Windows Vista Sidebar Returns

[Malisk]

I don't really care.  I can't see myself using this unless they make something amazing that I have never seen bofore.

586313770[/snapback]

Took the words out of my mouth.

I really can't see why some specific information should be super accessible like that. Accessibility sounds good in theory, but why would you keep watching, say, a calendar frequently each day, or your photo collection, or stock quotes, or... These things you really don't monitor from hour to hour, from minute to minute, even if you're into stocks. All these things are stuff you'd likely just need to check out once or twice a DAY if you'd do it often. I can't see where you'd ever fill up an entire sidebar with stuff you'd need to keep track of often. A clock is good if you need to remember to do something happening very soon, but that's already in the task bar! IM's may be useful here, but basically all IM's already have this functionality.

If I'd use it, it would probably end up as something I'd have open but rarely looked at, just making it eat screen real estate.

Edited August 2, 2005 by Jugalator

[Hankyone]

what would be cool is if they release some kind of API so we can make our own panes

[scottb]

The sidebar is a really good idea. What also may be good is the option to have your windows tabbed down the side...

[Daniel Tablas]

Nice, great to have the sidebar back ;)

[Tungsten T]

FYI The 5200 builds are Post Beta 2 branch

[saxondale.]

So can we expect it early next year?

[GhostShell]

This is pretty great news to hear.

[tktino]

happpppppppppppy, that was better then that spotlight thing mac x 10.4 added

[Help]

windows vista Sidebar is back (Y)

and is surprisingly similar to the Dashboard feature in Mac OS X Tiger

(N) I want something that I've never seen before, not a look a like from the competitor.

[Lare2]

:D (Y)

[+chorpeac MVC]

Does the sidebar stay like active content on the desktop, so that if I maximize a window, it is behind the window? That might be better than it always occupying the space, since people complained it was taking too much screen real estate

[PGHammer]

windows vista Sidebar is back (Y)

(N) I want something that I've never seen before, not a look a like from the competitor.

586314115[/snapback]

Come off it, folks.

Dashboard itself is a knockoff of Konfabulator, which steals features from DesktopX (which is a Win32 application from Stardock). While I don't have any *current* use for it, I certainly don't mind it (especially since it's an option that is NOT active by default).

As for the *boycott IE* mantra, THAT dog shouldn't hunt in any way, shape, or form. That sort of thinking means that there is only one *proper* way to browse the Web, and is NOT what the Web (or the Internet in general) is about. If you are going to take IE to task, it should be because of security issues. Not because it fails to follow *standards* (which Mozilla, Opera, etc. don't always do, either) and not because of features it offers that the competition doesn't.

[Prosidius]

So what does this sidebar actually do?

[Help]

Come off it, folks.

Dashboard itself is a knockoff of Konfabulator, which steals features from DesktopX (which is a Win32 application from Stardock).

586314223[/snapback]

So it's ok for MS to do the same as Apple did? :no:

[PseudoRandomDragon]

What is a sidebar? Is it that bar on the bottom in Mac OSX that has all the programs in it?

[Ren (Killshot)]

What is a sidebar? Is it that bar on the bottom in Mac OSX that has all the programs in it?

586314297[/snapback]

no thats a dock, sidebar was completly different

[qkslvr221]

FYI The 5200 builds are Post Beta 2 branch

586314012[/snapback]

Actually they are Pre beta 2 builds.

5203 was specifically noted as pre-beta2.

[-scorpio-]

For the people who are whining even if it is on by default someone woudl definately make a patch to remoce it .

[bangbang023 Veteran]

If they allow custom content like can be done with dashboard and it can be assigned a shortcut key so it appears and disappears completely when desired, I see now problem with it. Would be nice to have when I need quick weather info and such.

[LispyGlitter2]

Great news. I am very happy that it's back and look forward to working with it.

[freedom77]

This is cool, another option is always a plus. althoguh i don't think i could find a use for it.

more is always good :D

and who cars if ms are copying other companies, so you think they should have left tabs out of ie7 so it wouldn't look like they had copied firefox?? If something is useful to just one person they shoudl have the option there.

[Angel Blue01]

I'm glad its there, but off by default. Sidebars look terrible at 1024X768 or lower.

[lnmnky]

I'm glad it's back in as a choice.

I used to use third party sidebars for watching movies and stuff whilst doing my work, but after a while they came a little pointless.

Maybe MS will include some nice little aps that you can plug in, or allow samurize etc to plug into it.

For people complaing about it taking up screen space; I'm sure you can have it autohide just like your taskbar.

[Luis.A]

hummm need some screen shots of this...

[gigapixels Veteran]

As for the *boycott IE* mantra, THAT dog shouldn't hunt in any way, shape, or form.  That sort of thinking means that there is only one *proper* way to browse the Web, and is NOT what the Web (or the Internet in general) is about.  If you are going to take IE to task, it should be because of security issues.  Not because it fails to follow *standards* (which Mozilla, Opera, etc. don't always do, either) and not because of features it offers that the competition doesn't.

586314223[/snapback]

Ummm... No. Web developers have every right to boycott IE for the simple fact that they're not going to follow standards. End-users even have that right. Microsoft is severely limiting the amount of development that can be done on the web simply because they won't (and because of their stupid decisions before, they can't) follow standards. It may not seem like a big deal to you, but it certainly is to anybody who cares about the web moving forward.