MS goes AJAX with start.com: Atlas and Gadgets
Source Title:
Microsoft Gadgets
Microsoft Gadgets
Source Url:
http://microsoftgadgets.com/
http://microsoftgadgets.com/
Story Text:
September 15, Microsoft opened up a new version of start.com, start.com/pdc. This version looks like the standard start.com, but it has one added feature: The ability to add "Gadgets".
So, what's that?
Well, as you can read on the Gadgets page they are small pieces of software that carry out limited tasks, like showing the time, weather, a RSS feed, or the inevitable picture of your dog (bonus link there, lol).
Yes, just like Greasemonkey, Dashboard, and whateverthenamemightbe(c)(tm). You can now add your own scripts to the start.com page. I'll just repeat that: Now you can build your own plugins for start.com.
These Gadgets are made with the Microsoft flavour of AJAX, called "Atlas". I've been looking at it and it's a typical case of "same-same, only different". It is your standard JavaScript (ie. AJAX) but true to their nature, Microsoft has "added functionality" so that you have to write a few extra lines of code that you otherwise wouldn't have to.
That's not the point though - it is standard JavaScript as far as I can tell from just playing around for a few hours, the only thing different is that you put your scripts in some kind of "containers" (for lack of a better word) so that they get standard methods for open, close, etc.
That's good, because moving your tools between Microsoft Atlas and straight forward AJAX, or Greasemonkey will not be extremely difficult. It's not "plug-and-play" but it's entirely possible.
Okay, then - why would you do that?
Because, you see... Microsoft is launching a new version of Windows soon, and guess what? That new version of windows will have a new version of "Active Desktop", and guess what? It's quite similar to an Apple product, as is the whole new MS look, and guess what? You can use your Gadgets there.
Yes, that's right: Start.com Gadgets plug right into the Windows Vista Sidebar!
So, those who keep saying that AJAX is a threat to Microsoft might like to think again, as web services are now part of the OS. Spelled out: "No, you don't really have to visit that web site - you can just scrape it with Windows"
September 15, Microsoft opened up a new version of start.com, start.com/pdc. This version looks like the standard start.com, but it has one added feature: The ability to add "Gadgets".
So, what's that?
Well, as you can read on the Gadgets page they are small pieces of software that carry out limited tasks, like showing the time, weather, a RSS feed, or the inevitable picture of your dog (bonus link there, lol).
Yes, just like Greasemonkey, Dashboard, and whateverthenamemightbe(c)(tm). You can now add your own scripts to the start.com page. I'll just repeat that: Now you can build your own plugins for start.com.
These Gadgets are made with the Microsoft flavour of AJAX, called "Atlas". I've been looking at it and it's a typical case of "same-same, only different". It is your standard JavaScript (ie. AJAX) but true to their nature, Microsoft has "added functionality" so that you have to write a few extra lines of code that you otherwise wouldn't have to.
That's not the point though - it is standard JavaScript as far as I can tell from just playing around for a few hours, the only thing different is that you put your scripts in some kind of "containers" (for lack of a better word) so that they get standard methods for open, close, etc.
That's good, because moving your tools between Microsoft Atlas and straight forward AJAX, or Greasemonkey will not be extremely difficult. It's not "plug-and-play" but it's entirely possible.
Okay, then - why would you do that?
Because, you see... Microsoft is launching a new version of Windows soon, and guess what? That new version of windows will have a new version of "Active Desktop", and guess what? It's quite similar to an Apple product, as is the whole new MS look, and guess what? You can use your Gadgets there.
Yes, that's right: Start.com Gadgets plug right into the Windows Vista Sidebar!
So, those who keep saying that AJAX is a threat to Microsoft might like to think again, as web services are now part of the OS. Spelled out: "No, you don't really have to visit that web site - you can just scrape it with Windows"
- Y! MyWeb
JS expanded
I was not really precise above. JavaScript is actually being expanded with some new stuff, eg. new tools for manipulating arrays and strings.
Also, they've added a concept called "Bindings" which will allow you to use eg. different CSS for the Threadwatch newsfeed and the newsfeed from the Ask Jeeves Blog, and probably more. And then it's possible to build a Gadget upon another, extending what it does with new functions (or overriding them, if the original Gadget allows that)
Apart from all these things, however - it's still the good old JavaScript. However, the more of these extensions you use the harder it will be to recycle your scripts outside the Microsoft domain, so I probably won't be using them a lot personally.
Correction: September 13.
September 13, not September 15. - according to the blog of Scott Isaacs, one of the guys behind Start.com. More Gadget tips to be found there.