konfab not hitting potential

[mnkeybsness]

i'm sure most of us here have tried konfabulator since it's release monday at 12 AM PST.

arlo really hyped up how great konfab will be on his forums, speaking of the potential of such an app. i must agree the konfab does have a very high potential to do some great things.

the problem a lot of people are having is justifying the $25 price tag.

all people can really do now with the widgets available are display time, temperature, newsreading...and did i mention TIME? there must be about 30 clocks available, all based on the same code...just with different skins.

does anyone else agree that arlo and perry should have made at least one widget that would show how limitless konfabulator can really be?

 

[FelixDerKater]

Two things...

First, it isn't the fault of the software that it is not being used to its full potential. With time, this will probably change.

Second, the Konfabulator site needs to have some sort of sorting of widgets so you don't have to scroll through 20 clocks to get to the 10 semi-useful other widgets.

 

[alset]

The amount of interest in Konfab has me pretty impressed. I think it will realize it's full potential over the course of a months or years. Three days is not much time for development of a truly great widget, though I am also disappointed to see so many variations of the basics. Reminds me of docklings... Almost all of them controlled volume, displays and clocks. With that in mind, perhaps Konfab will go the way of the dockling. I only found one that ever satisfied me and stayed from OS 10.0 to present day. Ah, Vanity Dockling... How I love thee!

Dan

 

[FattyMembrane]

i think that the main problem is that everyone feels the need to post his "incredible" clock skin. there's nothing wrong with skinning the widget, thats the whole point, and you have to start somewhere, but hopefully the skinning abundance will slow down soon and real widgets will emerge (maybe i should get off my ass and learn javascript )

 

[Kid Red]

I have a few comments.

First, $25 is way too much for what it does currently.

Second, after you quit it and restart, a PERMANENT window stays open telling you to pay (like K2 did in 9) so it's no longer running here.

Third, the widgets are too damn big. They need to have an option to dock them all together to get a control panel or sorts. Like the stock ticker. One of those with the time, one with the weather, one with battery life, etc. I know they want to show off X's icon skills, but have a minimize option so they can dock.

Forth, there ain't but 4 widgets I'd even use.

All in all, all hype and no substance for now.

 

[pepeleuepe]

Any ideas?

Just wondering what everyone would like to see in the future of Konfabulator? What kind of widgets would you like to see, and what would you find more useful? I can't think of anything specific of the top of my head, but I taught myself some Javascript last year, so maybe, if its not too complicated I could take on a side project besides going to school all the time and doing homework. Just a thought.

 

[Gus]

Here's one:
How aboout a message board response indicator thingie. You know, instead of having to check the forum over and over, or checking e-mail, the widget checks for updates on a thread.

Or better yet, how about an eBay bid notifier for when I am selling on eBay and want to be alerted when someone has placed a new bid.

I don't know. I guess both of those are more me being lazy than anything really useful to the general public. I'd use them, though!

Regards,
Gus

 

[FattyMembrane]

Re: Any ideas?

Originally posted by pepeleuepe
Just wondering what everyone would like to see in the future of Konfabulator? What kind of widgets would you like to see, and what would you find more useful?

i think we'll have more options once kon 1.1 is released. it will support text input, more click states, and more scripting integration. text input will be the real biggie, you can actually do most of what could be done with it now, but you would have to create your own file of commands that you want to send the widget, which defeats the point of a small desktop application.

 

[sparkleytone]

to judge konfab based on the widgets that ship with it is missing the point. if you want a widget that does a certain thing, make one. if you don't know how, request it on the konfab forums and see if someone is willing to help.

konfabulator is expensive yes, and it also has that annoying window (that you can drag offscreen). this has not made me uninstall it, because I love what it does, I love the simplicity of the widgets, and I love the fact that at 1.0, it doesn't eat my G3 to pieces.

konfabulator is truly what you want it to be. example, i have a button that is always on top of everything. its very small and when i click it, every window of every program is hidden and i am at the finder with a clean desktop. there are so many things that you can make it do. i am sure someone will come up with something soon that will replace the dock functionality for alot of people.

konfabulator is small, simple, and powerful. that is a winning combination. i wouldn't be surprised if there are higher-ups at Apple that are following Konfab's progress very closely.

