MSNBC Weather Webpart

[sm2k]

WSS v3 Beta 2 w/ Tech Refresh on SBS 2003 (using ISA Server 2004).

Either it's the end of the world, or something is wrong with the MSNBC weather web part. The data it returns are really bizzare.

For instance, the first time I loaded it today, it was 73F. Then I refreshed twenty minutes later and it was 32F. The next time 36F. In fact, every time I refresh it, it returns a different temperature. It also returns a different forecast.

I've seen a few people complain about this, but it seems to be a pretty rare problem. This happens also on sharepoint v2.

Anyone? I have sharepoint configured for the correct time zone. Could this be a caching issue with ISA? I've had minor trouble in the past with iframe content not being current in browsers behind ISA.

 

[kjv1611]

Is it possible that someone has been changing the location settings?

Upper right hand corner of that section should have a link that says "change location". Under the location, you enter a zip code. Maybe someone changed it out of curiosity?

 

[sm2k]

Nope, the site isn't even public yet.

The time between my refreshes is only seconds, too. I just got in to the office, and according to the msnbc website, the current temperature is 51F and cloudy. The forecast for tomorrow is 65/39. Let's see what the weather webpart says:

36F, Fair. Tomorrow's forecast: 67/40.

Ok, now I'm going to hit refresh:

72F, Partly Cloudy. Tomorrow's forecast: 65/39.

Ok, so somewhere in the middle would be good.

 

[kjv1611]

Definitely weird. And, you're sure that no one slipped something into your coffee to make the numbers seem to change?

 

[KBGirl]

I am researching the same problem. I tried testing this theory by putting 2 of the same web part on a site and it will show two entirely different temp and forcasts for the same zip code! Anyone know something????

 

[sm2k]

I gave up on it. I'm running WSS 3 now anyhow, and the weather webpart isn't even included.

What I ended up doing was getting a "sticker" from weatherunderground.com and I created a simple html document containing only it and a little meta refresh tag so that it updates every sixty seconds, thus users don't have to reload the main page to see current weather info. Then I added that to the site in a page viewer webpart. Works great.

Kinda silly to spend that much time on the weather, but it does help with users trying to run weatherbug and then complaining to me because I'm blocking it.

 

[KBGirl]

Yes, we should be on 3.0 soon, so for now I will just let them know it is a known bug...hence why they cut it in 3.0 ya think?
Thanks a bunch!

 

[sawedoff]

That issue happens with a lot of users. But just a heads-up, they say they are going to discontinue the service on February 6 anyway, so it will be a moot point.

Sawedoff