Complete Details for newer OS Snow Leopard
Setting Dashboard items to stay on the "Desktop" for new OS Snow Leopard
Complete Details for newer OS Snow Leopard (tested on 10.6.6)
1) Open the "Terminal" app don't worry it's easy (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and write (or cut and paste) this line of text, beside the existing text where the small grey cursor is.
defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES
Then push enter ... and close the "Terminal" app
2) Now Restart the Dock (Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor > double click "Dock" > click "Quit" > click "Force Quit") the Dock will automatically restart ... (Or just restart your Mac if that's easier for you)
3) Open the dashboard (tap F4), click on a widget and HOLD DOWN the mouse button then move it slightly and keep HOLDING DOWN the mouse button. Now push the F4 key again a this widget will stay behind, drag it a new location as it will be "Always on Top" ... thats it!
4) Now if you want to get rid of the widget from your desktop, click and HOLD DOWN the mouse button on the widget you want removed, tap F4 to bring up the dashboard. The release the mouse button Tap F4 again and it's gone.
5) At this point however the discarded widgets exist as zombies in a kind of no mans land. When you look at the dashboard, the discarded widgets will be shown faded or greyed out, they are not on the dash board but neither are they on the desktop, but it's an easy fix.
6) To bring them back to life you need to tap F4 to open the dash board ...now click once on the black PLUS SIGN sign way on the bottom left of your screen (it will change to an "X" and your screen will fade and raise up) and another "X" will appear on the widgets ... Just click the "X"'s on any faded widgets and they will now be back to normal, ready to be used again.
Note: This only allows "always on top" settings for dash board items they are not actually on the Desktop itself.