Conversion of portable program modules for constrained displays

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying code for a computer-based portable program module that is configured to be displayed on a computer-based display;

automatically altering the code for the computer-based portable program module to adapt the module to be displayed on a television-based display, including:

determining that one or more pieces of content in the computer-based portable program module do not satisfy a display constraint of the television-based display, and

removing the one or more pieces of content in the computer-based portable program module that are determined to not satisfy the display constraint of the television-based display; and

providing the altered code for execution on one or more processors operably coupled to a particular television-based display,

wherein determining that the one or more pieces of content do not satisfy the display constraint of the television-based display comprises identifying textual content and non-textual content that are each arranged for display in the module, and comparing the textual content with the non-textual content to determine whether at least a portion of the non-textual content expresses the same or similar subject matter as the textual content,

wherein removing the one or more pieces of content in the module comprises deleting the at least a portion of the non-textual content in response to determining that the at least a portion of the non-textual content expresses the same or similar subject matter as the textual content.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer-based portable program module comprises a gadget.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the code for the computer-based portable program module comprises mark-up code.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein altering the code comprises altering style sheet definitions for the module.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically altering graphical elements referenced by the portable program module to be dimensioned for the television-based display.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the altered code for execution comprises transmitting the code in response to a request from a remote set-top box.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein altering the code for the computer-based portable program module comprises generating code that configures the module to be responsive to navigation commands from a television remote control keypad.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein generating code that configures the module to be responsive to navigation commands includes generating four-direction code that configures the module to be navigable between input elements based on commands from a four-direction control on the television remote control keypad.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting data in response to a request from an executed portable program module.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising encoding the data as XML data.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising requesting confirmation from a user for one or more alterations in the automatically altered code.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the altered code for the portable program module is programmed to affect a display of the portable program module on the television-based display based on information that characterizes a video program being concurrently played on the television-based display with the display of the portable program module on the television-based display.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein affecting the display of the portable program module on the television-based display comprises providing a recommendation of other video programs that are similar to the video program being played.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein affecting the display of the portable program module on the television-based display comprises providing an identification of other users that are currently watching the video program being played.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein affecting the display of the portable program module on the television-based display comprises providing information corresponding to products shown in the video program being played.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein altering the code for the computer-based portable program module further comprises modifying a font size for textual content in the portable program module.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pieces of content are one or more first pieces of content;

wherein the method further comprises replacing one or more second pieces of content in the computer-based portable program module with one or more modified pieces of content, the one or more modified pieces of content including a shortened representation of the one or more second pieces of content.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the non-textual content comprises an image.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that at least a second portion of the non-textual content does not express the same or similar subject matter as the textual content, and in response, designating the at least a second portion of the non-textual content as content that is not to be deleted from the portable program module when the code is automatically altered to adapt the module to be displayed on the television-based display.

20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying an executed portable program module on a computer monitor as part of a simulated television display.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein altering the code for the computer-based portable program module further comprises inserting code in the portable program module that is programmed to adapt the portable program module to receive user input entered through a television remote control device.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the inserted code is further programmed to cause an input indicator to jump among multiple different input elements in a presentation of the portable program module in response to user selection of a four-direction input control on the television remote control device.

23. An article comprising a computer program product encoded on a machine-readable tangible storage media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations comprising:

identifying code for a computer-based portable program module that is configured to be displayed on a computer-based display;

automatically altering the code for the computer-based portable program module to adapt the module to be displayed on a television-based display, including:

determining that one or more pieces of content in the computer-based portable program module do not satisfy a display constraint of the television-based display, and

removing the one or more pieces of content in the computer-based portable program module that are determined to not satisfy the display constraint of the television-based display; and

providing the altered code for execution on one or more processors operably coupled to a particular television-based display,

wherein determining that the one or more pieces of content do not satisfy the display constraint of the television-based display comprises identifying textual content and non-textual content that are each arranged for display in the module, and comparing the textual content with the non-textual content to determine whether at least a portion of the non-textual content expresses the same or similar subject matter as the textual content,

wherein removing the one or more pieces of content in the module comprises deleting the at least a portion of the non-textual content in response to determining that the at least a portion of the non-textual content expresses the same or similar subject matter as the textual content.

24. The computer program product encoded on a machine-readable tangible storage media of claim 23 , wherein the code for the computer-based portable program module comprises mark-up code.

25. The computer program product encoded on a machine-readable tangible storage media of claim 24 , wherein altering the code comprises altering style sheet definitions for the module.

26. The computer program product encoded on a machine-readable tangible storage media of claim 23 , wherein the operations further comprise automatically altering graphical elements referenced by the portable program module to be dimensioned to identified dimensions for the television-based display.

27. The computer program product encoded on a machine-readable tangible storage media of claim 23 , wherein altering the code for the computer-based portable program module comprises generating code that configures the module to be responsive to navigation commands from a television remote control keypad.

28. The computer program product encoded on a machine-readable tangible storage media of claim 27 , wherein generating code that configures the module to be responsive to navigation commands includes generating four-direction code that configures the module to be navigable between input elements based on commands from a four-direction control on the television remote control keypad.