ROBOTSPACER  Glad you like the widget!

Google only supports a very limited number of services compared to my widget. It doesn't recognize the DHL numbers that I've tried. I have a FedEx SmartPost number that it recognizes as a USPS number, and brings up none of the information that it does when it's tracked properly. And Amazon order numbers are all in the exact same format, so it's impossible to tell which store they're from. Those are just a few examples. The more services I add the more unreliable it would get. If I was sticking to the very few services Google supports then I agree it would be simple to add, but in this case I don't think it would work well at all.

As far as saving open widgets when you update, please see the help section on my site for a solution: http://mikepiontek.com/software/mac/delivery-status-help.html

Unfortunately I have no control over this; it is Apple's decision to make Dashboard behave this way. Granted I could create a custom installer to work around it, but that just presents other problems and will confuse a lot of users--I don't think it's my place to rework the Dashboard installation process.

Hopefully Apple will improve the process in an update to OS X. I highly recommend you suggest it to them: http://www.apple.com/macosx/feedback/  
(Version 3.2.3)