The portal widget is the heart of the portal, and a command line for a number of internet services. It understands commands typed into the entry box with the syntax:
keyword ; [ value [ value...] ]
The keyword is a command or service you wish to use. The optional values are arguments to pass to the command or service. The spaces between the keyword and first value are optional, but values themselves must be separated by spaces.
Keywords are listed around the outside of the entry box. Click a keyword. It will appear in the entry box, followed by a semicolon (;). Click anywhere else, and the form will submit. Or, type values with the keyword, then enter/return. The entry box will already have focus and be ready for typing.
To review:
You can double-click the entry box to select-all.
You can add links to the portal using the mark keyword, followed by two values: the url, and the text for the link.
If you would rather use an image for the link, provide the image's url as the second value.
You can set preferences by using the expert keyword to enter expert mode. More keywords will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. The values you pass to these keywords will be saved in your preferences -- things like color settings and the urls to use with the log and import keywords.
You can retrieve your preferences and marks from another browser or computer by using the code command displayed when you are in expert mode. Email it to yourself so you can use the same portal preferences at work.
The default quote generator is the Portable Richard's Almanac at http://psydeshow.org/franklin.php, a unix fortune database of sayings by enlightenment rockstar Benjamin Franklin.
You can use the quote keyword to set a new quote, either as static text or the url of a quotation webservice -- any url that responds with a string of unicode text.
The attribution can be any bit of text.
Is a guy with php, a mac and no particular agenda.