Over at MicrosoftGadgets.com, Mac zealots are giving new meaning to the term uninformed fanatic.  This week, Microsoft announced Microsoft Gadgets.  As has been discussed, gadgets are similar to widgets except they do not require the user to download a run-time in order to use them. They're stand-alone entities.

Microsoft's gadgets are designed to be used on Windows Vista (and on XP via Avalon) and can sit on the desktop, be placed on the Windows Side-bar and be put onto the web.

Mac zealots started foaming that Microsoft was ripping off Apple.  A pretty impressive display of chutzpah considering Apple ripped off the concept from Konfabulator.  Some Mac users tried to argue that no, that's not true, Apple's desktop accessories predate it all.  Balderdash. I knew Apple accessories.  Apple accessories were a friend of mine. Dashboard is no follow-on to desktop accesories.  It's interesting to note that Mac zealots only discovered the wonder of desktop accessories AFTER Dashboard had been announced.  In the 5 years DesktopX had existed, not once did a Mac user say "That's a copy of Desktop accessories".  Similarly, you'd be hard pressed to go onto the Konfabulator forums and see an early post from someone saying "Isn't this just like desktop accessories?"  In short, the desktop accessories comparison was manufactured by zealots to cover the fact that Apple got caught, again, ripping off its ISVs.

So it's rather ironic to hear them argue Microsoft was ripping off Apple.  If anyone should be mad, it should be Stardock.  After all, DesktopX was the first mini-application enabler that allowed end users to easily create them.  The DNA difference between DesktopX's widgets/gadgets, Konfabulator, Dashborad, Kapsules, etc. is relatively small compared to the difference between them and something like desktop accessories (or hypercard or Incan clay tablets for that matter). 

But you haven't heard Stardock complain about Microsoft's gadget strategy even though it's identical to Stardock's.  People all week have been asking us for our reaction to Microsoft's announcement.  Similarly, when Yahoo bought Konfabulator, we were asked for our reaction.  How would it affect DesktopX? We didn't really say much.  This week, users everywhere discovered the reason we've been so quiet.

I'm not the only one who finds the latest example of historical revisioning by Mac zealots galling.  Paul Boyer, who was created DesktopX objects back in 1999 (as in clocks, mp3 players, drive monitors, you get the idea) without knowing programming (he's a graphics designer) is appalled as well.  Check out the article below.

And stay tuned to more information on the Stardock/Microsoft gadget evolution. Exciting things are afoot.