This has been a really interesting, if contentious thread.
For me, I bought the Chumby because of what it presented - and that was a fun 'net device that could do a bunch of fun stuff with widgets.
Having buzzed through the forums since before I bought the device I admire the hell out of the fact that the company will try as best as it's able to answer any issues people have.
Sure, there are not always answers that seem suitable for the asker but it is very refreshing to see a company that does give a damn.
Now, I grant you that it serves the interests of the company to care but, still, when was the last time you saw people from Sony or any other company giving an actual crap about what we thought of their products.
On the other side, it's good to see a passionate user-base that wants this product to succeed.
If nothing else, the Chumby is proving a very interesting, and so far successful, dialogue between a business and it's users.
Me, I don't have any problem with ads. Maybe I am lucky, or have some magic set-up where I don't really come across them. Not sure, but so far, so good. Do I need all the random Chumby 101s? No, but it's good to be reminded of things once in a while and I can get rid of them easily enough.
And that's where I get frustrated.
One of the big draws to this device was the lack of a subscription, and for that, you know what, I can live with a some ads. Sure, I have my critiques of the device but ads I can get over.
And I tell you what - I am no programmer, and I don't know a thing about creating flash or hacking a device but I like that the Chumby is built so that the people who want to do that can. It adds to the life, and to the richness of the product. The Chumby works swell on its own but, with the help of the passionate people who CAN program, we are getting some pretty rad content. Hell, for me, I actually want to see more of that stuff from the regular folks that can do that stuff. I want to see them challenged.
Heck, I'd love to see Chumby have contests for best widgets so we raise the bar a little.
Is this the perfect device?
No, and anyone who thought it would be is silly.
What this is is a great tool, a fun diversion, and a heck of a glimpse into what might come next.
I believe in this product, and in the people that speak for the company, and, truly, I believe in we the user.
If we didn't care, there would be no forum, no hacking, and no Chumby.
I think we all jumped on this good ship Chumby with a lot of hope and a bit of courage and it's a shame when we lose sight of the reasons we bought the thing.
I can't help but wonder if the very nature of the device - not quite open but the back door left unlocked - makes it so easy for people to put all these hopes and demands (reasonable and unreasonable) on the something that has yet to really reach its full potential.
No, the Chumby isn't perfect but why don't we all help make it better, which seems a lot more reasonable than getting angry because you purchased the device based on hopes and not reality.
For what it's worth...
c
