Gadgets are going to be implemented in two frameworks:
· As a sidebar of operating systems, and this will be one of the main innovations for the coming Microsoft vista next generation desktop client. But they are going also to port it to Windows XP
· As a new client technology for web page: it will be supported by the creation of an extended JavaScript API and certainly will have some impact on the server side
Both technologies are going to support some kind of “awarelet”, but I don’t know if they will be compatible.
The OS based framework is available as preview technology for MSDN subscriber, but is likely to evolve. Some people already ported it to XP but Microsoft said the interfaces are not settled and the concept itself may evolve.
The web based interface may be experienced on-line http://www.live.com/ and one can follow-up the development stage with http://microsoftgadgets.com/Blogs/GadgetNews/Default.aspx.
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Windows Live is a web interface based on the gadget concept. One can customize his Windows live Home page, adding new Gadgets you can pick from a gadget library |
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The Vista sidebar allows adding gadgets which behaves as the awarelets of others.
They are based on a specific API and developed in C++ or other high level language. But a flavor in JavaScript seems in the plans |