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Yahoo Updates Konfabulator

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the pathName-cget-widget-story dept.

An anonymous reader writes "InformationWeek is reporting that Yahoo! has released a new version of Konfabulator, now rechristened 'Yahoo Widget Engine'. From the article: 'Widgets are useful to portals because they can draw users to their services directly from the desktop, without first having to launch a browser. By providing a more direct route, portals are trying to increase the use of their services, which are tied to online advertising. Yahoo rival search engine Google Inc. also offers widgets.'"

5 of 216 comments (clear)

  1. its 1996 again ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny


    hurrah for Active Desktop !
    lets party

  2. Re:OK, so? by lpangelrob · · Score: 5, Informative
    Is this a marketing version number upgrade, or what?

    Well, no. But first of all... Google has widgets?

    There's been a lot of widget-developer-friendly changes. See the version history for all of the 3.0 pages. The biggest change has been the introduction of a substantial number of Yahoo! related widgets. More than a few people have basically said Konfabulator/Widget Engine sold out to Yahoo, but to be honest, they're slick, useful widgets if you're the sort that depends on them.

    The changes mostly have to do with an increase of speed (built-in XML parser), a better arrangement system involving frames (good things here, as opposed to in HTML) and a little smoother around the edges.

    --
    -Rob

    Biblical fiscal responsibility

  3. Microsoft's take by teslatug · · Score: 5, Informative

    Microsoft is also dabbling in widget's, or as they call them gadgets. There is a long video interview about the "gadgets" and their version of Dashboard.

  4. How do you uninstall it? by stankulp · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I hate it and can't get it to go away.

    There is no "uninstall" in the program group, and it does not show up in Control Panel - Add/Remove Programs.

    I just want it to go away.

    --
    We must be alert to the danger that public policy could become captive to a scientific-technological elite. - Eisenhower
  5. So far, I still can't find a reason to use widgets by noisyfont · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Widget could be useful... maybe. But before we they can even there, they need to integrate better with the rest of the "user experience". I am using Dashboard (I tried konfab for the kicks, but they seemed pretty much equivalent), and the widget don't behave like the rest of the OS. I can't copy past in all of them (can't copy from bloody dictionnary!), most of them don't have preferences I can adjust to fit my needs and they only the most limited fonctionnality for any operation (calculator app. is pretty dumb but it shines when compared to the widget conterpart).

      I know these are free, simple coding projects, but come on! They have to behave like a proper app. for them to enhance my productivity. As far as I am concerned, widget are just a "proof of concept" for the moment. I am still waiting for a widget that does more tham show me where the sun is and isn't shinning (I am being overly harsh here, but you get my point).