What is a Desktop Widget and why is it Helpful and – Harmful to Your Computer System (Part 1)
Welcome to the world of widgets!
This post will guide you through the proper use of desktop widgets, where to get them, how to organize them, and how to stay safe offline and online while using them. If you’re a widget fanatic who can’t keep those fancy, drag-able, customizable and useful widgets off your screen, this guide is for you.
So first of all, let me re-orient you on widgets.
What is a desktop widget?
Easy question comes with an easy answer. According to Wikipedia:
“Desktop widgets (commonly just called widgets) are interactive virtual tools that provide single-purpose services such as showing the user the latest news, the current weather, the time…”
Let me cut on that portion and give you another definition from the same site. It says:
“A widget is a stand-alone application that can be embedded into third party sites by any user on a page…”
Let me expand on the keyword phrases “interactive virtual tool” and “embedded into third party site”.
A desktop widget is interactive – that’s between you and your desktop OS via Graphical User Interface (GUI) - because it comes in the form of icons, pull-down menus, buttons, selection boxes, sidebars, scroll bars, and windows. What makes it more interactive is that you can resize it, keep it on top of the windows or dashboard, move it, place it on different screens, hide it, show it, restore it, and change its options.
On how to embed widgets into a third party site, I will touch that one on Part 2 of this post.
How to choose and activate a widget?
Most OS already have built-in widgets in them, ranging from about five to fifteen. Programmers call them “ready-to-tailor widgets”. Most widgets are free for download from the OS provider or third-party websites and there are thousands of them today.
Let’s excavate a little bit deeper – with desktop widgets. Let’s have a look on Windows Gadgets, Apple Mac Dashboard, and Google Desktop mine pits and find out what these widget spaces have for us (although one of them was already buried deep in the ground forever).
Windows Gadgets
Windows Gadgets is applicable only to Windows 7 and Vista OS. Microsoft decided to discontinue it when Windows 8 was brought to life. They said tiled apps are much better compared to gadgets (or widgets).
Here’s how to activate Windows widgets.
Right-click on the desktop and Click “Gadgets”. The Desktop Gadget Gallery which contains Calendar, Clock, Weather, Feed Headlines, Slide Show, and Picture Puzzle will open. Double-click on the gadget and there you have it on your desktop.
Dashboard Widgets
If you want amazing widgets for your Mac OS X (v10.4 to v10.10) dashboard, Apple has over 1800 of them on the Dashboard Widgets app store. How to get one?
Well, there are two options. You can create your own widget using built-in software called Dashcode in Mac OS X Leopard or you can download it from the Mac App Store. Dashboard can be activated as an app from the Launchpad or Spotlight. Activating the widget works pretty the same way as with Windows Gadget.
Google Desktop
Since Google Desktop, which works as a desktop search engine, has been discontinued - including its APIs, services, plugins and gadgets - since 2011, we will now shift our discussion to the downsides of using widgets.
Perhaps, this has something to do with “discontinuation” of widgets.
Why widgets can be harmful and how can you protect your system?
You’ve just learned that desktop widgets can be created, downloaded, make fun with, and get discontinued. The most likely reason for discontinuation is because widgets could be exploited to harm your computer, access your computer's files, or show you offensive content. What?
That’s the truth and let me cite some examples on when can it get harmful.
Widgets with ads content target you as consumers. If not an attention-grabber, it’s a widget you don’t like ruining your screen and your work.
Free widgets can act as malwares. There are lots of confirmed reports about this. This one is seriously harmful.
Widget templates that let’s you modify and redistribute widgets can potentially be embedded by tracking codes that can steal your online privacy, if not identity. Beware of using them.
There are various ways you and your system can be exploited by widgets. In fact Apple, on its app store, warns its users about widgets download. Microsoft Security Tech Center, on the other hand, provides helpful tips and options on how to disable sidebar gadgets in Windows 7 and Vista.
In the next post, I will talk about Widget Engines and Widget Management System and how can you benefit from using them.
