Hi everybody today we are going to talk about the Windows Sidebar included with Vista and Windows 7. When Vista was introduced one of the coolest things that was featured was the ability to add gadgets to your desktop. It is true that Windows XP users could do a similar thing but third party software was involved. When people were buying their brand new Vista machines, they were loading clocks, stock tickers, weather reports and a whole multitude of cool things on their desktops. Some of the gadgets kept time, some flashed reminders and others showed how much ram you had left or how much processing power your computer was using. This started to create problems with computer speed. You see, every one of those cool gadgets that you have displayed on your screen uses a certain percent of your ram and it can tax your video card, especially if you have the limited resources of a laptop.
When the computer is new with no programs installed or running, running all this eye candy was great and there probably was not a huge slowdown of the system. As you went about your work and over time Windows introduced service packs and updates, a noticeable slowdown would soon follow. This is especially true after you installed all your favorite programs and games. Although many just thought it was Vista that was just simply slow, most computers would run much faster after a good cleanup and shutting off the gadget window.
Right clicking on an empty area of the window and choosing options can easily shut off the gadgets. From here you can find the option to have the window not start with Windows. Of course, this is just one part of a complete computer cleanup. If your system is still slow, seeking a professional to diagnose and find the problem is advised.
Just when you thought that a slow computer was the only thing you had to worry about by using gadgets, now we have learned that they pose a significant security risk. Gadgets use a push and pull method of doing their job similar to the apps on your Smart Phone. This technology is great on your phone but can pose a risk on your computer. I recommend that if you are still using the gadget bar, you stop using it immediately. In fact, if you search the Gadget store you will see that that there are not as many offered there as there used to be. I am sure at some point that a security patch will help to curb the security flaw but for now, do yourself a favor and stay away from that eye candy. Remember, you will have the added benefit of a faster and safer computer!
Author: Joe Zelenak, Staff Writer
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