Thanks Lawrence. Someone working on it is all we can ask.

Here is a bizarre adjunct to the situation. I have noticed that each time I am issued the overloaded server message soon thereafter I receive what appears to be a full set of all the .zips, .pngs, and .gifs for each of the three active sciences. I've seen this happen at least 5 times on one of my devices, and I think also on the other three devices. I don't recall having seen that behavior except at the initial installation, and certainly not 5 times. It is almost as if the initial installation routine is in a loop, or is being called from within the message system. I know, it sounds crazy, but ... there you are.

Right.
knreed is aware of that too.

Personally I have already got this set of files 8 times over a 7-hour period...

I don't think so yet.
But that does not forbid receiving a few WUs now and then between unsuccessful requests.

Edit: Confirmed, not fixed yet.
I have received a ninth set of gif/png files and a few "no tasks sent", still hoping to reach a modest 8-hour work buffer.

Edit2: It might be fixed now, I have received a long-awaited 49-WU delivery which completed my work queue.
Anyway I won't see a new work request before hours now.