 

[phgreer]

The only ones I like using are the

Digital clock

Weather thingy

Battery meter

Stock quotes

Slashdot article summary thing.


However I can't justify paying 25 dollars for information I can get with a few more clicks to the Internet. Some of that stuff should be options in OSX anyway.

The network traffic widget doesn't seem very accurate. I kind of wish OSX had something like the flashing computers Network icon that is in Windows. For instance when I submit a bug report via Safari I have no idea it's gone through.

 

[iGold]

I haven't dl'd it yet but from looking at the various screenshots...

How flashy does a clock have to be. I can look at the upper right of my desktop to see the time. Same with airport and battery meter. Maybe I'm just getting to be an old fart.

I'm trying to figure out what kind of widget could make me want this and just can't think of anything I couldn't get myself off the net.

My wife goes on business trips regularly, now if someone could create a wdget that...nevermind.

 

[oldMac]

Konfab is great

I just noticed it this morning and downloaded it. Being a bit of a JavaScript geek, I was thrilled to see something like this made.

Already, the potential is amazing at version 1.0. I promptly created a widget that monitors one of my client's web sales. $25 seems a little high, but barring any major problems in the next week, I'll be coughing it up. This is a *great* start to a product that was *sorely* needed on the Mac platform.

Those who don't see the potential wil see it within a month when people have a bit more time to play.

 

[beatle888]

Re: konfab not hitting potential

Originally posted by mnkeybsness
i'm sure most of us here have tried konfabulator since it's release monday at 12 AM PST.

arlo really hyped up how great konfab will be on his forums, speaking of the potential of such an app. i must agree the konfab does have a very high potential to do some great things.

the problem a lot of people are having is justifying the $25 price tag.

all people can really do now with the widgets available are display time, temperature, newsreading...and did i mention TIME? there must be about 30 clocks available, all based on the same code...just with different skins.

does anyone else agree that arlo and perry should have made at least one widget that would show how limitless konfabulator can really be?

you failed to mention the to do list widget.
this has wonderful potential...especially if it
would pull from ical to do's into the widget
to do list. any editing in either app updates
the other.

people just need to get some creative ideas..
these programmers im sure busted their ass
on getting this app as sweet as it is. the future
is bright for this app.

id like to see some type of command center that
would let you create multiple desktops, enter an
email straight from an input field in the widget.
pop up window compatibility....hover over a
projet icon in this command center and it opens
your project folder.

enter text into another text field and click send.
a window pops up asking you which format would
you like to save this file as....word...text...quark
...email...sticky.

that way we dont have to have all these apps
open...but we can still control them ....enter
text into the input field and save it to your address
book...on and on.

 

[AmbitiousLemon]

there are a lot f things wrong with konfab, but the worse is the price (and not just because it is $25)

the developers have a lot fo audacity in my mind to spend months hyping an app that has no functionality. all they did was create an environment which people can use to write cheap crappy little javascript apps for. but the worst of it is this: the want to charge you $25 to use the app (that does nothing) and then tell you to develop the functionality.

what kind of ass -backwards world do we live in where developers charge you to write their app for them?

now had the developers
1) open sourced their app
2) made their app freeware
3) provided plugins that do anything

maybe it would be an app worth talking about but i can't help feeling that they are just trying to rape the mac community.

if the app was free and came with some free plugins and offered some shareware plugins it would make a lot more sense for developers to write their own. but as it is now the whole thing is backwards.


o and one last thing. stop calling them widgets! can't believe a developer would use a word already used by the os and amc community for something else when there is already an accepted word for what they are creating. these are not widgets people! these are plugins. first you rape us then you try to confuse us by use computer terminology all wrong. hearing people talk about konfab widgets makes me think about just how stupid these developers are. i need a pram and in lcd hard drive for my kernal to upload to the firewire protocol in time for my OS to optimize fully. if you want to invent a snappy name for something don't just confuse things by using something already in use otherwise you sound like an idiot.

