Microsoft urges death of Windows gadgets as researchers plan disclosur

Microsoft urges death of Windows gadgets as researchers plan disclosures

Reacts to upcoming revelations of gadget vulnerabilities at Black Hat by offering tool that kills feature in Vista, Windows 7

By Gregg Keizer
July 11, 2012 06:42 AM ET

Computerworld - Just two weeks before researchers are to disclose bugs in Windows "gadgets" at Black Hat, Microsoft acknowledged unspecified security vulnerabilities in the small pieces of software supported by Vista and Windows 7.

To deal with the vulnerabilities, Microsoft has provided a way to cripple all gadgets and disable the "sidebar" engine that runs them.​

Find out more.. Microsoft urges death of Windows gadgets as researchers plan disclosures - Computerworld

 

[SIW2]

I don't use them at all.

Bit disappointing for those who love their gadgets.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Another great article share, Nelson!

In 7 I use a total of 5 gadgets. Weather, CPU Meter (with temps), Network Meter, Calendar, World Clock. I use the second 2 in 8, but have noticed they eat up more RAM in 8 than in 7. Use less gadgets in 8 because of live tiles and there info.

After reading the article, I'll consider uninstalling. My BIOS is configured to shut down if CPUs overheat. Nice to know what they run at, though. Would anyone know of some other program to watch temps?

I wonder why M$ doesn't release particulars on vulnerabilities? Perhaps it would teach hackers how to hack through gadgets. Fn hackers! Get a life! I have a feeling getting through the firewall somehow?

 

[Kat]

Never had a problem with the couple I use.

Not gonna panic now.

Computer is secured.

They can stay.

 

[FSeal]

Anything Microsoft can do to kill the desktop they will. Gadgets compete with live tiles so they must go.

Fix the sidebar/gadget vulnerabilities? Naw, we'll just kill them.

Great

Frankly, the live tiles will probably be just as bad if not a lot WORSE in this regard. Now that EVERY program you install is going to HAVE to have some sort of always on net connection to retrieve always "live" data if they want to compete for downloads...

 

[chev65]

This is just another lame excuse to kill off the traditional PC. It's not going to happen Msoft so get used to it. Your little surface machines are not the end all PC game changer you seem to think it is. It's a decent mobile platform and that's it.

It pretty much goes without saying that installing Gadgets or anything else from an untrusted source would not be wise.

I know which ones are safe and I'm not about to turn off or uninstall or "Fix" my gadgets by disabling them.

I don't need Msoft "the new big brother" telling me what to do.

 

[Coke Robot]

Gadgets were never a hugely developed thing and they were used to be in a genuine sidebar until vista came out to have a feature that the mac os had. I only used a system monitor, pictures, weather, and Kaspersky's little widget. In 8, I don't ever use them anymore. I once use to promote desktop gadgets from doing installs of 7, and I would deck it out and all. A few weeks later when I looked at a recent install I did, either all the gadgets were removed or just one remained usually weather.

The live tiles do a better job than the gadgets. It's true that some need an internet connection to refresh info, so did gadgets. Difference is that the apps are built efficiently whereas gadgets would eat up RAM.

 

[FSeal]

Live tiles are USELESS to a desktop user... well and to metro users too if you want to check on your CPU or network usage or any number of other things while your metro app is consuming the entire screen

There are hundreds of gadget apps and the idea is a great one, I use several myself to monitor CPU and network use, CPU/GPU temps . Heck one of the nice Windows 8 UI horrors was recently fixed by someone creating a gadget app to replace the awkward functionality but the jokes on them, no more gadgets in windows 8!

I mentioned before that a REAL job at integrating metro into the desktop windows OS would have been to allow live tiles ON THE DESKTOP. That would have rocked and could have completely replaced gadgets. But they didn;t do that, Gadgets are not replaceable byt anything metro whatsoever.

This is just one more way MS is trying to completely destroy the desktop experience to drive people into a completely new, 100% continuous wallet draining walled garden.

 

[Coke Robot]

Live tiles are USELESS to a desktop user... well and to metro users too if you want to check on your CPU or network usage or any number of other things while your metro app is consuming the entire screen

There are hundreds of gadget apps and the idea is a great one, I use several myself to monitor CPU and network use, CPU/GPU temps . Heck one of the nice Windows 8 UI horrors was recently fixed by someone creating a gadget app to replace the awkward functionality but the jokes on them, no more gadgets in windows 8!

I mentioned before that a REAL job at integrating metro into the desktop windows OS would have been to allow live tiles ON THE DESKTOP. That would have rocked and could have completely replaced gadgets. But they didn;t do that, Gadgets are not replaceable byt anything metro whatsoever.

