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
 |
|
Page 6 of 13 | |
|
|---|
Reply #102 Saturday, July 11, 2009 11:20 AM
sViz, a member of the community, is working on templates for using weather.com and weather underground feeds. That's the way it's worked in the past. The community helping the community.
Reply #103 Saturday, July 11, 2009 11:22 AM
A script is not the problem here. The issue is TWC wants a logo placed on widgets, and several links as well. It's not just a line of code that is a problem.
Reply #104 Saturday, July 11, 2009 11:39 AM
I don't understand why you can't include a working widget that complies with the TWC license agreement and your moderation rules to skinners at least, if not your customers.
A script is not the problem here. The issue is TWC wants a logo placed on widgets, and several links as well. It's not just a line of code that is a problem.
ID, I still don't get it. I understand the logo and link necessity. Couldn't you give them a widget with that coded in, if that's how it's done? I think most of them need a template of some kind. Is that what Zubaz is referring to and sViz is doing?
Reply #105 Saturday, July 11, 2009 11:45 AM
Reply #106 Saturday, July 11, 2009 12:01 PM
Couldn't you give them a widget with that coded in, if that's how it's done?I am looking into what we are able todo with our license.
I think most of them need a template of some kind. Is that what Zubaz is referring to and sViz is doing?yes. I've tested a recent build and it works well while following the weather.com term of service.
That's great, Zubaz. It will include the necessities to hook up legally with TWC so that the skinners don't need to figure that out, won't it? I think that's the main problem they're having in trying to reconfigure their widgets.
Reply #107 Saturday, July 11, 2009 12:05 PM
I think most of them need a template of some kind. Is that what Zubaz is referring to and sViz is doing?yes. I've tested a recent build and it works well while following the weather.com term of service.
We'll have to see if it's possible before we look at features available (if any).
Reply #108 Saturday, July 11, 2009 12:44 PM
I don't understand why you can't include a working widget that complies with the TWC license agreement and your moderation rules to skinners at least, if not your customers.
I don't understand why any working weather widget has to use TWC
Reply #109 Saturday, July 11, 2009 12:56 PM
I disagree fully. And I won't be integrating a weather widget into my future themes regardless of what the coders come up with. Integrating anything into a DX theme that is vulnerable to decisions made by outside sources is bound to fail again in the future. It is not a matter of if, but when. And I, for one, don't feel like redoing my entire gallery at that time. Blaming anyone is not getting this fixed.
By the attitude of some around here. Stardock should go through my gallery and repair all my work and take care of that for me....yeah, right. I don't know if I'd want that anyway. I'd rather fix my own work. 
Reply #110 Saturday, July 11, 2009 1:06 PM
I don't understand why you can't include a working widget that complies with the TWC license agreement and your moderation rules to skinners at least, if not your customers.
I don't understand why any working weather widget has to use TWC
..........i'd have used [:sunshine smiley:] but TWC didn't like that. 
By the attitude of some around here. Stardock should go through my gallery and repair all my work and take care of that for me....yeah, right. I don't know if I'd want that anyway. I'd rather fix my own work.
Reply #111 Saturday, July 11, 2009 1:08 PM
They don't. But they have to use someone's feed, and they are all bound to fail eventually.
Reply #112 Saturday, July 11, 2009 1:21 PM
Reply #113 Saturday, July 11, 2009 1:40 PM
That's not right. I made the Weather Calendar a few weeks ago. It show me the weather forecast for current and previous months but it doesn't use any feeds! More then ANY ILLEGAL FEEDS. Just I think that each of us may be a bit programmer. Otherwise this hobby (or may be job) has no future...
You must understand one simple truth - neither Photoshop neither the other Graphic Redactors can't substitute the experience in coding if you really want work with DesktopX. This is not a SkinStudio...
Reply #114 Saturday, July 11, 2009 1:44 PM
Ha! It's funny but I'm study this service right now. 
It's not bad! But seems MSN Weather is much better and informative. So I need a bit more time to finish my experiments...
Reply #115 Saturday, July 11, 2009 1:57 PM
I think you should reconsider that decision, and provide, by e-mail, if necessary, a sample to all the DX skinners so that they can get on with weather widgets as soon as possible. Weather may be a trivial use of DesktopX, but it's the king of DX, and without it, DX will die.
