On September 13th, DesktopGadgets.com will be officially open to the public.  DesktopGagets.com is a new concept for skinners/developers/etc. It allows people to create programs, upload it, name a price, and then split revenue with DesktopGadgets.com 50/50.

For starters, the site will focus on gadgets created by DesktopX Pro.  While many people are familiar with "widgets", gadgets are relatively new.  Widgets are mini-applications that are used in conjunction with a "widget enabler" (such as Konfabulator, Kapsules, DesktopX Standard, etc.).  Widgets typically use less memory than traditional programs, are much easier to create, and are designed to be "skinnable" from the start. 

Gadgets are identical to widgets in every way except for one important difference: They don't require the "widget enabler". A gadget is a stand-alone program.  They have all the advantages of widgets but none of the disadvantages. Gadgets are created with DesktopX PRO.

Making gadgets is as easy as making widgets. Which means it's quite easy depending on what you want to make.  You don't have to be some sort of hard-core software developer to make neat things.  You can make really simple things for personal use, make games, desktop decorations, you name it.   When a user finishes working on a gadget, they export it as a gadget which is a standard Windows .EXE.  For example the sticky-note gadget can be downloaded here. It's less than 700k total and uses relatively little memory.

For aspiring artists and software developers, gadgets offer a unique opportunity -- they can create neat things that they can either give away or sell on DesktopGadgets.com very easily. 

Gadgets in action

What are some examples of things people can do with gadgets?

Stardock is using DesktopX Pro to create Aquarium Desktop 2.  While Aquarium Desktop 2 isn't a gadget per-se (it's a full blown desktop which involves a different DesktopX license) it still illustrates what is possible to do with DesktopX Pro.

Aquarium Desktop 2 will be released along with DesktopGadgets.com.

Another well known product that used DesktopX Pro (again, different licensing since it's a desktop) is Natural Desktop.  This desktop uses VB Script to grab local weather and then sets wallpaper and sounds based on the conditions. It's been a big hit with users everywhere (especially people stuck indoors working on nice days or in the winter when one wants to remember the summer.

One gadget Stardock is working on (early screenshot shown) is a desktop pet.  This gadget involves a virtual pet that lives on your desktop and interacts with various objects on your desktop. He eats, sleeps, plays, and just generally lives in the background of your desktop.

The desktop pet should show up a few weeks after the launch of DesktopGadgets.com.

Other gadgets in development include a registry editor, a Tivo manager, and a disk defragmenter.

Your gadgets

What makes gadgets different from traditional programs is that they don't require anywhere near the effort to make something that is visually interesting and user-interactive. Things such as animation, mouse interaction, states, etc. are all built in allowing the gadget maker to focus their efforts on the core logic.

Gadgets can be as simple or complex as you'd like.  For example, a gadget could simply be an image that you want on your desktop.  Perhaps as a decoration or a photo of a family member.

Stepping just beyond that involves using some VB Script or JavaScript.  DesktopX's documentation is very complete and makes it easy to create interesting and useful things easily.

For example:

DesktopX Pro 3.1's environment makes it easy to create objects and start manipulating them. The documentation includes small samples.  If you've ever wanted to try your hand at programming, this is the way to go.  That's because DesktopX doesn't use some proprietary language, it's VB Script or JavaScript that is applicable in all kinds of ways.

Some types of uses are common enough that they've been turned into a plugin.  For example, MP3 players are common enough that Stardock developed a media player plugin that makes it a snap to create very cool looking media players.

Anyone who has ever made a Windows Media Player or Winamp 5 skin can tell you it is a lot of work.  With DesktopX Pro, making the same skin is relatively easy and best of all, when you export it, it's a stand alone program. It's YOUR media player.  Your users can have it play music directly or have it control Windows Media Player, Winamp, iTunes, and others. 

Taking Skinning to the next generation

DesktopGadgets.com is being designed as a show-case for gadgets.  Most gadgets submitted won't be accepted, it will be heavily moderated. Gadget makers will be able to distribute their gadgets for free or set a price on them giving them an opportunity to make a little money from their creations. And for gadget users, they will gain access to a host of small but useful programs whose functionality goes beyond what widgets typically have. One might argue that it will be gadgets, because of their stand-alone nature, that demonstrate the true potential of widgets. A developer or artist is much more likely to put effort into something that is truly theirs than something that requires their users to go and download an enabling program in order to run their "program".  So don't expect to see clocks and RSS feeds on DesktopGadgets.com.

Be part of it all

If you don't have DesktopX Pro, you can get it HERE.  If you have Object Desktop already, there are discounts available for it as well.  We hope to see you at DesktopGadgets.com starting September 13th.