Once I started customizing my desktop with themes, I was always looking for software to improve my desktop experience in ways that my interaction didn't feel more of the same that everyone experiences on any other desktop.
I came across XWidget, a concept of custom widgets on the desktop where we could import or create our own. At the time it seemed that I could achieve my own UX/UI for the kind of use I was giving to the computer.
I started by creating a small widget clock called Big Ben so that I could mess around with the software API. Once the clock was working and seemed not made by an Ape, I published it on DeviantArt where most of the community was releasing widgets.
It was a success (IMO at least) that got around 5k views.
After that, since the API seemed pretty straightforward and the community had a good reaction, I kept making widgets that made my life easier.
In the next few days, I published the TypoBen Clock (like Big Ben but in typography, I know, genius). This was more of an enhancement of what I've learned, I tried to solidify my knowledge on the API for this one. Also got around 5k views so I felt that I was in the right direction.
Once I had already "many" clocks to choose from, I started to make widgets that had more interactions, at the time, system control shortcuts seemed to make sense (none now, I know), so I published the system ctrl widget, one step further in what the API could offer.
Didn't get much visibility as expected, but still, 2k views for some shortcuts, that we could do with a keyboard, not bad.
About the same 2k views was the Symbian Anna Dock, I just liked those icons, it was a simple dock that opened apps and specific folders. I also made a vertical version of it.
Later I experimented with controlling the volume with the mouse scroll, without any clicks, I just set a bar on top where I could have a top bar iOS inspired, I called it iBar iPhonish. Was interesting to understand the API part of it, the design was not so much, unfortunately.
For last, I made the Green Carpet widgets pack and tried to cover all my needs for what I could use widgets for. Started with the weather app, with all the info I could put on the screen because why not!? A notes app, I've always thought I would use it many times throughout the day, which I didn't. A RSS feed widget, so I could see what's new on the developers always evolving world, this one I used every single day. The uncommon one was the photo gallery, which seemed cool for the theme and it was, although I never used it.
I poured all in for this one and got nearly 15k views for the 2 versions, I think this was my last contribution for XWidget. Maybe I can make a new one one of these days.
