Windows Desktop Gadgets
Redmond, WA | |
| Developer(s) | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows XP SP2 or later |
| Included with | |
| Predecessor | Active Desktop |
| Successor | Live Tiles in Windows 8 |
| Type | Desktop widget engine |
Windows Desktop Gadgets (called Windows Sidebar in
Windows Desktop Gadgets was discontinued in Windows 8. The Windows 8 Live Tiles can perform a similar function, but they are only visible when the Start menu is visible. They run in a more restrictive environment, making them less risky, but also less useful for some purposes, like system monitoring.
History
Windows 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 included a clock, traffic reports, and IM integration.
Windows Sidebar appeared in build 3683 of
In Windows 7, Windows Sidebar was renamed Windows Desktop Gadgets, and the sidebar itself was not included in Windows 7.
Windows Desktop Gadgets was included in all beta releases of
Overview
Windows Desktop Gadgets is a feature of Windows Vista and Windows 7 (excluding the
Windows Vista ships with eleven gadgets: Calendar, Clock, Contacts, CPU Meter, Currency Conversion, Feed Headlines, Notes, Picture Puzzle, Slide Show, Stocks, and Weather. Several other gadgets available during the Vista beta such as App Launcher, Feed Viewer, Number Puzzle, Recycle Bin and Egg Timer never made it to the
Originally, Microsoft provided a link to a web site called Windows Live Gallery where additional Sidebar gadgets that have been created by third-party developers could be downloaded. The site was officially retired on October 1, 2011.[5][6]
See also
- Microsoft Gadgets
- Windows SideShow for Device Gadgets
- Desk accessory
References
- ^ "A Brief History of Windows Desktop Gadgets". Microsoft. September 15, 2005. Archived from the original on 2007-06-21. Retrieved 2007-06-03.
- ^ Thurrott, Paul (2002-11-13). ""Longhorn" Alpha Preview". Windows SuperSite. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
- ^ Microsoft Security Advisory (2719662): Vulnerabilities in Gadgets Could Allow Remote Code Execution. Technet.microsoft.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-21.
- ^ "Windows Sidebar". Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved 2008-09-18.
- ^ Looking for gadgets?
- ^ "Desktop Gadgets". Microsoft. Archived from the original on 2013-03-27. Retrieved 2013-04-23.
Further reading
- Gralla, Preston (2007). "2: Hacking the Interface: by John Moscarillo". Big Book of Windows Hacks. O'Reilly Media. ISBN 978-0-596-55913-7.
- Shaktov, Mickey; Kohlenberg, Toby (14 July 2012). "We have you by the gadgets: A Security Analysis of the Microsoft Windows Sidebar Gadget Platform" (PDF). Black Hat. UBM.
External links
- Gadget Corner — official Windows Sidebar and Microsoft Gadgets team blog
- Windows Sidebar Reference on MSDN
