Comments on: Apple: Widget writers wanted

Company hopes possibility of winning an iPod will prompt developers to start writing small Mac programs for next version of OS X.

[redherring79]

Funny thing...

"Apple is hoping that the prospect of creating widgets will
appeal to more than just the usual crop of Apple developers,
given that only standard Web site skills are needed."

" "You are gong to see people who never thought about
programming for the Mac." To enter the contest, and gain access
to the Dashboard developer kit, would-be programmers must be
members of Apple's developer program at the select level or
above."

A select level membership costs $500. So the people who never
thought about programming for the Mac are going to need to
fork over a large sum of money for something they never
thought about doing to take advantage of this contest. Not sure
that's a good way to get people coming out of the woodwork to
develop for this thing in advance.

[unknown unknown]

Reply

It would be cheaper to just by the iPod or goto freeipods.com. I think you're right, this isn't a good way to encourage people develop for the next version of Mac OS.

[JuggerNaut]

complaining?...

...about $500?! That amount of money wouldn't get you
much for the highly priced SDKs sold by Microsoft. At least
Apple gives away their SDKs!

[Earl Benser]

There's one source....

Apple could buy Konfabulator. Effectively, Apple ripped off
Konfabulator to build 10.4. Seems to be a minimally fair thing to
do to buy Konfabulator and all its Widgets.

[JuggerNaut]

You're Mistaken!

Apple did not rip off Konfabulator, actually it was the other way
around. The idea of desktop accessories has been around in
Mac OS for a long time.

http://daringfireball.net/2004/06/dashboard_vs_konfabulator

Konfabulator folks are presently working on a Windows version,
which will be superseded by Longhorn and its own desktop
widgets.