IT software maker Spiceworks has developed a set of customized plugins and widgets in a variety of categories for the Spiceworks desktop. Spiceworks’ ad-supported, free IT management software allows IT managers at small to mid-size businesses keep track of their network assets, run a helpdesk, monitor activity, receive reports and troubleshoot network problems.
The plugins let you keep track of alerts, tickets, new software, and new hardware, as well as a inventory summaries. Widgets include a help desk widget and reports and inventory widgets and allows users access this information easily. Spiceworks also lets users add themes and skins to the desktop, create customized user portals, and lets users drop in news widgets from RSS feeds and social networking widgets for Twitter, Digg, Facebook, and MySpace.
Spiceworks has also created an IT news community destination for the users of its software. In the community, you can see information that other Spiceworks IT professionals have submitted and also features content that is directed towards the small to medium sized business IT professional community.
Spiceworks says that there have been over 16,000 downloads of its 53 widgets in the past week. The company says that the most popular widgets are the help desk widgets and there have already been 16 language plugins created by the software’s users. Whats Up, another IT network management software, has created mobile access for clients but doesn’t seem to have incorporated the social networking features into the platform.
Spicework’s software has been built around creating a community among IT managers, so its no surprise that the company is now rolling out social media features to its platform. The software lets users connect with other IT managers. When problems come up users can post questions, submit answers and use group-edited wiki articles, etc. The software, which now includes a dashboard, RSS feeds, social networking widgets and a IT news sharing community, seems to almost be turning into a pseudo-social network itself.
