Working with the HTML Box

Now that the Google Sites HTML box has been out for a while for those without Google Apps, I've had some time to fool around with it.

Experiments
The HTML box is not the answer to free-reign scripting. You can use more HTML, CSS, Javascript, and jQuery, but you cannot use all of it.


I couldn't embed the Google + gadget (strange errors I couldn't fix kept flagging my code to my unpublishable). I couldn't use my usual slideshow code, which uses jQuery. So I started assuming that nothing would work with the HTML that I really wanted.


Free Google Sites Slideshow Code
The only thing I've effectively used it for is the sample slideshow from: http://support.google.com/sites/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2500646 . I nicely customized this slideshow and placed it on this page with its code for all to use. Just copy + paste and insert the image URLs.
https://sites.google.com/site/htmlboxtesting/

Click here to go to the HTML box testing page. With a customize slideshow.

Conclusion
I'm going to stick with making custom gadgets, because even though it's more arduous, I can make the plugins I want to make. I did notice that the HTML box isn't an iframe like gadgets, so I think that creates room for interesting use of embedding code on your pages. I've had quite an interest in Google Analytics with Google Sites for event tracking.