“In an interview published Tuesday, Simon Aldous, partner group manager at Microsoft, acknowledged that the company had used Mac OS X as its muse,” Computerworld reports. “‘One of the things that people say an awful lot about the Apple Mac is that the OS is fantastic, that it’s very graphical and easy to use,’ Aldous told PCR from a partner conference in the U.K. What we’ve tried to do with Windows 7 — whether its traditional format or in a touch format — is create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics.'”
MacDailyNews Note: In the same interview, Aldous also said that Windows 7ista was “built on that very stable core Vista technology, which is far more stable than the current Mac platform, for instance.”
Computerworld continues, “Late Wednesday, Microsoft repudiated Aldous. ‘Unfortunately, this came from a Microsoft employee who was not involved in any aspect of designing Windows 7,’ said Brandon LeBlanc, a company spokesman who authors most of the Windows 7 blog posts. ‘I hate to say this about one of our own, but his comments were inaccurate and uninformed.'”
Computerworld reports, “Comparisons between Microsoft’s and Apple’s operating systems, common because of the short gap between their releases, have often noted Windows 7’s resemblance to Mac OS X 10.6, particularly the similarities between the revamped task bar of the former and the dock of the latter.”
Full article here.
Microsoft’s official disavowal via “The Windows Blog” is here.
MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft has been banking on ignorance for 30+ years. It’s no wonder they fear the truth, especially when it emanates from inside their own ranks. Calling more attention to it via this lame rebuke only highlights Microsoft’s endemic ineptitude. That said, glasses up, “May Steve Ballmer remain Microsoft’s CEO for as long as it takes!”
Dysssssssfunctional…
Hell, I’d copy the Mac OS too if I were Microsoft. You can hardly blame them.
So either they copy stuff, or they don’t know what they’re talking about, or both. Excellent.
Support Micro$oft R & D …
… invest in AAPL !!
(ah– old joke, I know — but appropriate)
Some things are un-retractable.
Uninformed and inaccurate—that part that claims Windows 7 is more robust… the rest of it was just a slip of the truth/tongue
Put the cat back in the bag… or the chair gets it.
Too late Micro-ass, everyone really knows the truth. Heck look at your latest copy machine results. The Microsoft Store of idiots… lol
I wonder if Microsoft is worried about legal consequences of such an admission? I can’t think of too many other reasons for them to flat-out call one of their own a liar, for saying what is blindingly obvious to everyone at this point.
It appears that a certain Microsoft executive from the UK is getting a pink slip… the bloody big mouth. I love when they eat their own.
“Windows 7’s resemblance to Mac OS X 10.6, particularly the similarities between the revamped task bar of the former and the dock of the latter.”
That’s true, even that windows is a piece of junk, they are trying to look and function as a Mac, even some names are very similar (widgets and gadgets), so I wonder who is the real “inaccurate and uninformed.'”
So, if you’re not involved in the development, then you can’t know? All you have to do is use your eyes. It’s a little thing called common sense. You can call that spade a shovel all you want, but it’s still a spade.
That was a snappy response.
Was he fired?
It’s entertaining to see the Microcircus has more acts than just Ballmer T. Clown.
Proof of their extreme Mac envy:
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/operating_systems/allchins_buy_a_mac_email_exposed.html
Aldous’ Freudian slip is showing…
Did he died?
“I’m not dead yet…oomph”
And now, a message from Captain Ballmer:
“Damage control … Damage control … Damage control …
All hands alert! M$ ship has sprung another leak!
Take mister Aldous and stuff him into the hole in the hull to stop the leak!
To all hands …
Stop making holes in the hull or you will become the next plug!
That all for now!”
Hah!
So when Simon Aldous tells the truth(Windows 7 intentionally mimics the look and feel of OS X) Microsoft calls his comments “inaccurate and uninformed”, but when Simon Aldous lies outright(Vista’s core technology is “far more stable than the current Mac platform”) Microsoft apparently finds his comments accurate and informed and takes no issue with them.
I’d say there’s no way anybody would buy Brandon LeBlanc’s spin, but some people are so ensnared by the Cult of Windows that they probably will. Sigh.
Microsoft didn’t really need to say this publically. The executive lost all credibility when he declares Vista to be more stable than Snow Leopard.
Overheard…
Simon Aldous…All your Macs are belong to us.