This is just one more way MS is trying to completely destroy the desktop experience to drive people into a completely new, 100% continuous wallet draining walled garden.

Live tiles do replace gadgets, unless if there are controls to it. A lot of gadgets were information feeds, live tiles do that. And for the system monitoring, there is a feature that topples every gadget, the new Task Manger, although temps aren't shown, but that would be nice for sure.

 

[pparks1]

My BIOS is configured to shut down if CPUs overheat. Nice to know what they run at, though. Would anyone know of some other program to watch temps?

I use CoreTemp when I am first setting up overclocks and such. I'm unsure if that runs under 8, as I use it under Windows 7..but I would assume it would run.

 

[FSeal]

Gadgets are things that are always visible on the desktop next to your applications (at the users discretion). They feed you live information as you are using your other normal apps to do your work.

How do live tiles replace that? You see the tile OR your app. NEVER at the same time. How do you get an accurate CPU/GPU usage or temp monitor going if you can't be using your application and watching the meter at the same time? Same thing with the stopwatch gadget I use frequently to time the operations of other programs.

It's really not the same at all. They only partially replace some of the functionality, but in the end, again, desktop users lose out on functionality they have come to use and rely on. Sure maybe 90% of the population never uses their machine to more than 10% of it's potential, but that 10% of us that use 90% of our machines potential are finding ourselves being boxed in and dumbed down at every turn.

You must realise how completely frustrating that is. AND I hope someone realises that it is us very 10% that actually create everything else that the other 90% uses... If we all jump ship to a new OS, there won't even be a windows ecosystem to sustain there being a Metro at all.

 

[besb]

I use 4 gadgets for shear convenience, and wrote one to give me quick access to a restart button the first day I loaded W8.
Whats the odds on them pulling the whole sidebar in the RTM. They only offer half a dozen or so at the moment having killed off the gadgets in windows live.
Just one more thing we will have to put back should we we wish to. My desktop is 3840x1200 and a tile taking up 50% is a NONO.
I am not against Metro per se and if I could get it to run on my 10in. tablet with an arm processor I would be very happy.
Meanwhile I put back classic shell for a start menu, copied over my unique gadgets that interact with various routers, migrated the W7 games and luckily they have relented on media center which runs live tv.

 

[Coke Robot]

Gadgets are things that are always visible on the desktop next to your applications (at the users discretion). They feed you live information as you are using your other normal apps to do your work.

How do live tiles replace that? You see the tile OR your app. NEVER at the same time. How do you get an accurate CPU/GPU usage or temp monitor going if you can't be using your application and watching the meter at the same time? Same thing with the stopwatch gadget I use frequently to time the operations of other programs.

It's really not the same at all. They only partially replace some of the functionality, but in the end, again, desktop users lose out on functionality they have come to use and rely on. Sure maybe 90% of the population never uses their machine to more than 10% of it's potential, but that 10% of us that use 90% of our machines potential are finding ourselves being boxed in and dumbed down at every turn.

You must realise how completely frustrating that is. AND I hope someone realises that it is us very 10% that actually create everything else that the other 90% uses... If we all jump ship to a new OS, there won't even be a windows ecosystem to sustain there being a Metro at all.

That's usually only if you have windows windowed on the Desktop, when it's maximized, that isn't really possible. I don't think it's a huge issue as there will be those apps that replace of that functionality like a stopwatch. And again, the Task Manger has a lot of those system monitoring features built in and can be windowed and made smaller and made always visible on the Desktop.

Yes, a feature is going to be removed, but it's a feature that a vast majority of people won't mind or care for. Yes, there are some that feel losing a feature is dumbing down, but how did you monitor system usage BEFORE the gadgets? You worked around that with utilities that did some of the gadgets. It's the same with 8, you just find a new way to go from point A to B, it may take a similar route or take a different route or routes. But for many people, it's just a simple thing that isn't there that's being replaced with a new route.

 

[Kat]

That Linux installation is looking more appealing by the day, I'm afraid.

Will there be ANYTHING recognisable left in the retail version of Win 8?

Sure not looking like it........

 

[lehnerus2000]

Linux Mint 13 (MATE)

That Linux installation is looking more appealing by the day, I'm afraid.

Have a look a Linux Mint 13.
I've got Linux Mint 13 (MATE) in a VM and it looks quite reasonable.

If I didn't have Ubuntu 10.04 installed on my HDD, I'd consider installing Linux Mint as my Linux OS.

You can install VMware Workstation in Ubuntu (so it should install in Linux MInt) and run a Windows VM in it, to run Windows software (e.g. Office, etc.).
It performs OK on my PC (I really need more RAM though).

