm... I have updated all of my widgets. They work but don't show the TWC logo because I've used the second method through xml.weatehr.com that don't require the registration. So seems they will be exiled together with other...

If yes - no any problems for me. I'm just very sorry to thousands of people who have downloaded and used them... What they will do now?
Vad_M, when I use the following call (for my local area): http://xml.weather.com/search/search?where=48375

the first few lines are:

<!--
 This document is intended only for use by authorized licensees of The 
-->
−
<!--
 Weather Channel. Unauthorized use is prohibited.  Copyright 1995-2009,
-->
−
<!--
 The Weather Channel Interactive, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.           
-->

That would indicate to me that some licensing *IS* in place and would need to be honored.


Kendawg78
Reply #11 Friday, July 10, 2009 1:14 PM
ID,I'm not on some skinners website. Yes they are user generated. But they are user generated on Wincustomizes web site. I'm a customer. I've purchased a Wincustomize subscription. Thus all products on Wincustomizes web site come with an implied warranty regardless to who produces the product. Wincustomize has implied to the customer that all these products are in compliance with the law and work as described. ID,your logic hasn't served web sites very well in cases involving piracy. I disagree that Wincustomize has no culpability.

Vad_M
Reply #12 Friday, July 10, 2009 1:15 PM

Dear Kendawg78,

Thank you for buying RB Clock. Email me if you'll discover any bugs in it.

As I said, we didn't create the code nor the weather widgets affected. These are user-created widgets that are being affected, it's the responsibility of the creator to fix them if they wish. There is nothing we can do otherwise.

I'm sure this make a big sence. Only the authors of widgets must (or may) update their creations if they have a wish or free time for this. More than - it may be a stand alone gadgets. Who instead of their authors can change the scripts?

So I see the only one way for you. You need wait untill all of widgets/gadgets that you like will be updated. Then you may to download them once again.


Island Dog
Reply #13 Friday, July 10, 2009 1:26 PM

 Thus all products on Wincustomizes web site come with an implied warranty regardless to who produces the product. Wincustomize has implied to the customer that all these products are in compliance with the law and work as described. ID,your logic hasn't served web sites very well in cases involving piracy. I disagree that Wincustomize has no culpability.

Sorry, but you are quite wrong.  We don't imply a "warranty" on downloads for something like this.  We do our best to make sure they are legal, are not rips, etc. but we cannot do anything if a third-party changes something that affects a user-created widget.  We have already looked into any possible options and nothing was available that was feasible.

What do you really expect WinCustomize to do?  Download all the widgets and fix them for the user who created them?  I mean, that would be nice if we had the resources, but lets get back to reality here.  

 


HG_Eliminator
Reply #14 Friday, July 10, 2009 1:31 PM

You subscribed to a site to gain advertisement free access to "user contributed skins", thus the stuff contained within is not compliant to any implied warranty. Now if your access to the site was blocked or not to reasonable satisfaction you might be entitled to a refund. 

 

The staff of WC does thier best within reason to ensure all uploads are working at the time of posting, if they should fail to work in the future due to unforseen circumstances beyond their control. It would not be of their own doing and can not be held liable for monetary damages due to lack of use. Also try to sue MS for not ebsureing old versions of Games programs to work with new os releases, or hardware for that mater... at the time of release all widgets worked to the satisfaction of the administration and the general populace.


Philly0381
Reply #15 Friday, July 10, 2009 1:33 PM

Kendawg78, doesn't the next to last paragraph in ID's original post do what you are asking for?  If not, what am I missing?


Vad_M
Reply #16 Friday, July 10, 2009 1:34 PM

This document is intended only for use by authorized licensees of The...

Zu,

It's funny but I saw the same words in each xml-file from my first day on Wincustomize (since 2004). More than, I've even had talks with TWC's Scott Zucker in early 2005 about licensing some of my gadgets for sale...

However I can't understand why nobody have not told about this earlier? I'm from Ukraine and may not know some of US laws. But the others.... So this is a known problem for a long time. Just nobody wanted to talk about it or even think... 


ZubaZ
Reply #17 Friday, July 10, 2009 1:39 PM

However I can't understand why nobody have not told about this earlier? I'm from Ukraine and may not know some of US laws. But the others.... So this is a known problem for a long time. Just nobody wanted to talk about it or even think...
We never looked.


Kendawg78
Reply #18 Friday, July 10, 2009 1:47 PM
ID,the weather Channel didn't suddenly change the rules of the game. They simply forced everyones hands who weren't complying. And Yes ID,you do imply that you're following legal restrictions. The author implies these widgets work as advertised. Wincustomize implies that these authors know what they're talking about. What Wincustomize should do is to apologize to all their subscribers for the inconvenience. Not attempt to back out avoiding all culpability. Throw them a bone of some sort so they stay paying customers. And put protocols in place to ensure compliance with all legalities in the future. Come on ID,it's common sense. You down load the Texas Longhorns suite from Stardock. You've got links to the book store. Links to the ticket office. Property of the University of Texas. Stardock logos and Accuweather logos all over the place. It's border line copyright infringement some of these themes here on this site. They would also worry me if I was Wincustomize administration. I'd be looking at everything in the galleries. You knock off Harry Potter stuff and you're dealing with someones exclusive property. I'm not trying to be overly critical. But man up when you've been caught with your pants down.

ZubaZ
Reply #19 Friday, July 10, 2009 1:54 PM

You've got links to the book store. Links to the ticket office. Property of the University of Texas. Stardock logos and Accuweather logos all over the place. It's border line copyright infringement some of these themes here on this site.
We are partnered/licensed with them. 


ZubaZ
Reply #20 Friday, July 10, 2009 1:55 PM

You knock off Harry Potter stuff and you're dealing with someones exclusive property.
Our policies on copyright and fan art are very clear and are enforced.


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