We could lose AccuWeather folks!!!!!

[dragonmage]

I have an idea. I don't know if they can implement this on their end but it's worth a shot.

How about one update cycle per hour they change the current conditions text in the xml to a short text add for one of their sponsors. So for 10-20 minutes per hour we would see an ad on desktop. If we really need current conditions in that time frame we can click the link to go to the site.

Another option would be if the could add the ad as another part of the xml and we could design skins to display a small add text.

[jsmorley]

I have an idea. I don't know if they can implement this on their end but it's worth a shot.

How about one update cycle per hour they change the current conditions text in the xml to a short text add for one of their sponsors. So for 10-20 minutes per hour we would see an ad on desktop. If we really need current conditions in that time frame we can click the link to go to the site.

Another option would be if the could add the ad as another part of the xml and we could design skins to display a small add text.

I will change to WeatherUnderground instantly. They are getting tons of advertising from having AccuWeather all over our skins and links on them and all the discussions here in the forums. We can't in any way promise that anyone will click on a link on a skin, nor that they will use the link with the Partner=Rainmeter in the URL so we get credit. I understand their position completely, but ads on skins is unacceptable.

[Benjamin Linus]

Good luck Sarge.
Will be interesting to hear what they propose.

[dragonmage]

Small text ads on a skin aren't a big deal to me, but I see how some people might not like it. I'd prefer to work something out with accuweather than to keep changing horses mid-stream.

[sgtevmckay]

Ack.....

I must've really blown the the mental tire in my notes above.
We are not looking to add advertising to the skins, but more "links" per skin would not hurt (Suggestion here as the XML gives us 5 to six links to work with).

We may be looking at adding adds to the forum though.

I agree that after the weather.com fiasco and the issues with changing over, to just start all over again is out of the question, and I have made that abundantly clear.

So we will work out alternative solutions.
I have no truck with supporting AccuWeather.com as they have gone out of the way to support us

[sgtevmckay]

A lot of interesting proposal here, I will have further details once I am off the phone and have gethered all my notes together.

I can tell you at this time, that they will be running Rainmeter and offering suggestions.

All in all they do not want to cut us loose, rather they have ideas of expanding our services, based on a couple of Revenue ideas.
These ideas cost us nothing, but there aybe a way for the community to derive a common well from it.

More information later, must get back to the call.

Also: they are looking ot expand services, and are working on a new system (2.0?), what would folks say to asssiting with comments and building this new system that should be available by the end of the year.

The first major advancement will be coding for approximately 33 languages (or additional languages)

They may need a testing ground, and I am suggesting our community (Not to mention it may put us a head of the curve for these new services.)

Also with the amount of traffic we are developing they are proposing a business partnership

What say you all?

More details to come

[sgtevmckay]

I just got off the phone here not too long ago.

Let me compile some of the notes here, and some of my collective thoughts, and I will be posting to the Rainmeter Discussion board as soon as I can.
I have an Intel webinar at 1800 my time, in about 12 minutes, so I will try and get something up after that and maybe dinner.

Keep a look out for it

Things may not be as bad as we thought Maybe :roll:

[sgtevmckay]

Ok folks the information and communication we have been waiting for is here:
http://rainmeter.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=1301&start=0#p9374

[wasky1]

just an idea but would it be possible to supply a localised file containing weather information that a rm skin could read. this would just be used for testing weather skins (as refreshing of skins during testing is inportant, no one wants to wait twenty minutes to correct issues with there new skins they are building) then once their skin is finished and working correctly the url can be changed. also the actual refresh when testing would be quicker for developers because the file would be localized.
....just tryin to help....
ps if rainmeter became a slave to advertising i would refuse to use it any more.

[maminscris]

normal the xml file remains in Temporary Internet Files so we must find a way to update the skin from there, and then we can make weather skins without connection to internet