“Psst… Bill Gates! Your inner geek is showing. Or perhaps that’s actually your inner Steve Jobs,” wonders Wired’s Michelle Delio. Delio’s article is entitled, “Gates Goes From Geek to Chic” and focuses on Gate’s unveiling of a decidedly Apple-like computer prototype yesterday.
“Granted, Microsoft chairman and chief software architect Gates doesn’t have quite the crazed charisma of Apple’s CEO Jobs. But the new prototype computer Gates was fondling in front of hundreds of hardware developers on Tuesday looked so much like a Mac that it was impossible not to draw comparisons between the two men and their machines.,” writes Delio.
“The parallels went further than just a sexy computer on display and a crowd of enthusiastic onlookers who obviously couldn’t wait to get their hands on it. During his opening keynote speech at the 12th annual Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, Gates also talked about the importance of designing visually appealing, easy-to-use PCs and software. ‘Whoa, did I get on the wrong plane and end up at MacWorld?’ wondered hardware developer Frank Copper. ‘Since when does Microsoft care about how computers or software looks? Someone has obviously hacked and reprogrammed Bill,” Delio reports.
Delio asks, “Had the success of Apple’s new iTunes Music Store finally sent Gates into a total Mac-attack mode?”
Full article here.
My favorite quote from this article: “Windows applications don’t look all that great, do they?” Gates asked the crowd at his speech.
lol I was just getting ready to post the samr thing. I loved it.
I at least give Gates credit for this acknowledgement
same* =P
It doesn’t really matter if Microsoft copies or emulates or steals Apple ideas and concepts; such idea pilphering is common to any industry built somewhat on design. And it doesn’t really matter if Apple holds 2% or 5% or 20% percent of desktop market share.
The problem is that outside of a little sliver of Macintosh and a little sliver of Linux, there’s nothing out there but Windows.
Imagine if the auto industry consisted of a few Porsches, a few Hummers, and everything else was a Honda. An unreliable Honda. An unreliable and ugly Honda that came in Porsche colors.
Gates has always been an Apple admirer (at best) and an Apple thief (at worst). One day this won’t surprise us.
I’ve seen both Gates and Jobs and know what each of their company is capable of and in my opinion, Gates is no Steve Jobs.
When the iMac in five colors came out BG3 was quoted saying that Apple only leads M$ in colors.
Man, it took him THAT long to figure out that computer CAN look good as well as do stuff.
Whatever.