WIDGETS

[edit] Widgets

Embeddable chunks of code have existed since the start of the World Wide Web. Web developers have long sought and used third party code chunks in their pages. The original Web Widgets were ActiveX controls, but now the term encompasses other technologies as well. It could be said that the advertising banners were web widgets that grew up alongside the early web, but in fact the earliest banners were just gif images brought in as images in HTML tags. Later, ad and affiliate networks used code widgets for distribution purposes.

A widget is anything that can be embedded within a page of HTML, i.e. a web page. A widget adds some content to that page that is not static. Generally widgets are third party originated, though they can be home made. Widgets are also known as modules, snippets, and plug-ins. Widgets can be written in HTML, but also in JavaScript, flash and other scripting languages that will be run when the page is called.

Widgets are commonplace and are used by bloggers, social network users, auction sites and owners of personal web sites. They exist on home page sites such as Netvibes, Pageflakes and yourminis. Widgets are used as a distribution method by ad networks such as Google’s AdSense, by media sites such as Flickr, by video sites such as YouTube and by hundreds of other organizations.

Applications can be integrated within a third party web site by the placement of a small snippet of code. This is becoming a distribution or marketing channel for many companies. The code brings in ‘live’ content – advertisements, links, images – from a third party site without the web site owner having to update.

Widgets on Socialvibes.net are the advertisements from GOOGLE. Widgets are the third big thing in computer internet. The first was the open space to key in your favorite site. The second was the search engine and the third is the widget. This third big revolution allows your

advertisement of your site to be put on other web sites and without a great deal of financial

risk. It also gives your web site a great deal more exposure.

Much of the above text comes from WIKIPEDIA.