widgets and gadgets

I always thought that Konfabulator was a word my daughter made up. I now know better.

I have been having a play over the last few days adding RSS feeds and Podcasts to my Google reader, creating an I-google page and generally exploring things relevant to this stage of the programme.
This morning I have removed a number of things from my RSS subscriptions because the list, while covering a range of really interesting subject areas is too large for anyone with other things in their life to actually read and I can see myself just clicking " mark as read" every two days so I do not become overwhelmed. I have added a couple of extras this morning though as I looked at the digital library widget page.

The Business world article "Why Widgets don't work" on the Wiki web widget reference page
was interesting and also reflects on the value of a lot of these things as did the comparison of Yahoo widgets and gadgets. I am being a cynic but it I think that there are a lot of people for whom creating these things is a hobby and it is very easy to get carried away and think " Yes , I want/ need that" when actually you don't , ( just like every new electrical gadget in the kitchen or office). After a month or two they are just taking up space and go the the back cupboard before heading off to the recycling depot or trademe. That makes me sound like one of those grumpy old women which I don't think I am really --- yet.

I think I may become more minimalist but haven't finished this part of the programme yet!

I really like the way the widgets/gadgets on various library sites or even the Library thing site can refine your use of the site ---- that does make the service much more useable and efficient.

I can see my older customers enjoying these small things if they were focussed on specific areas for them but too many available would be overwhelming. As it is they hear of a new thing, want to find out more and then get confused about how it can be used and get worried about the whole area of new technology and want to give up. . A wee bit like Twitter . Why Twitter and why follow a twitterer.? But that is another part of the programme.