Ballmer…..Nooo, you are misinformed
This goes to show it is impossible to keep everyone in an organization as large as MS at the same level of delusion.
no
iDea
If he is still working there, it is only because he could sue if they fired him. Then they’d have to either a) pay up or b) risk the even more expensive details being outlined in court.
Being “influenced” by someone else’s design may be a Cause of Action … but only if there are no grounds for a solid counter-suit. Apple, MSFT – and even the many flavors of Linux – have been influenced by each other’s work for two decades now. Some more than others, of course. And others took part. It’s a process.
‘Unfortunately, this came from a Microsoft employee who was not involved in any aspect of designing Windows 7,’
But I thought we all made Windows 7?
Hilarious. He actually says that Windows 7 is a Vista SP with a look copied from OS X.
I wonder how long he keeps that job at Microsoft?
Windows IS A COPY OF THE MAC! Since the beginning!
Period.
End of discussion.
Steve Jobs has said so publicly. People who know the history of computers know it too.
It may be bad PR for Microsoft. Bill Gates tried to side step this and say Windows came from the original Zerox mouse GUI which inspired SJ at Apple. But we all know Gates was trying to imitate the Mac GUI and gobble Apple’s market up. And he was successful at that, until now.
Oh! This deserves a good nice laghter! ;D
Unfortunately…he is now unemployed!
‘I hate to say this about one of our own, but his comments were inaccurate and uninformed. The Vista core OS IS NOT more secure and stable than Mac OS X. We apologize for the confusion'”
“Windows 7’s resemblance to Mac OS X 10.6”
Oh, please. It’s more like an inane copy of 10.0, sadly raped by the mutant seed of Me and XP.
Uh Oh. This guy will get no bonus, and worse, will have to stay with Vista on his work computer.
So where is the Mac vs PC ad where PC ties to copy Mac?
WHIP that boy! No telling the truth around here at Microsoft!
As I have stated for many years, the Mac Business Unit of MS is their total R&D;Department. Case in point, whenever new Windows OS comes out all they ever say is it is “more MAC like, easy to use just like a Mac. “
> uninformed and inaccurate
Simon Aldous sounds like the most well-informed and accurate Microsoft executive they have. Anyone who does not already believe Microsoft has been “inspired” by Apple’s Mac OS since Windows 1.0 is a fool. So it sound ridiculous for another exec to deny it.
Isn’t it Microsoft’s design methodology to put all of the competing product’s features on a big wall and knock them off one by one?
I guess Windows 7 wasn’t Simon’s idea.
Hell, I’d copy the Mac OS too if I were Microsoft. You can hardly blame them.
—
Sure you can. They’re liars and con artists. There was a lawsuit back in the late 80’s that should have gone Apple’s way. It didn’t so the hackers got all the marketshare. No reason Apple can’t be self righteous about that.
“Liars and con artists”? Who? Microsoft?!
My favorite story remains the time, circa 1997, when Microsoft deliberately STOLE Quicktime code from one of Apple’s collaborating developers. Apple asked for it back and Microsoft said “NO!” So Steve Jobs sat down with Bill Gates and made him a deal he couldn’t refuse: Either have your ass sued off or do what I tell you:
1) Invest $150 million in Apple non-voting stock for five years.
2) Guarantee the Mac Microsoft Office for the next five years.
3) Do a kiss and make up session at MacWorld where you, Bill Gates, are projected on a huge screen looking like Big Brother from the 1984 Mac ad, HAHAHAHA!
4) Hand Apple a publicly undisclosed amount of money to keep our mouths shut about your crime.
And of course the trolls and press interpreted all this to mean that Microsoft had either bought Apple or had saved the company from bankruptcy.
Classic (o_0)
I’m Mac OS X, and Windows 7 was my idea!
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@MacRaven- the first comment from a reader of the page that you linked says it all:
“Apple’s corporate ethos evolved from the work of men like Steve Wozniac, Alan Kay, and Bill Atkinson. Microsoft got its corporate roots from Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. It’s like comparing Albert Einstein to a carnival barker. One will fundamentally change the world, while the other sells lots of tickets to the freak show tent.”
Thanks for the link.
‘I hate to say this about one of our own, but his comments were inaccurate and uninformed.'” I guess the next news item that has Simon Aldous, partner group manager at Microsoft, as the center of the article will be dealing with his recent departure from his current position at Microsoft. He is leaving to spend more time with his family and to pursue other employment opportunities, will be the announcement from M$.
Lets get Bill & Balmer in a room, a mac and windows 7 running side by side and see how the audience reacts. Block the exits.