Apple's Dashboard
- Uses an XML Manifest file to specify data about the "widget" (width, height, thumbnail image, title and version).
- No requirements for markup around widgets.
Dashboard Example (plist)
<code><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>AllowNetworkAccess</key>
<true/>
<key>CFBundleDisplayName</key>
<string>AIM Fighter</string>
<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
<string>com.aimfight.widget</string>
<key>CFBundleName</key>
<string>AOL Fighter</string>
<key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
<string>2.0</string>
<key>CFBundleVersion</key>
<string>2.0</string>
<key>CloseBoxInsetX</key>
<integer>5</integer>
<key>CloseBoxInsetY</key>
<integer>5</integer>
<key>MainHTML</key>
<string>fight.html</string>
</dict>
</plist></code>
AOL's Channel Content Modules - [Sports example]
- Each module (widget) has a markup envelope and some required elements that make it a module and allow for consistent styles across products.
Konfabulator
- (need someone else to fill this in, have never built one or taken them apart)
WSRP
- SOAP envelopes to transport modules, but there is no specific formatting required for the actual content of the "portlet" (module or widget).