I disagree fully. And I won't be integrating a weather widget into my future themes regardless of what the coders come up with. Integrating anything into a DX theme that is vulnerable to decisions made by outside sources is bound to fail again in the future. It is not a matter of if, but when. And I, for one, don't feel like redoing my entire gallery at that time. Blaming anyone is not getting this fixed.
By the attitude of some around here. Stardock should go through my gallery and repair all my work and take care of that for me....yeah, right. I don't know if I'd want that anyway. I'd rather fix my own work.
I trust that you disagree with my statement that DesktopX will die. I sure hope that you're right about that. It's such an amazing program. If it's the statement that weather is the king of DX, that's based on numbers. It's the most popular reason for buying DesktopX.
I think your approach to leaving it out of your themes is a wise one, considering the vulnerability you mentioned. Hopefully, you'll be one of the people that keeps it going. Don't forget us when you get into WindowBlinds, and good luck with your first skin. Will you be doing a theme for that, by the way?
Reply #116 Saturday, July 11, 2009 2:02 PM
But they have to use someone's feed
That's not right. I made the Weather Calendar a few weeks ago. It show me the weather forecast for current and previous months but it doesn't use any feeds! More then ANY ILLEGAL FEEDS. Just I think that each of us may be a bit programmer. Otherwise this hobby (or may be job) has no future...
How does that work without a feed?
Reply #117 Saturday, July 11, 2009 2:06 PM
Just go with Weather Underground.
Ha! It's funny but I'm study this service right now. It's not bad! But seems MSN Weather is much better and informative. So I need a bit more time to finish my experiments...
I'm excited. Please carry on. I got the new Weatherlab, and it's working fine. I'll be very interested in seeing what you come up with in v7.
Reply #118 Saturday, July 11, 2009 2:09 PM
willistuder
That's great, Zubaz. It will include the necessities to hook up legally with TWC so that the skinners don't need to figure that out, won't it? I think that's the main problem they're having in trying to reconfigure their widgets.We'll have to see if it's possible before we look at features available (if any).
Good luck
Reply #119 Saturday, July 11, 2009 2:11 PM
Reply #120 Saturday, July 11, 2009 2:24 PM
I have no words to illustrate my bad feelings and how I understand you! Seems after a few days like this I will be ready to do the same...
thanks Vadim!
Im contacted Renate aka MsLovely, who made/reskin ton's of weather widgets, here and on DA, SA, and some other site..
She have bad feelings in this time, and she said: " I am not gonna stop skinning, I love it too much, but I am just not gonna post anymore..."
By the attitude of some around here. Stardock should go through my gallery and repair all my work and take care of that for me....yeah, right. I don't know if I'd want that anyway. I'd rather fix my own work.
..hmm.. interesting..
Weather and clock/calendars are best/highlighted dx items, this is why SD include those, ( SD own versions) with MyColors..
If the weather not work you will remove that..
If u use multigig ram and, sd plugin not work, you will remove that?
If the multicore processor usage don't work with sd plugin, you will remove that?
Jim: You don't fix anything, cos not ur fault, and now, u don't have sample for fixing, then u just delete some items from ur dxtheme... but I think your downloaders highly need those removed element's too..
..with working version of course...
Please login to comment and/or vote for this skin.
Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
- Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums and downloading skins.
- Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
- Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
- It's simple, and FREE!
|
|
Page 6 of 13 | |
|
|---|
Reply #101 Saturday, July 11, 2009 11:15 AM
I don't understand why you can't include a working widget that complies with the TWC license agreement and your moderation rules to skinners at least, if not your customers. It's a practical necessity, and there's no legal reason preventing you from doing so. Saying you aren't required to do so is giving the finger to the people that make all those free skins that give your customers a reason to buy Stardock/Wincustomize products. Without those free skins, there would be no reason to buy the products. I think you should reconsider that decision, and provide, by e-mail, if necessary, a sample to all the DX skinners so that they can get on with weather widgets as soon as possible. Weather may be a trivial use of DesktopX, but it's the king of DX, and without it, DX will die. I confess to being surprised at the decision.