The problem with the current stocks and weather widgets is that they require user configuration, which is stored on the server associated with the "widget instance" in a particular "channel" for a particular "user".  The means that I either have to restore all that initially, or alter the widgets to stored the data locally.

In addition, the NOAA-based weather widget requires an additional service to be working - the zipcode->weather station lookup.  Once the widget knows the weather station, it then goes to NOAA directly for the data.  Unfortunately, the NOAA servers are *very* slow to respond, which you can see in the NOAA Weather widget when it seems to take such a long time in a "Loading..." state.  The widget attempts to cache the data in Mobile Shared Objects, but due to a quirk in the Flash Player's MSO logic for widgets loaded from local file storage, it doesn't work a well as it should.

The stock widgets use a third-party web service for the stock data, so there's no additional service required.  Again, the issue is the storage of the configuration.

I certainly see the value in supporting these and other widgets and I'll undoubtedly get to those at some point.

However, we need to crawl, before we walk, before we run.

Sounds like you are making some progress.
Is there anything we have to do to make the crossover to the new system or will it (hopefully) be automatic when logging on? Duane's new system will just take over the older server system?

On another note: My I8s are doing great but my I3s are having problems logging on to the servers. They want me to go through the wifi signin everytime I reboot. Every third time or so it finally goes through. It is supposed to logon automatically. Well things may clear up when Duane does the changeover.

Hmmm, it looks like The Verge picked up the story.  Seems a bit more pessimistic than I'd prefer...

I'm going to open up forum registrations so new people can comment.  Hopefully the spam won't be too bad.

I *believe* that if you ssh into a working chumby, and copy /tmp/controlpanel.swf to a USB dongle, it should use that one instead of downloading a new one upon reboot.  However, that also means that if I change the Control Panel on the server you won't get a new one - so I wouldn't do that just yet, since I may have to put something out for this new system to work properly.

I'm in for support/donation (sub model).

A weather widget would be nice in addition to the clock. I'm OK with only one weather widget.... same as you are looking to provide a single clock.

Good luck and thanks for your help.

John.

Duane,

Thanks SO much for your help.  Have you set up a paypay account for donations for server time/etc.?  And/or could you set up a Kickstarter project?

Let's rally together and keep the little guy alive!

Seriously though, there are nearly 4,000 Likes on the Chumby Facebook page.
Surely some of these people are willing to donate $10 or more to keep it going.

I have a lot of great memories with this little box and would hate to see it die.
Sure I could run something off of a USB stick, but it's just not the same.

Once you have something in place please let me know and I'll spread the news as best I can.

Long live Chumby!

Unfortunately, the devices do not have sufficient memory and CPU power to support any recent version of Android.  The closest we ever got was a version of Android 1.6 that kinda booted to the desktop but little else.

However, if anyone wants to make another attempt, I'm all for it and will help as best I can.

Really, my goal is to hold back the abyss - I'm hoping the community will engage to move forward.  I can't do it alone.

We're willing to donate as well. We will never remember the upcoming birthdays or wedding anniversaries without our Chumby!

what about local download of the control panel and content? kind of like a mirror? that could help save a lot on your bandwidth costs.

you'd need a way to specify an alternative boot host though.

It would be sad to have Chumby go. It's a cosy, nice device, I'm used to having it near my bed.

What about the following plan:

1. Run a donation campaign to gather enough funds to run Chumby in the current form for a few more months.
2. This would give enough breathing space to implement a lightweight hosting platform that wouldn't need $4K to run.
3. Fund ways to reduce costs - perhaps somebody can volunteer VMs and bandwidth. Actually, if Chumby was running on physical hardware, how many servers would it need? What are Chumby's bandwidth needs? Some of us work in places which have lots of unused outgoing bandwidth and/or CPU resources. For example I can consider bandwidth donation, as long as it's not in gigabits.