The first time I ever heard the word “widget,” I think I was in a college accounting class. The professor was discussing manufacturing and marketing and used the word “widget” to describe some unspecified, hypothetical, manufactured item or “thing.” I suppose “widget” is a hybrid of two words, one of which is “gadget.”

I have to admit: I think widgets are “cool.” Widgets are features that you can add to your site to give your site more functionality; they add interest and user satisfaction. In computer terms, a widget is an element of GUI (Graphical User Interface) such as a text box, a button that displays information or settings that can be entered or adjusted by the user. A widget is a piece of code that you can install in the files defining your web site ( a side bar, for example) that allows you or your visitors to perform a simple function such as providing a weather report or other real-time data. A widget can also be an ad banner that lets you click on a product to see its specifications and bring you to a place where you can purchase it. I have several widgets on this site including the translation widget, the social networking widget ( to enable appreciative readers to share posts from this blog J ) and a “who’s online map” which gives me a graphic display of where my traffic is coming from.

If you are a first time blogger and have a new site or are an experienced blogger who is adding a new site to others you already manage, You will probably enjoy, as I have, customizing your site with interesting widgets because, by means of these added features, you can give your site a unique and distinctive look and feel. This search for widgets that can enhance the viewing satisfaction of your visitors is one of the most enjoyable aspects of setting up a blog. It is a lot of fun! 

Plug-ins are accessories that are added on to an existing site. They are not meant as stand alone features but work with and extend the functionality of the existing larger system. A plug-in is simply added or “plugged-in” to  an existing system . An example might be an additional set of filters, beyond basic ones, to be used in editing photos.

The difference between widgets and plug-ins is not very clear, and sometimes, rightly or wrongly, I have seen these terms used interchangeably, but there is a difference. Widgets are used within the blog to influence and manipulate content. You do not need to know any html code to install widgets. The code is simply copied and dropped into the sidebar of your blog, or the widget title ( containing the appropriate code) is dragged to the proper place.  It can be used on most sites regardless of what other features you have already stalled.   Plug-ins enhance or extend the usefulness of features already on your site.

The search for “cool widgets” can begin with WordPress which offers a very broad selection of them. Blogger, Google’s free blogging platform calls them “add-ons.” You choose what you want and then you click on it. WordPress widgets are placed automatically on the menu of your dashboard under widgets and when you are ready, you simply click “install.” The process is basically the same with other blogging platforms. Once you have a widget placed in your menu, you can click on it and activate it.

As I mentioned, I have a translation widget and a “Who’s online map widget.” I also have a social networking widget by means of which readers can share favorite posts with their friends and relatives on Facebook, Twitter and others. A really spectacular widget is the revolving earth widget. I didn’t include this one in my blog because it is a sizable piece of code and will place too much of a load on visitors’ computers when the pages are loading, causing this blog to load very slowly. Perhaps I will use this with my next blog. I really like it.  If you want to check it out, here is the link:　

http://www.revolvermaps.com/?target=setup

Other interesting sources of widgets that can really make your pages sparkle can be found on the following links:

http://codex.wordpress.org/Widget_List#0              ( a WordPress widget list)

  http://www.widgetbox.com/search?q=blidgets&s=SUBSCRIPTIONS&m=10&p=13( Blog Widgets from Widgetbox)

http://www.widgetop.com/downloads.html       (widgetop)

These three links will give you an enormous selection of widgets with which to dress up your blog and add really “cool features.” If you get stuck along the way and cannot figure out how to install the widget, there is usually help “a click away” on the site from where you are getting the widgets. I will not keep you any longer; you may be excited about finding the right widget to “widgetize” your blog. So, thanks for visiting and come again when you have your blog finished. Contact me and let me know where you are so I can visit. Perhaps I can leave a comment, or, at the very least, I will visit your blog to thank you for visiting me here. Take Care.

Until Next Time,

–Wil