How to build 'Gmail notifier' like tool?

Question

It would be a nice add on to my web application - a gmail notifier like tool. Basically the user configures it, it runs in the system tray and pops up a 'balloon' to notify him. I am a web developer, I don't know where to begin writing such a tool. Can someone point me in the right direction? I know Java and PHP, if that matters.

Answer 1

You would write such a thing using the Win32 API, probably in either C++ or C#. Java and C# are close cousins, so going from one to the other shouldn't be too painful.

Here's an open source program that does what it sounds like you're asking about, written in C#:

http://code.google.com/p/google-reader-notifier-windows/

Answer 2

I think a great way for a web dev to do this would be to leverage Silverlight.

New, in Silverlight 4 (currently Beta), is the Notification API.

http://www.silverlight.net/learn/videos/silverlight-4-beta-videos/notification-api/

http://timheuer.com/blog/archive/2009/11/22/silverlight-4-notification-window-queue-sample.aspx

Your web-app/Silverlight component can ask for permission from the user to run out-of-browser, at which point you can then create the notifications/toast.

If you don't have Silverlight experience, it's great stuff, and very familiar to anyone with .NET/WebForms/client-side scripting experience. Write in .NET, C#, etc...