Widgets are coming of age
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Back in 2004 when Konfabulator first hit the market with Widgets for Windows, my partner in the business and first born son, Adrian Jr. took a fast interest in the technology. Like with all other new machine languages or tech platforms he seems to soak it all up like my second oldest son soaks up the sauce from a plate of General Tso’s chicken. (An incredible thing to watch, actually, if you are quick enough to catch the spectacle before it is all over)
The first week of Adrian’s discovery process with a new technology begins quiet enough with that serene intensity usually expected of Yoda raising some big blocky thing in order to smack the crap out of a Sith baddie.
If the tech is really interesting, I then find myself saturated with all the exciting details of the program or application. For weeks. At all hours. Constantly. (He was this way when he was a child… it’s really a… neat component of his personality.)
As the older (wiser and better dancer) of the two of us it frequently falls to me to gently (or not) guide the Prodigy back to our previously scheduled day during his forays of discovery.
Of course, this is how we, as a company, gain the edge we enjoy in this business. Between my experience and background and his up-to-the-minute mastery of the essential technologies, we do very well. This is the winning combination that has kept us in ever increasing demand.
But when he first described the Widget, I thought: “Cool, now get back to work.” When he kept talking about the capabilities and possibilities, maybe it was the fall weather or the need for sleep or the like, but, I couldn’t help feeling a massive wave of Glazed-Over-Look syndrome. “What is he on about? Widgets? And it does what again… ?”
Yeah, I was not an early adopter on this one. But Adrian’s talent won over and he pursued the technology right on from learning to adept application and finally mastery. I had a gyro or something in the same space of time, it seems, but when I finally paid attention, Clear Span Media was a recognized developer of Widgets for the public. And these Widgets were being downloaded by the thousands. Then, tens of thousands.
Ever the astute and quick study, I emphatically called my son’s attention to the fact that he had something here with these Widgets.
Today, if we were recording artists, and each of our Widgets (now, I say “our”, see? ‘Cause… I’m the Dad) were singles sold we would be Gold, baby. Yeah, that many and still growing.
We have had the creators of Konfabulator refer large corporate customers to us, even. That is a cool feeling.
Now, I said all that to say that the market place for Widgets has had a similar Glazed-Over-Look syndrome as I once did. Never mind the fact that every software and Internet giant has been feverishly developing their own platform or version or analogous doppelganger. Names like Apple (the computer people not Gwyneth’s daughter), Yahoo, Vista all have their own Widget platform.
But, no matter, up to now people use Widgets like pet rocks or the little plastic cocoon that attaches to your keychain and holds loose change. Gomi.
But the Widget has enormous potential. Sure you can get the weather or maybe see what is playing on a radio station. But for a corporation, the Widget means real estate on the buying public’s desktop because the buying public put it there. The Widget means free-flowing exchange of information across a network, a customer list, a group of subscribers, the potential is enormous. I said that already but – it – is – true.
So people are coming around now. More and more companies are talking to us about serious development of serious Widgets. And they will do fine. Because when CSM is on the job they are in good hands.
And the names associated with Widgetry are increasingly well-known names. Fortune 100 companies are finding their way to CSM in growing numbers and the marketplace for Widgets is here now. Widgets have almost achieved the “Arrived” stage.
Widgets are connecting where email newsletters have faltered. Internal communications within companies are streamlined via CSM Widgets.
Adrian Jr. was right all along… again. I’m proud of him.
Now he wants to tell me about this new thing he’s found and I have to go. See you here again soon with something new.
Oh, by the way, purchase a Widget from us.