WiFi Ed, I don't have any great love for gadgets.. it's just now that I have a good computer I've decided to use some. Microsoft's reason for taking away gadgets.. security issues.. well they should remove Internet Explorer too. For that matter.. not let the PC connect to the internet at all. It's the users job to install apps they can trust and safeguard against malicious code. Just because something "can" be used to transmit a virus ( like Internet Explorer) doesn't mean it will. I think this was a ploy to get people more away from the desktop so they could feel more comfortable with the live tiles of windows 8.. and yep.. a real conspiracy. I'll stick to my draconian label. It's not just this issue.. there are lots that make MS draconian like their handling of the UEFI issues on which I have researched and written extensively.
Vrosa thanks for the links I'll have a look at them. One can always get calenders, clocks, CPU meters etc but I'm looking for a good repository with other odd gadgets like the Defcon status gadget. Gadgets that do things that are not the norm.