It has been said that too much power can be dangerous. That saying is befitting when it comes to enhancing or creating Web widgets with client-side scripts. Web widgets, as you might recall from Part 1, are controls used in Web forms, dialogs, and wizards to elicit information from users. While scripts allow developers to create an infinite variety of Web widgets and behaviors, straying too far from users' expectations can lead to usability problems. Jodi Bollaert describes some common usability problems associated with client-side scripts and Web widgets, and suggest ways to avoid them.

This article is the first in a two-part series about Web widgets -- controls that can be incorporated in Web forms, dialogs, and wizards to elicit information from users. Here in Part 1, Jodi Bollaert defines several basic HTML Web widgets, shows graphic examples, and discusses common usability problems and solutions. Next month, Jodi will cover more sophisticated Web widgets that can be developed with scripts.