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DesktopX Weather Widget Issues - Read This

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DesktopX Weather Widget Issues - Read This

from JoeUser Forums

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

627,402 views 248 replies
Reply #101 from WinCustomize Forums Top

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.

Reply #102 from WinCustomize Forums Top

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.

Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #103 from WinCustomize Forums Top

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. 

Reply #104 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Island, reply 3

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 from WinCustomize Forums Top

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.

Reply #106 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Zubaz, reply 5

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 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Zubaz,
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.


Quoting 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).

Reply #108 from WinCustomize Forums Top

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 from WinCustomize Forums Top

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.  :grin:

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Reply #110 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Bichur, reply 8


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

 

 

:thumbsup:  ..........i'd have used [:sunshine smiley:] but TWC didn't like that.  XD

 

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.

k6   :thumbsup:

Reply #111 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I don't understand why any working weather widget has to use TWC

They don't. But they have to use someone's feed, and they are all bound to fail eventually.

Reply #113 from WinCustomize Forums Top

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...

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 from WinCustomize Forums Top

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...

Reply #115 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting RedneckDude, reply 9

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 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Vad_M, reply 13

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 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Vad_M, reply 14

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 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Zubaz, reply 7



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 from WinCustomize Forums Top

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.
The same was once true of calendars (based on uploaded objects and downloads).  Things do change.

Reply #120 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Dear bilbo1930 and Fairyy~,

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...;)

 

Reply #121 from WinCustomize Forums Top

How does that work without a feed?

Just through Google... :blush: I even don't see/get/parse any xml files with someone copiright. There are a lot of alternate ways to build weahter widgets. :)

I'll be very interested in seeing what you come up with in v7.

Unfortunately the WLB-7 will be never uploaded here. Only the screen shots... Why? Because a few lines of code retrieves some data from one "known place" which logo I don't like...

Reply #122 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I just had one last thing to say on this. I don't think there is one skinner here that doesn't comprehend the problem is with Weather.com changing their script.  Which they have a right to do. I have read every post and every thread. I see most of the Skinners only agreeing about where the problem lies.  Sure its not Wincustomize/Stardocks problem....but this is where the fine line has been drawn. The Skinners are asking Wincustomize/Stardock to help find a solution.  Telling every member to just " fix it in a week or we will exile all non working Widgets " sounds hostile to most of us....You refer to WC as a Community...then shouldn't the Community be asking you to help ?  Sure a few non skinners are upset and demanding fixes...but most of the skinners were mearly asking you to help out the majority of us that are not coders ...we skin...and without a template I cannot skin. Maybe thats what you prefer? Maybe you just want us all to go away and take our bat and ball with us ? If thats the case then just say so and skip the dance. Anyway, I have deleted all 58 of my Widget Packs.  Even if I understood how to fix them I need more than a week to do so....If someone comes up with a fix.....I might still fix the more popular ones...I never cared about download counts so thats no biggy for me to start at zero.

Reply #123 from WinCustomize Forums Top

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?

If you mean for my new blind, I probably will do a DX theme for it, docks, cursor too maybe. Let's see how bad the blind is first...lol.

Reply #124 from WinCustomize Forums Top

but most of the skinners were mearly asking you to help out the majority of us that are not coders ...we skin...and without a template I cannot skin. Maybe thats what you prefer? Maybe you just want us all to go away and take our bat and ball with us ? If thats the case then just say so and skip the dance. Anyway, I have deleted all 58 of my Widget Packs. Even if I understood how to fix them I need more than a week to do so....If someone comes up with a fix.....I might still fix the more popular ones...I never cared about download counts so thats no biggy for me to start at zero.

Karen, we have unlimited time to redo our work. We just have until the 20th to download anything we need from our galleries in order to do so. I think Jafo even said that even when they're gone, they're not really gone and we could request copies of our work and get them. As far as helping us, the authors, I don't really see what Stardock/WC could do to begin with. I don't want them "repairing" my work. I want to do it myself. It would have been nice if Stardock could have somehow made a purchase or deal with weather.com, but I don't think that would be feasible, and if it were, we would still need to update our skins. Then, what happens next time?

Just my 2 cents.

Reply #125 from WinCustomize Forums Top

redneckjim, exactly correct.

fairyy~, the moderators and admins at wincustomize, devs and database and legal folks at Stardock have been working all week to find solutions.  Just because you don't see it here on the forums doesn' mean we aren't doing anything.

Skinners and coders here on WC are busting their ass to find solutions from this side of the fence.  They are looking at new feeds and templates.  They are looking at paying for their own feeds.  They are looking for ways to make this work.

As much as Stardock has been a part of and a leader in the community, it depressees me to see it vilified here.