Dashboard
From Mac Guides
|
|
This tip requires |
Dashboard was first included in Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, released April 29, 2005.
Contents |
Description
Dashboard is an extension of the Finder in OS X Tiger, which acts as a customizable desktop where small applications called Widgets are kept for small tasks.
At the World Wide Developers Conference in 2004, Apple Computers CEO, Steve Jobs introduced Dashboard to developers. One developer claimed that it was stolen from his idea Konfabulator, an application which ran mini-applications called widgets.
The claim sparked two sides of a debate; One that claimed Dashboard was copied from Konfabulator, the other that Konfabulator idea itself was taken from Desk Accessories, such as a clock, calculator, and on-screen keyboard, from an early version of the Mac OS.
Despite the relevance of either argument, both Konfabulator and Dashboard run off two different environments. While Konfabulator uses XML and JavaScript, Dashboard uses HTML, CSS, and Javascript, which enables developers to preview widgets inside web browsers, such as Apple's Safari browser.
New features were added to Dashboard in Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard). The new version allows users to turn sections of a web page into a live widget using a feature called Web Clip.
Refresh Widgets
Refresh the status of a widget by typing command-R.
Screenshots
