Topic: Randomize widgets in a channel

I would like the option to randomize the sequence that widgets are displayed in a channel. For example, I have a channel full of clocks and after a while, I know which clock will show next, and that takes away from the anticipatory excitement.  Randomizing the widgets makes the Chumby experience more interesting. Perhaps a checkbox in the control panel:

[  ]   Randomize 

Thoughts?

2 (edited by heyartlady 2008-12-27 19:36:12)

Re: Randomize widgets in a channel

Yes. Periodically, go to chumby.com. Log in, Go to My Widgets. Go to My Chumby Dashboard. Go to your (for instance) Clocks and Calendar channel. Go to Manage Channel. Scroll to the bottom and select and drag the icons to a new order than they were before and then you will be surprised. They click, drag and drop quite easily. Once a week should do it.

Edit: typos

Re: Randomize widgets in a channel

Thanks - but that's not quite what I mean - I would like the system to randomize the widgets for me.

Re: Randomize widgets in a channel

I agree, it would be nice if there could put weights on the randomness as well. I guess you could just dupe the widget as many times as needed though.

Re: Randomize widgets in a channel

So what you want is somehing that periodically shuffles the widgets?

Would you want this shuffling to be reflected on the channel as stored on the server, or just applied locally?

Re: Randomize widgets in a channel

I quite like this idea.

Applying it locally might be the best option - then you could 'unshuffle' a channel on the fly if you wanted it to play in order.

Re: Randomize widgets in a channel

tismey wrote:

I quite like this idea.

Applying it locally might be the best option - then you could 'unshuffle' a channel on the fly if you wanted it to play in order.

Further, if it is changed from how it is now, which I can understand some might want them to shuffle, I'd like it to be a choice, because the way I use my chumby, my widgets don't play...I keep it on a clock while I'm gone, but I thoroughly go through my widgets around bedtime and read particular things and play particular games. I LIKE knowing which widget is next while I am diddling around, so it is two separate types of users. Neither right nor wrong, just different.

Re: Randomize widgets in a channel

True - this would only work for me on some of my channels, I wouldn't want it to be a global setting.

Re: Randomize widgets in a channel

Interesting, but for me I don't really want them randomized.  What I do have though, is 3 or 4 of the clocks, and a few weather widgets.  I move these so they are spread out equally between my other widgets, so at any point in time it is close to showing time or weather.

Re: Randomize widgets in a channel

dibbc - agree - I would not want some channels with just a few widgets or with lots of widgets that I wish to play in order shuffled.

I happen to like clocks, and have a channel with only clocks, more than 30 of them, so in that case shuffling them makes the channel more interesting (to me at least).

Sharby

Re: Randomize widgets in a channel

dibbc wrote:

...I move these so they are spread out equally between my other widgets,...

I feel so silly mentioning this, since you probably already know it, but if you have some favorite clocks (or whatever other widgets you like) you don't have to have them just on one channel, you can load the same widget on all your channels, for as many times as you'd like. You could have your favorite clock between every widget on every channel if you wanted to! (Sorry if you did know this) I have that wonderful widget ?? the orange and white animated Koi swimming over the realistic rocks on each channel, so I can always easily get to it without having to go back to the control panel, for instance.

Re: Randomize widgets in a channel

I would also like the option to randomize the widgets in a channel. A checkbox that works kind of like the shuffle option in mp3 players.

13 (edited by sharby 2009-02-20 07:10:01)

Re: Randomize widgets in a channel

I've just noticed the Shuffle Widgets option in the new beta control panel! Awesome!