Windows Sidebar

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Windows Sidebar
Windows Sidebar Icon
Screenshot
Developed by Microsoft
Latest release 6.0.6001.18000 / February 4, 2008
Preview release 6.1.6519.1 (Windows 7) / December 20, 2007
OS Microsoft Windows Vista; 7
Genre Widget engine
License MS-EULA
Website Windows Vista: Features Explained: Windows Sidebar and Gadgets

The Windows Sidebar is a widget engine for Desktop Gadgets, that is anchored to the side of the Windows Vista desktop. Sidebar gadgets can perform various tasks, such as displaying the time and date and showing the CPU usage. These gadgets may be from Microsoft, or other developers.

Contents

[edit] Overview

The Sidebar contains mini-applications or Gadgets which may be used to display information such as the system time and Internet-powered features such as RSS feeds, and to control external applications such as Windows Media Player. Gadgets can also be placed elsewhere on the screen, rather than on the Sidebar.

Windows Vista includes eleven Sidebar gadgets: Calendar, Clock, Contacts, CPU Meter, Currency conversion, RSS Feed Headlines, Notes, Picture Puzzle, Slide Show, Stocks, and Weather. Of these, the Clock, Slide Show and Feed Headlines are displayed by default on a new installation of Windows Vista. Microsoft provides a link to a web site called Windows Live Gallery where additional Sidebar gadgets that have been created by third party clients can be downloaded.

[edit] Criticisms

Some reviewers and Macintosh enthusiasts have pointed out the Sidebar's similarities in form and function to Konfabulator (now Yahoo! Widget Engine) and Apple's similar Dashboard. While there are a number of similarities in form and function, the Sidebar itself has been present for much of the development of Windows Vista (known for much of that time by the codename "Longhorn"), including as early as September 2002, before the release of either Konfabulator or Dashboard.[citation needed]

[edit] History

Sidebar originated in a Microsoft Research project called Sideshow (not to be confused with Windows SideShow.) It was developed in the summer of 2000, and was used internally at Microsoft.[1] It had many similarities to current desktop gadget software, including a clock, traffic reports, and IM integration.

Sidebar as it appeared in early "Longhorn" (Windows Vista) builds was intended to replace the notification area or Quick Launch toolbar in Windows, but these plans were scrapped after the Longhorn "reset" in mid-2004.[citation needed]

[edit] Windows 7

In Windows 7 Milestone 1, gadgets are integrated into Windows Explorer.

[edit] References

  1. ^ A Brief History of Windows Sidebar. Microsoft (September 15, 2005). Retrieved on 2007-06-03.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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