One of the most over used terms in this next wave of the internet is the word Widget. In some cases a Widget pertains to a component in the assembly of a graphical user interface (GUI). For example, an HTML Button is a UI Control that can be referred to as a Widget. In the Web 2.0 context, we have the example of Yahoo! Widgets which represent a collection of elaborate JavaScript based UI Controls for the creation of rich interactive applications. Additionally, we have Microsoft's Gadgets which are widgets that fuel Windows Live. The variety of Widgets continues with the entrance of Ajax Personalities and the host of interactive UI  controls they offer.

As we climb up the mashup ecosystem stack, a Widget in this context pertains to a software component that is used by a mashup assembler within a mashup maker to create a new mashup. At this juncture, I claim that Widgets are mashup maker specific. Take for example, QEDWiki, where a widget has these characteristics: Encapsulate a view of information derived from 1 or more data services If desired, marry the content with presentation markup Adheres to the plug-in API for the targeted mashup maker

Mashup Enablers provision Mashup Makers with Widgets

In traditional web application development, IT professionals assume the role of the end-to-end development of the application. In the mashup ecosystem, a mashup enabler is a web savvy programmer who will develop widgets and then provision a mashup maker with these widgets to enable non-programmers to assemble their own web applications (mashups). Mashup Enablers, may also assume the role of a Widget Provider. Analogous to the Service API Provider, a Widget Provider may seek to host and sell widgets using license-based or subscription-based models. This notion follows our premise that the monetary flow will correlate to the degree of value-add long the mashup ecosystem stack. As we climb the stack, Widgets combine presentation and behavior with disparate data which is derived from Service APIs which encapsulate content. At each level of the stack, the potential for monetary assignment coincides with the degree of value-add at each layer.