 

[beatle888]

Originally posted by Gus
Here's one:
How aboout a message board response indicator thingie. You know, instead of having to check the forum over and over, or checking e-mail, the widget checks for updates on a thread.

Or better yet, how about an eBay bid notifier for when I am selling on eBay and want to be alerted when someone has placed a new bid.

I don't know. I guess both of those are more me being lazy than anything really useful to the general public. I'd use them, though!

Regards,
Gus

necessity is the mother of invention.
convenience can make for a more efficient
work flow....maybe something more useful
would be a url watcher....when a userspecifed
url changes it shows the updated page info.

 

[sparkleytone]

dude...AL...chill out. you dont like it, fine. but don't throw the word 'rape' around like its nothing. not very good behavior for a mod.

i think its useful. i like it. when i have it, i will pay $25. it has already uncluttered my menu bar. the FinderOnly widget is one that has worked its way into the manner in which I use my computer.

i think its a pretty good piece of software if there are so many strong opinions on it.

 

[AmbitiousLemon]

Originally posted by sparkleytone
dude...AL...chill out. you dont like it, fine. but don't throw the word 'rape' around like its nothing. not very good behavior for a mod.

i think its useful. i like it. when i have it, i will pay $25. it has already uncluttered my menu bar. the FinderOnly widget is one that has worked its way into the manner in which I use my computer.

i think its a pretty good piece of software if there are so many strong opinions on it.

im sorry but i find the whole thing to be in VERY bad taste. It disgusts me that a software developer would do something like this. i am insulted by the audacity of the developers and i am surprised so many people would submit to this kind of treatment. it reminds me in many ways of the ugly foundation of spymac.com and macwhispers.com and leave a very bad taste in my mouth. and i wish the mac community was smart enough not to support the efforts of people like these who want nothing but to hurt the community for their own gain.

i think developers should be looking at what they can create to help the community not looking to see how they can exploit the community.

 

[beatle888]

Originally posted by AmbitiousLemon


im sorry but i find the whole thing to be in VERY bad taste. It disgusts me that a software developer would do something like this. i am insulted by the audacity of the developers and i am surprised so many people would submit to this kind of treatment. it reminds me in many ways of the ugly foundation of spymac.com and macwhispers.com and leave a very bad taste in my mouth. and i wish the mac community was smart enough not to support the efforts of people like these who want nothing but to hurt the community for their own gain.

i think developers should be looking at what they can create to help the community not looking to see how they can exploit the community.

um, some guys built some software and your
screaming rape? i dont get it. your gonna freak
when you discover corporate america. these
guys put time and effort into their software...
if you dont want to pay cause you think you
can develope something better and cost you
less to build it on your own then go ahead.

i have to be missing something here.

anyway, dinner calls.

 

[DrGruv1]

GREAT program!

donwloaded demo and was paying the reg. fee of $25 in five minutes...

it is a great deal and i would have paid more for these

-Michael

Greatly enhances the day to day use...

 

[AmbitiousLemon]

Originally posted by beatle888




um, some guys built some software and your
screaming rape? i dont get it. your gonna freak
when you discover corporate america. these
guys put time and effort into their software...
if you dont want to pay cause you think you
can develope something better and cost you
less to build it on your own then go ahead.

i have to be missing something here.

anyway, dinner calls.

you are missing a lot actually. but i doubt i should explain it to someone who can't even type a reply properly. get a clue.

