diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/base.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/base.js
index 863acf64b..fb8b7efea 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/base.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/base.js
@@ -45,19 +45,6 @@ function(widget_manager, underscore, backbone){
 
             return Backbone.Model.apply(this);
         },
-
-
-        update_other_views: function (caller) {
-            this.last_modified_view = caller;
-            this.save(this.changedAttributes(), {patch: true});
-
-            for (var view_index in this.views) {
-                var view = this.views[view_index];
-                if (view !== caller) {
-                    view.update();    
-                }
-            }
-        },
     
 
         send: function (content, cell) {
@@ -507,6 +494,12 @@ function(widget_manager, underscore, backbone){
             this.model.send(content, this.cell);
         },
 
+
+        touch: function () {
+            this.model.last_modified_view = this;
+            this.model.save(this.model.changedAttributes(), {patch: true});
+        },
+
         update: function () {
             if (this.model.get('visible') !== undefined) {
                 if (this.visible != this.model.get('visible')) {
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/bool.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/bool.js
index 9d57f7db4..8f805e004 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/bool.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/bool.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/base"], function(widget_manager){
                 .click(function(el) {
                     that.user_invoked_update = true;
                     that.model.set('value', that.$checkbox.prop('checked'));
-                    that.model.update_other_views(that);
+                    that.touch();
                     that.user_invoked_update = false;
                 })
                 .appendTo(this.$el);
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/base"], function(widget_manager){
         handleClick: function(e) { 
             this.user_invoked_update = true;
             this.model.set('value', ! $(e.target).hasClass('active'));
-            this.model.update_other_views(this);
+            this.touch();
             this.user_invoked_update = false;
         },
     });
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/multicontainer.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/multicontainer.js
index f4975c066..a93f4e5f3 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/multicontainer.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/multicontainer.js
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/base"], function(widget_manager){
                 .attr('href', '#' + uuid)
                 .click(function(evt){ 
                     that.model.set("selected_index", index);
-                    that.model.update_other_views(that);
+                    that.touch();
                  })
                 .html('Page ' + index)
                 .appendTo(accordion_heading);
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/base"], function(widget_manager){
                 .appendTo(tab)
                 .click(function (e) {
                     that.model.set("selected_index", index);
-                    that.model.update_other_views(that);
+                    that.touch();
                     that.select_page(index);
                 });
             this.containers.push(tab_text);
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/selection.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/selection.js
index 43c7f65a3..59f814360 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/selection.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/selection.js
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/base"], function(widget_manager){
         // Handle when a value is clicked.
         handle_click: function (e) {
             this.model.set('value', $(e.target).html(), this);
-            this.model.update_other_views(this);
+            this.touch();
         },
         
     });
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/base"], function(widget_manager){
         // Handle when a value is clicked.
         handle_click: function (e) {
             this.model.set('value', $(e.target).val(), this);
-            this.model.update_other_views(this);
+            this.touch();
         },
     });
 
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/base"], function(widget_manager){
         // Handle when a value is clicked.
         handle_click: function (e) {
             this.model.set('value', $(e.target).html(), this);
-            this.model.update_other_views(this);
+            this.touch();
         },
         
     });
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/base"], function(widget_manager){
         // Handle when a value is clicked.
         handle_click: function (e) {
             this.model.set('value', $(e.target).html(), this);
-            this.model.update_other_views(this);
+            this.touch();
         },
         
     });
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/string.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/string.js
index da759ac2f..fc97992eb 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/string.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/string.js
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/base"], function(widget_manager){
         handleChanging: function(e) { 
             this.user_invoked_update = true;
             this.model.set('value', e.target.value);
-            this.model.update_other_views(this);
+            this.touch();
             this.user_invoked_update = false;
         },
     });
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/base"], function(widget_manager){
         // Handles and validates user input.
         handleChanging: function(e) { 
             this.model.set('value', e.target.value);
-            this.model.update_other_views(this);
+            this.touch();
         },
         
         // Handles text submition