What are Widgets?

[Troy.McClure]

'Widgets' were released with the new Mac OS a few weeks ago. Can anyone please explain to me what they are and what their benefit is? :confused: :o

[Drumcondra Red]

A widget is actually in the bottom of a can, just guinness now afaik, too keep the fiz in, on Macs though I think its like an animation thing for your desktop!

[liam88]

Cut one out of a Guinesws can at a music festival once :D :D

[jofyisgod]

A widget is actually in the bottom of a can, just guinness now afaik

I thought the same. They're the rattling sound when you've just finished the can!

[paul_oshea]

it depends what context cos they are lots of different widgets.

[Peadar]

Mac now has a "Dashboard" which contains widgets.
Each widget allows you access to some sort of information.
If you think in a car, the speedometer would be a widget, the rev counter would be a widget and so on.
On your Mac dashboard you could have a widget telling you local weather, share prices, news headlines etc.
You can develop widgets for you own needs.
Kinda cool but may not be more than a boys toy for most people.

[Macy]

A widget is actually in the bottom of a can, just guinness now afaik, too keep the fiz in, on Macs though I think its like an animation thing for your desktop!
Think interbrew were one of the first to use them. Certainly the UK Bitters (proper creamy ones from the North) were the first I remember having them... :)

[Dawn_Run]

Mac now has a "Dashboard" which contains widgets.
Each widget allows you access to some sort of information.
If you think in a car, the speedometer would be a widget, the rev counter would be a widget and so on.
On your Mac dashboard you could have a widget telling you local weather, share prices, news headlines etc.
You can develop widgets for you own needs.
Kinda cool but may not be more than a boys toy for most people.

Now that we know what a widget is in MAC world, can anyone tell me how the beer widget thingy works?? And whats the idea behind the 'floating widget' (guinness cans) as opposed to the fixed widget (carlsberg glasses). Just curious

[pete]

I thought the widget in beer cans held the head. When pour the beer the widget gets triggered it lack of pressure so head pours out on top? Obviously useful for stout but usually no use for lager.

[Peadar]

can anyone tell me how the beer widget thingy works?? And whats the idea behind the 'floating widget' (guinness cans)

The answer is here... (http://home.howstuffworks.com/question446.htm)


the fixed widget (carlsberg glasses).

That's not a widget.
It's simply an etching and the glasses are known as "nucleated glasses."
They only work when a dry glass is filled with draught beer.

[Peadar]

Think interbrew were one of the first to use them.

It would appear that Guinness have the patent.
See here... (http://www.delphion.com/details?&pn=US04832968__)

[noby]

Now that we know what a widget is in MAC world, can anyone tell me how the beer widget thingy works??


Stouts etc. with creamy heads (Guinness etc.) have a nitro/co2 mix gas.The nitro produces smaller bubbles, hence the head.
The widget has nitro and a small amount of the beer in it. It stays in as the beer/CO2 in the can is at a higher pressure. When you open the can, the pressure is released and the nitro escapes the widget into the beer.

I don't know the difference between the floating/fixed ones though.

It was voted one of the best inventions of the last century too!

[Dawn_Run]

Cheers Pa, a well of knowledge you are. Must ask the barman in the local for a nucleated glass next time. See what kind of reaction i get :p

[Peadar]

Must ask the barman in the local for a nucleated glass next time.

There's nice Heineken ones around at the moment.
Slightly shorter and wider than the traditional "Tulip" glass.
It's nucleated and a nice fit in my hand.

[paul_oshea]

Must ask the barman in the local for a nucleated glass next time

LOL, i can imagine the kind of response you would get, i can also actually imagine pa asking for a nucleated glass for his fresh pint of ale from the innkeeper

[paul_oshea]

Slightly shorter and wider than the traditional "Tulip" glass.

very true and if you are a proper man like me and drink heineken export ( 5.2% ) you should only be allowed to use that class, it shouldnt be given to pansies to drink out of, quality, even noticed for those nights when you are so locked you keep dropping pints, it stays in the hand easier.

[paul_oshea]

Cheers Pa, a well of knowledge you are

you know a well is always an (empty) hollow, so thats probably a precise explanation of pa's knowledge and the inside of his head also.

[Troy.McClure]

Mac now has a "Dashboard" which contains widgets.
Each widget allows you access to some sort of information.
If you think in a car, the speedometer would be a widget, the rev counter would be a widget and so on.
On your Mac dashboard you could have a widget telling you local weather, share prices, news headlines etc.
You can develop widgets for you own needs.
Kinda cool but may not be more than a boys toy for most people.

So does that mean that you have to be on the internet to use them?

[paul_oshea]

So does that mean that you have to be on the internet to use them?

eh ya, for the ones peadar mentioned, how do you think it would work without being connected? the news, share prices, weather details all have to come from somewhere.

its not a stupid question btw, there are no stupid questions just stupid people.

[Peadar]

So does that mean that you have to be on the internet to use them?

Only if the input for your widget is Internet based.
ie. You could have one that monitors the CPU usage of your machine.
You wouldn't need to be connected to the Internet for that.

There must be information out there from Apple about this? :confused:
Have you contacted them?

[noby]

The answer is here... (http://home.howstuffworks.com/question446.htm)


I'm a bit slow in the awl typing today, Peadar, so thanks for the link.


I'm very much an anti-nucleated glass man myself. If the beer is handled right and served right, with care taken of the equipment, lines etc., there should be no reason for 'artificial head makers'
A good pint is a good pint. A poor pint is a poor pint, no matter what glass it's served in.

[Troy.McClure]

So does that mean that you have to be on the internet to use them?

Only if the input for your widget is Internet based.
ie. You could have one that monitors the CPU usage of your machine.
You wouldn't need to be connected to the Internet for that

how do you think it would work without being connected? the news, share prices, weather details all have to come from somewhere.

its not a stupid question btw, there are no stupid questions just stupid people.


Too right Paul, too right.

[paul_oshea]

yes i know troy.

i was refering to the examples pa gave, as you were questioning the examples that pa gave. i.e. the "to use them" part of your question in relation to share prices, weather, news details etc.

widgets are like vignettes i.e. little windows of information, if its something that is constantly changing in the outside world and not your computer then you would need to be connected to the internet.