1 Topic by freman (edited by freman 2013-05-07 15:51:45)

  • From: Queensland, Australia
  • Registered: 2008-12-22
  • Posts: 20

Topic: Sony, wait what?

I admit to have been out of it for a while, my chumby pretty much has been living life as an alarm clock.

As a developer of widgets, I have to express concern.

1) I've not been contacted or emailed over any change in chumby, chumby.com, the widget repository.
2) I'm not a huge fan of Sony in anything that it does, and now it's going to be making profit off my work?

I didn't mind submitting my content to chumby, I'm not so sure I like the idea of Sony using it.

Further to that, how do I even log into the sony dash site as a widget author?!

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freman's Website

  • Duane
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  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
  • Posts: 8,197

Re: Sony, wait what?

The Sony dash came out over three years ago, so it certainly has been some time.

The Sony systems are completely separate from the chumby service.  We (formerly Chumby, now Blue Octy)  have absolutely no control over anything related to that service.

If you have questions about that system, either as a user or developer, you need to contact Sony.

Duane's Website

  • From: Queensland, Australia
  • Registered: 2008-12-22
  • Posts: 20

Re: Sony, wait what?

Well, like I said, I was never contacted about this (I have emails going back to 2002, if I had been it would be here somewhere) - had I been I would have declined the opportunity.

And yes, generally I turn my Chumby on and it just works - until there's a blackout - which happened recently, leading me back here to find out what was up - I'm not much for changing widgets.

I've already sent several emails to whatever contact methods I can find on the Sony websites (both the dash, and the australian one) but haven't gotten an actual reply yet.

Please don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Chumby/Blue Octy - but I hate Sony (possibly a bit too much)

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freman's Website

  • Registered: 2013-04-20
  • Posts: 28

Re: Sony, wait what?

sony has more money than you -- your widgets belong to sony.
if you dont like it you can spend thousands on a lawsuit with no useful result or you can live with the reality that you cant take something back once you have given it to any corporation. corporations only exist for their own self interest.

  • Duane
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  • Registered: 2006-08-24
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Re: Sony, wait what?

Well, the way it worked was this - when the dash was first created, it used Chumby's servers - there was an option added to the system for authors to choose which platforms were supported for their widgets.  Anyone interested in blocking their widgets from Sony devices (or Best Buy devices, or even Chumby devices) could do so.

Sony also initiated their own separate developer program to encourage the development of widgets optimized for their device.

It ran like that for about two years.

When it appeared that Chumby was not going to be around for the long haul, it was determined that the system would be cloned and Sony would operate a copy.  This was permitted under the Chumby TOS, but I don't know if/how Sony might have subsequently altered the terms after the split.  Sony subsequently dropped their developer program - I don't know how they've chosen to handle the issue of developers wishing to subsequently revoke their widgets.

I don't recall what mailings Chumby may or may not have done to developers specifically about all this, since it wasn't handled by my group.  There were at least a few mass mailings made, but they would have gone only to users/developers that had explicitly opted-in (Chumby was opt-out by default).  If you *never* got an email from Chumby after your registration, then it may mean you were opted-out.

Duane's Website

6 Reply by freman (edited by freman 2013-05-07 19:55:39)

  • From: Queensland, Australia
  • Registered: 2008-12-22
  • Posts: 20

Re: Sony, wait what?

delaney99 wrote:

sony has more money than you -- your widgets belong to sony.
if you dont like it you can spend thousands on a lawsuit with no useful result or you can live with the reality that you cant take something back once you have given it to any corporation. corporations only exist for their own self interest.

Not at all, I win - the widgets all call my server asking for data, storing data, I just stop answering requests from sony devices (and specifically the sony website).

Kinda like using DRM against sony, feels good big_smile

Duane wrote:

I don't recall what mailings Chumby may or may not have done to developers specifically about all this, since it wasn't handled by my group.  There were at least a few mass mailings made, but they would have gone only to users/developers that had explicitly opted-in (Chumby was opt-out by default).  If you *never* got an email from Chumby after your registration, then it may mean you were opted-out.

Ah that may be, I have received emails from chumby, but nothing about this, believe it or not - this day is the first I've ever even heared of the SONY Dash (sony marketing mustn't have been too good tongue)

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freman's Website

  • Registered: 2011-01-05
  • Posts: 73

Re: Sony, wait what?

freman wrote:

I win

Congratulations.

Which widgets are yours?

  • Registered: 2011-10-12
  • Posts: 326

Re: Sony, wait what?

freman wrote:

I admit to have been out of it for a while, my chumby pretty much has been living life as an alarm clock.

As a developer of widgets, I have to express concern.

1) I've not been contacted or emailed over any change in chumby, chumby.com, the widget repository.
2) I'm not a huge fan of Sony in anything that it does, and now it's going to be making profit off my work?

I didn't mind submitting my content to chumby, I'm not so sure I like the idea of Sony using it.

Further to that, how do I even log into the sony dash site as a widget author?!

We discussed this matter before.  One thing to consider is Chumby Inc. was not doing well.  It was evident their business was not going anywhere.   

