Konfabulator Coming to Windows

from WinCustomize Forums
http://news.com.com/Mac+developer+looks+to+Windows+to+escape+Tiger/2100-1046_3-5439243.html
News.com Story Link
http://developers.slashdot.org/developers/04/11/05/1324254.shtml?tid=201&tid=156&tid=185&tid=107
SlashDot Threaded Discussion

Well, looks like the AquaSoft crowd will really be in a Pickle, and another widget app comes to the field to play. I thought this was interesting to read and that the crowd might be interested. Since I am Object Desktop subscriber, my vote is exercised via my pocket. But I think this is interesting, as it will deal a blow to AveDesk, as it is a copy or of similar Ilk as Konfabulator. what do you Guys and gals think?
11,209 views 16 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Not a big deal really.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I don't see all the hoopla about it. Browse through Konfabulator's Widget gallery...I'm totally not impressed. They are just the beneficiaries of lots of press, but in my personal opinion, based on it's library...it can't hold a candle to DesktopX. It will also cost $24.95, DesktopX only costs $19.95, and just by providing the Themes aspect aside from widgets...DX is a bargain compared to Konfabulator. I am also waiting to see the performance aspect of Konfabulator...$5 says it sucks more resources than the Hoover Dam.
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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hus nails it....DX is much, much more than just a widget proggie
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

All I can say is Thank GOD. Finally, a program that will let me put weather widgets and stock monitors and clocks on my desktop.

I think we can all agree that until now, PC users have been totally without this capability. Thank you Konfabulator for bringing this innovation to us PC users.

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I, for one, welcome our Konfabulator overlords.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am preparing myself to work in their underground widget mines! All hail Konfabulator, inventor of desktop enhancing.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ha! Ha! Well, I can see as a informative discussion, this was a DUD!
I know we have had the blogs, diatribes and whatnot. I just figured it was worth mentioning. The point I was putting accross, is that once the AveDesk crowd actually are presented that with which they are emulating, will they choose to Pony up and pay for Konfab or support Ave. and get over the whole Aqua thing and grow with the applications available and expand the windows interface and enjoy it as a windows platform, and learn to express thier individuality, rather than strive to be a Mac Clone. Now I wonder on this not as an entrance to a Mac V. Win flame, or Bash Fest but simply as a question to the emulators.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think free Avedesk will trump non-free Konfabulator.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
AV is less restrictive than Konfab, while also being free?

The news that Konfab is coming to Windows is about a year old or better isn't?
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Man, such hostility against such a great program like Konfabulator. I will be trying it out for sure.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
it *IS* worth a look without a doubt.

but if you consider the hyperbole of the pc gotta be MAC groupd that whines and moans because DX isn't free, or the MacFantastic's claiming Mac does everything first. you might find some humor in the above comments...

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

What hostility? I for one am a registered user of Konfabulator on the Mac.

What people don't appreciate is the hype. I can't think of a single unique Konfabulator widget.

What Konfabulator IS very good at and where they were smart is that they figured out the dozen or so common widgets and made really really REALLY slick widgets out of them.  Which gives the illusion that there is something very special about Konfabulator compared to the other programs.

To their credit, they did force us to assign SD developers to make some good widgets.

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
This is an interesting move, but a bit too late imho. If they released it, say, half a year earlier, they would have got more advantage from it, because they would have less concurrency from free alternatives.

Another interesting thing is which platform they are going to focus on now. I highly doubt they are using a single codebase for the Windows and Macintosh releases (beware, assumption), so, naturally they have to assign more resources to the one or the other.

They also have to be very careful with this release, since there is so much expectation generated by the hype, any error (high resource usage) will make people not using it, also considering the fact that it will cost $25.




However the only thing that will make me use a widget program is if it has that Dashboard-ish "show all widgets and turn everything else darker" feature. I think AveDesk 1.2 was going to have it, but he's stopped working on it.

AveDesk 1.2 is going to have that option yes: cf. http://mpj.tomaatnet.nl/06.png and http://mpj.tomaatnet.nl/06showcase.png .
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I guess only Mac users should comment on this since I dont have a Mac I can only say I will be trying when it becomes available for Windows users.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Well put AndreasV.

One other thing that people who are't developers ignore is that it takes quite awile to optimize software.

We still have people who run around claiming DesktopX "slows down their computer" even though we've spent years optimizing its performance.  It's very unlikely that Konfabulator is going to be anywhere near as optimized as DesktopX, Avedesk, etc.

I have been looking forward to Konfabulator coming out for Windows since the day they announced it. It gets very old having to "compete" with someone's vision of perfection.