There are several changes in Microsoft Vista but one of the fun ones is Gadgets.  As is typical in Windows, you can customize this to suit your needs or hide it entirely.  Here’s how:

Using Vista Business:

The Sidebar displays Gadgets in a transparent vertical bar that displays some fun Gadgets and some useful Gadgets.  It is fun to customize your desktop to suit your way of working. Sidebar opens in some versions by default and in other versions, you need to open it manually.  Here’s how:

1.     Click Start | All Programs | Accessories.

2.     Click Windows Sidebar.

Now let’s add a Gadget.

1.     To add Gadgets, select  from the Sidebar Control.

2.     This opens the Gadget Gallery.  Click and Drag the Calendar to the position you want it to display on the Sidebar.

3. Click the Calendar and it changes to a full month.

1. To set properties on the Sidebar, position the cursor over the Sidebar and right-click, select Properties.

   2. To close the Sidebar, with the cursor over the Sidebar, right-click and select Close Sidebar.

Shortcuts Key:  Use Shift+F10 to display the shortcut menu of a selected item.