What into Windows Vista Widgets / Gadgets ( picture right) is known, is under Linux for some time. Screenlets are called the little add-on programs that animate the desktop and decorate. Microsoft has copied this from Linux and Mac OS and built into Windows Vista. Ubuntu brings to repositories using the Screenlets-manager, which can start with the small utilities for the desktop and edit, as well as new Screenlets (which can be found on the Internet for example) can be installed. To install the screenlets manager, you have to install the package manager (Synaptic Package Manager) package "Screenlets" and you can liven up the desktop. It is advisable to start the screenlets manager ( education d under this paragraph) in the panel let (daemmon show in tray), so you can quickly and easily manage its Screenlets.
In screenlets-manager is already very much useful Screenlets are available. For example, the Clock (Clock), the Calendar or Sysmonitor, which indicates the current state of the system. Some Screenlets can be started from Screenlets Manager and reacted with a Harken "Auto start on login", the selected Screenlets start automatically at every system startup.
Started Screenlets can be when you move the pointer over the screenlets, with click Right-configure as in size, subject and other properties such as transparency. In the example right, the two Screenlets "Weather" and "Pidgin" is started. Weather displays the weather for the next 5 days and Pidgin shows the online contacts of the associated Instant Messenger "Pidgin" at. Both very useful, with the screenlets "Pidgin" the online world even easier since you can not continually open the buddy list has to see who is online and who is not. These mini-utilities can be on the desktop "stick" and are thus part of the background. The important thing is to "click right mouse button -> Window> Keep above" should not set the Harken be because the other screenlets always in the foreground. can
In www.gnome-look.org there are many other Screenlets, which you download and install the Screenlets Manager. Among them are many of Screenlets already known, which differ only in the visual appearance, as well as completely new Screenlets, which were released by developers on Gnome look. Often fits the color or shape of a Screenlets rather than the current wallpaper or desktop theme. This this site is very useful since you can find many Screenlets in all colors and shapes, and certainly something for their own desktop. So there is really no reason to expect inanimate desktop to have. The times when you loose files stored on the desktop are always gone and you have a lot of room to anchor, to such useful mini-applications such as current weather or online contacts established on the desktop!
more information and installation help find my friend in the wikis of Ubuntu user.
