::set bang::: ambient dashboard widgets?

there has been a bunch of talk on the interweb about designing ambient display widgets for the mac os x dashboard. the locket displays the online status of a single buddy on iChat...flores is a vase with up to four flowers, each one indicating a new message in the inbox of your gmail or apple mail...

great. just a few things...

first, aren't we trying to get computation off the desktop? there is the argument that the dashboard and cocoa provide a quick way to get your ambient display up and running and then you can throw it on that spare powerbook you have. okay fine, that is useful for prototyping, but does not an ambient display make... although these widgets are kinda cool, and there's some benefits to be had, i think people are missing the mark on what an ambient display really is. bummer."