What is a widget?

A widget is a small application that runs either on your desktop or in a Web page. Users typically find widgets easier to use than regular applications.

Do I need anything special to run widgets?

It depends on the widget type, for K:NOW you will not need additional software unless you are running the widget through an engine. You should refer to each platform's documentation for details. For example, to run Yahoo! Widgets (Windows or Mac) you will need to install Yahoo! Widgets Engine.

What is a desktop widget?

A desktop widget is a small application that runs on your desktop. In many cases, but not always, to run desktop widgets you will need to first download and install an "engine". K:NOW is an example of a desktop widget.

What is a gadget?

A gadget is pretty much the same thing as a widget - the name is mostly a convention that each platform provider uses. Usually, the gadgets are specifically running on Microsoft Windows Vista.

Are there more types of widgets?

There are two big classes of widgets: the desktop widgets and the Web widgets. K:NOW is an example of a desktop widget. Desktop widgets are small applications that run on your desktop and usually (but not always) need that you download and install an engine in order to run them. The web widgets are sections of code that can be inserted in any Web page such as your personal blog, a MySpace page, the page of an eBay auction or the pages of an online store.

What is a widget platform?

The term "widget platform" represents the technology (operating system and engine) behind a certain widget and it usually refers to desktop widgets. Desktop widgets are seldom cross-platform, so to run a certain widget you will probably need to install the engine for that platform (such as Yahoo! Widgets Engine).

What platforms do we support?

• Yahoo! Widgets (Windows);
• Yahoo! Widgets (Mac);
• Standalone Widgets (Windows XP);
• Vista Sidebar Gadgets (Windows);
• Google Gadgets (Windows)

Is it free?

Yes.

Want to see Widgets in action?

Click here to see an example of Widgets in action on the Yahoo Platform.