 

[FSeal]

Unfortunately Linux doesn't does maybe 1 out of 10 things I need and use my windows machine for well at all. It's pretty much a non starter (and I use it every day for work).

OSX at least does have quite a few of the programs I need and use daily, weekly or monthly. But there are several more that are also missing. And then there is the fact that Apple are truly evil. (Ballmer's quote of "We're going to out Apple Apple" was particularly horrifying for many reasons)

Windows is (was?) a giant, comparably stable, ubiquitous platform that everyone could go to to get anything done. Good for developers, good for users. MS seems to be doing everything they can to fracture that.

 

[Vertex]

That's usually only if you have windows windowed on the Desktop, when it's maximized, that isn't really possible.

Well its possible to dock a Desktop Gadget on top of all running Desktop applications by right clicking it and choosing "Always on top". The new Task Manager is nice but it could not show processor activity on each core, could not show temperature as you said or be fitted as compact and efficient as All CPU Meter.

I disagree that few people use them. In fact, most of the netbooks or laptops I've seen as I can remember, have a few gadgets opened.

I usually have 3 Desktop gadgets. Clock, Custom Calendar and All CPU Meter. I occasionally use the fun Gadget called Piano and it could play simple piano notes via the keyboard. There are other free gadgets out there that do those sort of fun things as well. At least they could easily be minimized or maximized WITHOUT LEAVING THE DESKTOP unlike those Metro apps.

I like the idea that fun things could be done on the Desktop using just small stuff called gadgets and I don't wanna leave my Desktop because that's where I work just to view those "live tiles". I would enjoy those live tiles much better if I was using a tablet or something like Nokia Lumia but not on a Desktop computer with a large screen. I just don't think M$ made a very significant reason to kill off the gadget if not for their own gain. Its a silly reason. Why not just fix these vulnerabilities without killing the gadgets and why do they have to kill them off even from Windows 7 and Vista where there is no Metro apps or live tiles? So that there is no more competition on those Metro apps that show live tiles that actually generate profit$, that's why. But why do that on Windows 7 and Vista where certain people like use use them?

 

[Kat]

Thanks for that, Lehnerus.

I'll give it a look.

 

[Coke Robot]

That's usually only if you have windows windowed on the Desktop, when it's maximized, that isn't really possible.

Well its possible to dock a Desktop Gadget on top of all running Desktop applications by right clicking it and choosing "Always on top". The new Task Manager is nice but it could not show processor activity on each core, could not show temperature as you said or be fitted as compact and efficient as All CPU Meter.

I disagree that few people use them. In fact, most of the netbooks or laptops I've seen as I can remember, have a few gadgets opened.

I usually have 3 Desktop gadgets. Clock, Custom Calendar and All CPU Meter. I occasionally use the fun Gadget called Piano and it could play simple piano notes via the keyboard. There are other free gadgets out there that do those sort of fun things as well. At least they could easily be minimized or maximized WITHOUT LEAVING THE DESKTOP unlike those Metro apps.

I like the idea that fun things could be done on the Desktop using just small stuff called gadgets and I don't wanna leave my Desktop because that's where I work just to view those "live tiles". I would enjoy those live tiles much better if I was using a tablet or something like Nokia Lumia but not on a Desktop computer with a large screen. I just don't think M$ made a very significant reason to kill off the gadget if not for their own gain. Its a silly reason. Why not just fix these vulnerabilities without killing the gadgets and why do they have to kill them off even from Windows 7 and Vista where there is no Metro apps or live tiles? So that there is no more competition on those Metro apps that show live tiles that actually generate profit$, that's why. But why do that on Windows 7 and Vista where certain people like use use them?

I've seen a LOT of systems with gadgets on the Desktop, but it's usually like 1-3 at the most and those are usually ones that have a live tile on the Start Screen. I think it would be nice to have a decent system monitoring app that I can snap to the side and show a lot of what my system is doing from temps to speed to usage. And, have a live tile of course.

 

[lehnerus2000]

No problems

Unfortunately Linux doesn't does maybe 1 out of 10 things I need and use my windows machine for well at all. It's pretty much a non starter (and I use it every day for work).

You can run Windows virtually.

Thanks for that, Lehnerus.

I'll give it a look.

There are a couple of versions (MATE & Cinnamon).
I haven't tried Cinnamon.

Here is the download link:
Download - Linux Mint

Here is a User Guide:
View attachment Linux Mint 13 User Guide.pdf

Here is a blog article, which lists the installed software (pg2) and other information:
The Perfect Desktop - Linux Mint 13 (Maya) | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials

Here is a slideshow of my Linux Mint VM (I've customised it slightly).
Click on thumbnail for animation.

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