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Mac Guru · Feb 6, 2003, 04:10 AM

Final 3 or 4 days till Konfabulator arrives... I've been trying to guess the next widget that is displayed on the website.

What do you think will show up on Days 3, 2, and 1?

(For those of you in the dark http://www.konfabulator.com)

Mac Guru

Emotionally Fragile Luke · Feb 6, 2003, 04:30 AM

So what is it? Some big scrapbook with all sorts of doodads?

Why are clocks set to 10:10 in pictures anyway?

Beer Penguin · Feb 6, 2003, 04:39 AM

I only wish that the author of the program had let other graphic designers work on the widgets, because they're all currently so big and bright. I just hope that this program ends up being as strong as samurize for Windows.

megus · Feb 6, 2003, 07:59 AM

Originally posted by Emotionally Fragile Luke:
Why are clocks set to 10:10 in pictures anyway?

A clock set to 10:10 gives the appearance of a smiling clock. In advertising you wouldn't want an angry clock looking back at the potential customer.

//megus

Silky Voice of The Gorn · Feb 6, 2003, 09:43 AM

Originally posted by Beer Penguin:
I only wish that the author of the program had let other graphic designers work on the widgets, because they're all currently so big and bright. I just hope that this program ends up being as strong as samurize for Windows.

So make your own widgets...

Pepi Picklefoot · 01:13 PM

Originally posted by Emotionally Fragile Luke:
So what is it? Some big scrapbook with all sorts of doodads?

Why are clocks set to 10:10 in pictures anyway?

They are similar to Java applets...created using JavaScript and made to look 100x better than any Java applet ever looked using Quartz graphics capabilities.

A screenshot can be seen here:

http://www.resexcellence.com/snapsho...-02_Rose.shtml

The Widgets (as they are called by Arlo, the author) are very customizable, can be displayed at different level:

? Behind everything and seemingly embedded into the desktop with the exception that desktop icons can get hidden behind them...a Cocoa disadvantage which would all be cured if the Finder itself was Cocoa.)
? At the normal level (where it would act like a normal app window that can be brought forward or covered by other windows.
? Floating on top of everything and never covered.

I had plans myself for something similar to this whole Widget concept a few months ago but when I heard of Konfabulator I gave up my idea.

Konfab looks great.

Emotionally Fragile Luke · Feb 6, 2003, 02:55 PM

Originally posted by megus:
A clock set to 10:10 gives the appearance of a smiling clock. In advertising you wouldn't want an angry clock looking back at the potential customer.

//megus

This looks like a smile?
http://www.konfabulator.com/10.html

Man. Those marketing people are strange.

Adam Betts · Feb 6, 2003, 05:15 PM

Originally posted by Emotionally Fragile Luke:
This looks like a smile?
http://www.konfabulator.com/10.html

Yep it does

Beer Penguin · Feb 7, 2003, 12:46 AM

At the end of Catch Me If You Can, when Tom Hanks is waiting to see if Leo is gonna run or come back, he looks at the clock, and it's 10:10 exactly.

ShotgunEd · Feb 7, 2003, 05:08 AM

I'd say some sort of monitor that will tell you cpu time or network thru-put will be 2 or 1.

RAILhead · Feb 7, 2003, 10:34 AM

The two remaining Widgets, yet to be seen, are the Digital Clock and the Calendar.

I'd post screen shots, but you know how it goes...

Maury

gorickey · Feb 7, 2003, 11:19 AM

Hmmm, this whole thing is rather interesting. I sure hope the stuff is very customizable and can be made smaller on the desktop or wherever.

I like the Weather one indeed....

Price?

Pepi Picklefoot · Feb 7, 2003, 11:36 AM

Originally posted by RAILhead:
The two remaining Widgets, yet to be seen, are the Digital Clock and the Calendar.

I'd post screen shots, but you know how it goes...

Maury

Really? I was under the impression that maybe the digital clock and analog clock were both the same Widget and an example of how customizable they can be.

But you claim to be a beta tester so I'll have to take your word for it.

RAILhead · Feb 7, 2003, 11:49 AM

Well, the basic code is easily modified: simply open the main .kon file in a text editor and edit away. It's all XML based, for the most part.

As far being "made smaller," you'd have to modify the images that make-up said widget. Like the Weather widget, the main background PNG is 146x81 and the clouds are 116x83. You use the XML to establish the locations for the images and such, but they aren't resizable like a Finder window is, thus, you'd have to rework them to make the smaller.

This will be a definite issue once it gets released, as most of the current widgets are too big, IMHO. But of course, all one has to do is make a new one. =)

And no, the Analog and Digital clocks are NOT the same widget.

All-in-all, I think Konfabulator will be pretty cool, but I'm concerned with the real-estate an interface will need to take up in order for it's information/purpose to be viewable. If they stayed in the Dock, that would be one thing, but I'm concerned about whether or not I want various and sundry widget windows floating all over my Desktop...

But again, just recreate one or make a new one that suits your needs.

gorickey · Feb 7, 2003, 11:56 AM

I think some widgets, if made smaller, would be nice and useful on the desktop; however, beating Meteorologist or whatever in the Menu Bar and it's convienence factor will be hard to beat IMHO.