Kapsules
Encyclopedia
Kapsules is a freeware
desktop widget
engine for Windows
. It makes use of the Windows Scripting Technology, allowing widget designers to use any scripting language that has an ActiveScript engine. Those widgets are then made available on Kapsules' website. , widgets are available in eight different scripting languages. Kapsules is reliant on the .NET Framework
. All versions of Kapsules before and including version 0.9.9.0 have targeted version 1.1 of .NET, and all later versions target version 2.0.
As mentioned above, widgets can be written in any language for which there is an ActiveScript engine. Kapsules also supports .NET scripting languages. This flexibility allows widget designers to use and interface with a much larger codebase, enabling them to interface with a wider variety of existing software components. Widgets have been written in Python
, PHP
, JScript
, JScript.NET, VBScript
, VB.NET, Ruby
and Perl
.
Kapsules was inspired by Arlo Rose and Perry Clarke's Konfabulator (Which has recently been purchased by Yahoo!
and rebranded as Yahoo! Widgets). Both are widget engines with very similar functionality. Konfabulator was originally written for Mac OS X
and later ported
to the Windows environment, while Kapsules was designed to use integral components of Windows. By using a managed framework, Kapsules lets designers choose from one of several scripting languages, while Konfabulator widgets are written exclusively in JavaScript. Also, Kapsules can be installed on a Windows guest account, whereas Konfabulator requires Administrator privileges.
On or around November 9, 2006, the Kapsules website was updated with a single page stating that the site had been hacked
. It also said that the developers were "busy" working on an updated version of the application and the website. No updates have been made since the announcement.
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
desktop widget
Widget (computing)
In computer programming, a widget is an element of a graphical user interface that displays an information arrangement changeable by the user, such as a window or a text box. The defining characteristic of a widget is to provide a single interaction point for the direct manipulation of a given...
engine for Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. It makes use of the Windows Scripting Technology, allowing widget designers to use any scripting language that has an ActiveScript engine. Those widgets are then made available on Kapsules' website. , widgets are available in eight different scripting languages. Kapsules is reliant on the .NET Framework
.NET Framework
The .NET Framework is a software framework that runs primarily on Microsoft Windows. It includes a large library and supports several programming languages which allows language interoperability...
. All versions of Kapsules before and including version 0.9.9.0 have targeted version 1.1 of .NET, and all later versions target version 2.0.
As mentioned above, widgets can be written in any language for which there is an ActiveScript engine. Kapsules also supports .NET scripting languages. This flexibility allows widget designers to use and interface with a much larger codebase, enabling them to interface with a wider variety of existing software components. Widgets have been written in Python
Python (programming language)
Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...
, PHP
PHP
PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document...
, JScript
JScript
JScript is a scripting language based on the ECMAScript standard that is used in Microsoft's Internet Explorer.JScript is implemented as a Windows Script engine. This means that it can be "plugged in" to any application that supports Windows Script, such as Internet Explorer, Active Server Pages,...
, JScript.NET, VBScript
VBScript
VBScript is an Active Scripting language developed by Microsoft that is modeled on Visual Basic. It is designed as a “lightweight” language with a fast interpreter for use in a wide variety of Microsoft environments...
, VB.NET, Ruby
Ruby (programming language)
Ruby is a dynamic, reflective, general-purpose object-oriented programming language that combines syntax inspired by Perl with Smalltalk-like features. Ruby originated in Japan during the mid-1990s and was first developed and designed by Yukihiro "Matz" Matsumoto...
and Perl
Perl
Perl is a high-level, general-purpose, interpreted, dynamic programming language. Perl was originally developed by Larry Wall in 1987 as a general-purpose Unix scripting language to make report processing easier. Since then, it has undergone many changes and revisions and become widely popular...
.
Kapsules was inspired by Arlo Rose and Perry Clarke's Konfabulator (Which has recently been purchased by Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
and rebranded as Yahoo! Widgets). Both are widget engines with very similar functionality. Konfabulator was originally written for Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
and later ported
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
to the Windows environment, while Kapsules was designed to use integral components of Windows. By using a managed framework, Kapsules lets designers choose from one of several scripting languages, while Konfabulator widgets are written exclusively in JavaScript. Also, Kapsules can be installed on a Windows guest account, whereas Konfabulator requires Administrator privileges.
On or around November 9, 2006, the Kapsules website was updated with a single page stating that the site had been hacked
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
. It also said that the developers were "busy" working on an updated version of the application and the website. No updates have been made since the announcement.