hotsoda you are so......
A lot of people criticize Dashboard's inability to display widgets on the desktop (the drag hack doesn't count), but I actually prefer it. Having one button press bring up an entire window filled with applications designed to do one simple thing makes sense, and keeps the desktop clean when you're not using it.
Vista's Sidebar always sits there. You can hide and show it with two clicks at most and drag the gadgets around, but it always seemed much more cluttered to me; so much so that I always turn it off.
Dashboard is one thing I'm glad Apple ripped off of Konfabulator.
Hotsoda you are so correct! Dashboard, as compared to Vista's Sidebar, really is the better of the two methods, but you know, there are rumors out there in MacLand that Apple will give you the options to choose between deploying Widgets either via Dashboard or, by choice, the Vista way, or a combination of the two. There are already 3rd party apps that add that feature now, but in a limited way.
As far as Konfabulator goes, Apple ripped off Konfabulator, but guess who they ripped it off of? That's right, Apple! Konfabulator was what we call a haxie, a program designed to bring back Mac Classic features such as collapsible windows, etc. What Arlo Rose, the creator of Konfabultor did, was to create Konfabulator, a haxie to bring back the Classic feature called 'Desktop Accessories!'
Desktop accessories included the standard 'widget type' apps such as a puzzle, calendar, calculator, and note pad, etc.! I especially used to like the world map thingy! Ah, those where the days.
Some of my favorite haxies come from Unsanity which include haxies that brought back such things as themes, the Apple Menu features, System Sounds, etc. Apple did bring some Classic features back with their own haxies, such as 'Spring Loaded Folders!"
But you are correct, Dashboard is somewhat better than the sidebar, but I think they both have their points.
