Web widget and mashup
Definition
“A web widget is a portable chunk of code that can be installed and executed within any separate HTML-based web page by an end user without requiring additional compilation. They are akin to plugins or extensions in desktop applications. Other terms used to describe a Web Widget include Gadget, Badge, Module, Capsule, Snippet, Mini and Flake.” (Web widget, Wikipedia, retrieved 19:58, 14 May 2007 (MEST)).
Web widgets can be combined into a web mashup according to the following formula:
Web Mashup = API [1] + API [2] + API [N]
A web mashup is a website or web application that uses content from more than one source to create a completely new service. Content used in mashups typically comes from a third party via a public interface (API), an RSS feed or sometimes screen scraping. This is similar to webtops. But the page is meant for others, not just yourself.
What are web widgets ?
Most Web widgets or web gadgets allow to insert web 2.0 applications into a webpage. This technology is increasingly popular, e.g. on 19:58, 14 May 2007 (MEST) Google lists over 6000 and Widgetbox over 10000. Most widgets are probably based on RSS feeds. But some widgets exist as Desktop widgets or can be converted from a web widget to a desktop widget.
Web widgets are used to build mashups, a website, a web application or desktop applications that combines content from more than one source into an integrated experience.
“We know we don't have a corner on creativity. There are creative people all around the world, hundreds of millions of them, and they are going to think of things to do with our basic platform that we didn't think of. So the mashup stuff is a wonderful way of allowing people to find new ways of applying the basic infrastructures we're propagating. This will turn out to be a major source of ideas for applying Google-based technology to a variety of applications.” (Vint Cerf interview with J.C. Perez, retrieved 19:58, 14 May 2007 (MEST))
Implementation
Web Widgets often but not always use Adobe Flash or JavaScript programming languages. The widget code itselft is usually very small and connects to some server application.
How to use widgets
Basically, an enduser has several choices (depending on the technology)
- Get a widget insertion code from a widget site
Usually there is "get the code" button that will display some short javascript code which you then can insert into a web page. Unfortunately it's not so easy to find widgets of interest to educators, since the most popular widgets focus on specific information or games ...
- Use a service that supports widgets
Webtops and similar software provide users with a larger set of widgets from which they then can compose an "ajax start page"
- webtop
- An increasing amount of social software services
See:
- Use browser, application or OS-dependent widgets
How to create widgets
- Some services have widget creation kits for a certain number of widgets. E.g. iGoogle allows you to create photos, "daily me", you tube channel, personal list...
- Services like dapper that allow you grab "any content from the web".
Mashup APIs for programmers
Programmers may use published APIs (see for example the list in Webmasup.com)
To program widgets is another issue ....
Links
Widget management sites
(widgets to download, needs to be sorted out at some point ...)
- Widgetbox. s a directory and syndication platform for web widgets for blogs and other web pages. Claim to work with TypePad, WordPress, Blogger, MySpace as well as most other blogs, sidebars or websites.
- Snipperoo (free registration required).
- WidSets (for your mobile phone)
- TagWorld Widgets (free registration required)
- Desktop
- Microsoft Live gadgets
- Yahoo widgets (works with widgets 4 application, Win/MacOS)
Web 2.0 (mashup) APIs
This is a sort of equivalent to webtops. The difference is that you create a webtop for the others.
- programmableweb APIs Keeping you up to date with the latest on mashups and the new Web 2.0 APIs. Good directory !
- Webmashup.com The open directory of mashups & web 2.0 APIs
- Data Mashups. Create personalized portals in minutes for your customers or staff (Beta, minimal service is free).
Mashup software
- Dapper. Dapper make it easy to extract and reuse content from any website. It can create various kinds of formats (XML, RSS, Google maps, HTML, Netvibes.) etc. from various kinds of input formats (Dapp XML, RSS, Google Gadget, ...). A certain number of prebuilt Dapp's are also available.
General
- programmableweb. ProgrammableWeb is where you can keep-up with what's new and interesting with mashups, Web 2.0 APIs, and the new Web as Platform.
- Khasanshyn, Renat (2007). Three Trends Influencing Enterprise 2.0, Blog Entry.
Mashup Examples
- Saga Earth An interactive game that challenges users to find countries on a map of the world, then displays videos from that country.
- Saga Earth page on Programmable web.
- Skillsfeed a microlearning platform for course authors and students. It provides fast access to small chunks of learning content composed of Wiki text, multiple choice tests, movies from YouTube, GoogleVideo, Grouper, etc. and Slideshare presentations.
- YouTorials Find tutorials on YouTub]
References
Vision / Overviews
- MacManus, Richard (2006). Widgets are the new black, Read/Write Web. HTML
- Kirkpatrick, Marshall (2006), PostApp launches WidgetBox, a marketplace for widgets, TechCrunch. [1]
- Mix, Match, And Mutate, BusinessWeek article.