 

[beatle888]

Originally posted by AmbitiousLemon


you are missing a lto actually. but i doubt i should explain it to someone who can't even type a reply properly. get a clue.

ok you big bad mofo, you set me straight didnt you.
well i have to go have a valentines day...have fun

 

[DavisBAnimal]

I've had it up an running for maybe three days, and Konfab is already getting "oooohs" and "ahhhhs" from all my Windows using friends - one even swears that this is the straw that breaks the camel's back, and because of this program, he is now switching.

I don't know if it's THAT cool - I agree that the program is nowhere near its potential (and maybe not worth the $25) at least right now - but judging by the Forums at Konfabulator.com, that looks like it could change soon. One of the coolest ideas I have seen is a Caller ID "widget" (I apologize if that terminology offends some) where Konfab turns your mac into a digital answering machine - when a call comes through the number pops up in the widget - if the number's in your adress book a picture pops up with it - you could even have the possibility to redirect the call to your voice mail, block the caller etc. (Keep in mind none of these ideas are mine, I just saw them when I was poking around the Konfab forums).

In terms of the whole "they should have open sourced this" and "how dare they wait for other developers to expand the capabilities of this program" arguments against Konfabulator, I just have one question - don't these two statements cancel each other out?

I have little to no true understanding of software development, and have only a surface level understanding of the whole wonderful world of open source, etc. (and I may not be saying this as clearly as possible) but isn't this the whole concept of open source - you open up development of the program to the entire world of developers in the hopes that, as time progresses, a diversified product is formed from the ideas of many many people working in conjunction - bouncing ideas off of each other, etc.

Konfabulator has a very open source feel to it, at least from my perspective - the general mac user who at any moment can click on his little menu item and go to "Get More Widgets" in order to expand the capabilities of the program.

Davis

 

[AmbitiousLemon]

Originally posted by beatle888



ok you big bad mofo, you set me straight didnt you.
well i have to go have a valentines day...have fun

you people really bother me. why do you get angry with someone who trys to stand up for you? don't you see what these konfab people are doing? someone gets upset and spells it out and you act like a jerk. and btw stop hitting [return] at the end of every line!

maybe i can spell it out nice and simple for you.

what is konfab?
-the developers like to play cute and act like they don't know or that it is so great it can not be explained. konfab is a javascript plugin app allowing people to write javascript applications by using konfab's plugin architecture.

-what does konfab do? nothing. the functionality comes from the plugins that people write for it.

-how does the system work? you pay $25 for the app. you give this money to the people who wrote konfab. you get plugins for free on the konfab website. the konfab developers want you to share your plugins you write with them for free so that it makes konfab better.

essentailly what is going on is the konfab developers get paid for the efforts of other people. 'don't like konfab? you dirty nazi commie terrorist! write your own plugin then!' these is their anthem. why woudl i write software for a software company that will result in people giving money to them?

every plugin that you give the konfab people is free labor they get. if their app was freeware/opensource i wouldn't mind. but it isn't. they want to use the free and open community to make themselves so quick cash. it isn't fair and it is downright deceitful.

'you write software send it to us so we can make money off of it' - this is what they are doing.

and to make it worse they hyped it for months ahead of time. it is so much like spymac's start. hype for months unveil your deception and cash in.

if you want to give your money to people who didnt do any fo the work good for you. if you want to spend your time wirting software for someoneelse to get credit and moeny for good for you. i am a strong believer in the open source community and i find this a perversion of it — and therefore insulting.

 

[iGold]

I have a question. What happens when people start putting more time and effort into these widgets and start charging 5, 10, 15 bucks for them. Then all you have is a glorified shareware program. Unless some amazing things come from it, looks like a "middleman" program to me.

 

[mnkeybsness]

i think i'm going to have to agree with AmbitiousLemon here...

i think everyone that pays for konfabulator is getting screwed over.

-how does the system work? you pay $25 for the app. you give this money to the people who wrote konfab. you get plugins for free on the konfab website. the konfab developers want you to share your plugins you write with them for free so that it makes konfab better.