Yes, there are several ways I can spend $100+ on still more gear, so that I can upload to services other than WU. (in fact there is an entire thread of discussion on this issue here: Using WUnderground.com to integrate Personal Weather Stations - #67 by Ashishnarang ) The point it, I’d rather not. I’ve already spent $300 on a really nice weather station, and $250 on an internet connected sprinkler controller, and it’s already automatically updating the #2 source of weather on the internet (and probably the #1 non-commercial source other than US Govt sources): Weather Underground. If Rachio could just read from there, I’d be set without having to spend another $100 or so (perhaps less for some DIY solutions that require a lot of work, but that’s not the point) just to upload my weather data to a different location.
As to the gardener issue, I guess you didn’t read all the subsequent posts discussing why the current limited access implementation doesn’t work in a lot of situations. (such as non-technical gardeners)