Sony was one of their customers, and when this became apparent here's what Sony did: 

Took the servers needed to support thier product and their customers in house.
Bought and paid for whatever equipment and services this took.
Hired whatever talent and knowhow it took to do this and paid for it.
They now continue to run those chumby servers to support their Sony Dash customers, customers who pay no ongoing subscription fees for the service required by their Sony Dash units.

I for one find their corporate behavior responsible, even admirable. 
They took on the expense of supporting their customers on an ongoing basis, and I have no idea if they even have any chumby based products on the market anymore.

Why don't you like Sony? 
It seems to me in this matter Sony has been very responsible for their customers and the ongoing support they need for the products they bought from Sony, even years later.   

Compare that to Best buy/Insignia, which washed their hands of Chumby some years ago and failed to provide any support whatsoever to their past customers.  Insignia has not paid for any servers, and bandwidth, any support, they are even clueless to provide the first level support that they contracted to provide. They don't even admit they know how to unregister a unit so it can be reregistered. Duane does that.  Thanks to Duane. No thanks to Insignia.

I think your tirade against Sony might be misplaced. If we had Sony units right now we would still have widgets and we wouldn't have to be worrying about how to support (and pay for) the Chumby servers, if they ever have any support.  Not that people aren't trying valiantly, clearly they are. 

But Sony's behavior, it wasn't bad. I find it admirable.  Rare for a corporation to be as responsible as they have.

  • From: Somewhere on or near Earth
  • Registered: 2009-12-16
  • Posts: 774

Re: Sony, wait what?

Sony may have acted admirably in this instance, but I stay away from Sony products like the plague. I don't like how Sony operates. Rootkits on music CDs, format wars (Betamax vs. VHS, Memory stick vs. SD cards, BluRay vs. HD-DVD, etc.), their "No Sue" Playstation Network clause. These are just the things that immediately come to mind. Sony makes some quality products but I do not want to support a company that treats their customers the way they do.

Tar, feathers, congress. Some assembly required.

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  • Duane
  • Duane
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  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
  • Posts: 8,197

Re: Sony, wait what?

Sony is a *very* large company, split into dozens, if not hundreds, of business units scattered across multiple countries, and in many ways can be thought of as several distinct companies, often with completing interests.  The particular group involved with the dash was the TV group - I've never heard complaints about their product policies and practices.

Also, don't be too hard on Insignia - there's stuff I can't talk about that was *very* helpful to the Chumby ecosystem.

Duane's Website

11 Reply by joltdude (edited by joltdude 2013-07-20 06:00:33)

  • Registered: 2008-02-21
  • Posts: 526

Re: Sony, wait what?

I didnt own an Infocast but had some dealings with them and there were some sharp folks at Insignia (at least online).. that knew a lot about the Infocast and its workings....

As an aside.. even though quite a few services have been discontinued (there was a great traffic widget on the Dash that I think was paid for by Sony thats gone and quite a few widgets).. I have to give props to Sony.. I can still use my Dash.... Using it in fullscreen Accuweather (and more of a glorified Ambient Weather device).... So it turns on, authenticates and allows me to see a 7 day forecast of weather, and still goes to sleep at night and automatically wakes in the morning (similar to the night mode)

  • From: A not too distant future
  • Registered: 2013-03-03
  • Posts: 478

Re: Sony, wait what?

joltdude wrote:

I didnt own an Infocast but had some dealings with them and there were some sharp folks at Insignia (at least online).. that knew a lot about the Infocast and its workings....

As an aside.. even though quite a few services have been discontinued (there was a great traffic widget on the Dash that I think was paid for by Sony thats gone and quite a few widgets).. I have to give props to Sony.. I can still use my Dash.... Using it in fullscreen Accuweather (and more of a glorified Ambient Weather device).... So it turns on, authenticates and allows me to see a 7 day forecast of weather, and still goes to sleep at night and automatically wakes in the morning (similar to the night mode)

Personally, I'd rather have my device supported by Duane than by Sony. At least I know that the service will stay up, albiet with less functionality. With Sony, the Dash is no longer supported and the service could go down any day now.

  • Registered: 2008-02-21
  • Posts: 526

Re: Sony, wait what?

nathanm wrote:

Personally, I'd rather have my device supported by Duane than by Sony. At least I know that the service will stay up, albiet with less functionality. With Sony, the Dash is no longer supported and the service could go down any day now.

And the purpose of this insight and remark? Was I suggesting to obtain a Dash.. Heck no.. but I have one and I can use it now... may not work in the future but its still kicking for the moment.

I was just mentioning how a device (Sony Dash) I own and use is still operational at this time.. If youve seen my past posts, you will realize I have multiple devices...and I look forward to my Chumby One (x2), and my Chumby 8s(x2) being back online... and the fruits of Duane's work... Duanes been with us for the long haul.. And has gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep it going... And if you also look at my previous posts, I have given the pros and cons of the Dash... And I like my Chumbii as well..

  • Plank
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  • Registered: 2008-05-17
  • Posts: 217

Re: Sony, wait what?

I just bought a brand new 2nd generation orange Dash.  It is really nice.  It is a big improvement over the first Dash. There was a minor glitch with activation but everything is working.  A lot of the widgets don't work but you can do a lot with the Image URL and RSS widgets.  I am so happy my Sony-chumby is back.