The Windows 7 Desktop Gadget Staff Meeting

Imagine a whole conference room full of highly visible Windows features, and you've got...

The Desktop Gadget Staff Meeting

Let's listen in as some of the most popular Desktop Gadgets gather.

CLOCK GADGET: Okay, great, thanks for being on time. We said we'd do a round-table this week—we can each just say what's on our mind. No whining, though.

CURRENCY GADGET: I'd just like to say how much I enjoy being re-sized. When a user right-clicks on me, points to Size, and chooses a size, I feel larger and more informative. Or smaller and more compact. Either way, I know I'm helping.

WEATHER GADGET: Yeah, I like it too. Change is good.

CLOCK GADGET: I get that sort of jolt when a user changes my face—which seems to happen a lot. I can feel it coming when they right-click me and choose Options. And then it starts: The scrolling through my different looks using the right and left arrows. It's fun to assume all of those different disguises!

Right-click a gadget to see a list of things you can do with it.

WEATHER GADGET: Me, I'd just like to be seen more. I feel like we all get stuck behind a pile of open windows and what not. It's like being socked in with fog. Thank goodness for the Show Desktop button—every time a user points to it, all those open windows turn to glass, and I feel like the sun's coming out. And, of course, the user can see us, too.

The large Weather gadget shows more information.

CPU METER GADGET: For my part, I feel like people don't know about some of our colleagues. There are more Gadgets out there that people would really like. They should right-click the desktop, click Gadgets, and then click: Get more gadgets online. There are some real winners out there.

CLOCK GADGET: Good point. Besides, we're easy enough to get rid of if they get tired of one of us—it's a simple click, and then the Close gadget icon does the trick.

Click the gadget to Close or see Options.

BING MAPS GADGET: I'm feeling, er, under the Weather gadget. I hope a user moves it down near the bottom of the screen somewhere. All they have to do is drag it, just like moving any other gadget.

CLOCK GADGET: * Sees his reflection in conference room window* Oh, look at the time. We'd better adjourn. Thanks for showing up!

My conclusion: Meetings are fun, but these Gadgets should stay on the desktop, where they can do the most good.

Keith