It looks like everyone is getting into the gadget business these days. And WinCustomize rambled a bit about it…. now it’s my turn. 
Widgets and gadgets (personally, I think of them all as just plug-ins) have been around for years. Companies like Konfibulator (now owned by Yahoo!), Apple Computers, Stardock, and KlipFolio were probably some of the first to mainstream them. I don’t know for sure who started the widget war, but IIRC it was done first on a Mac OS (Was it apple or a 3rd party?).
When Google released Desktop Search 2.0 a few months back it included a new sidebar, which people could write “plug-ins” to attach to it for various things. A clock, AdSense monitor, a to-do list, system stats, whatever. The options are limitless.
Those of you who have been following Windows Vista know that it too includes a “sidebar”. Microsoft announced the other day that users will be able to create “gadgets” to extend the sidebar, more information is available at MicrosoftGadgets.com.
Before Microsoft and Google, Stardock had DesktopX, which allowed users to create various gadgets. The nice thing about DesktopX is the gadgets aren’t limited to just being placed into a bar on the side of the screen, they can be placed out on the desktop.
Like DesktopX, there are other gadget systems out there that can be placed on the desktop and extended to do whatever. Samurize, Kapsules, and Konfabulator are some others. I’m suprised Google and Microsoft have chosen to limit things to just a sidebar.
Like Microsoft, Stardock has launched a “gadget site”. Stardock’s site is DesktopGadgets.com, and like they say it can be expanded to include Microsoft’s Windows Gadgets as well. Personally, I’d like to see it expand and include gadgets, widgets, or whatever you call them from the many other companies as well. Including gadgets for other OSs (Linux, BSD, and Mac), now that would be a kick ass site. 
Tags: DesktopX, Google, Google Desktop, Microsoft, Microsoft Gadgets, Stardock, widgets