“Microsoft Corp.’s ambitious plan to keep data safe on PCs will make a scaled-down debut in the next release of Windows, though the operating system’s most anticipated improvements in graphics appear to mirror what’s now available from rival Apple Computer Inc.,” Elizabeth Gillespie writes for Canadian Press. “The long-delayed Windows upgrade, code-named Longhorn and now expected in December 2006, has been touted as the most significant update to the ubiquitous operating since Windows 95 launched in 1995.”
MacDailyNews Take: “The most significant update since Windows 95.” It seems that they’ll keep trotting that line out until the cow comes home at least.
Gillespie continues, “The bulk of Gates’ speech covered Longhorn’s flashier visual and organizational features – which Apple CEO Steve Jobs described last week as ‘shamelessly’ copying his company’s Mac OS X operating system. ‘They can’t even copy fast,’ Jobs said at his company’s shareholder meeting. Indeed, many of the features that Gates demonstrated Monday – including shadowed, translucent windows as well as fancy, stutter-free animations – have been a part of the Mac OS since it was released in March 2001.”
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Microsoft employees leaving due to (and blogging about) malaise smothering company – April 25, 2005
eWEEK Editor Coursey: Longhorn so far ‘looks shockingly like a Macintosh’ – April 25, 2005
Apple’s Tiger debuts Friday while Microsoft’s Longhorn is burdened with one delay after another – April 25, 2005
Nearly every segment of the PC food chain needs Longhorn to succeed – April 22, 2005
Microsoft’s new mantra: ‘It Just Works’ ripped straight from Apple’s ‘Switch’ campaign – April 22, 2005
Apple CEO Steve Jobs on Microsoft’s Longhorn: ‘They are shamelessly copying us’ – April 21, 2005
Apple shows off Mac OS Tiger in Microsoft’s backyard while Microsoft previews Windows XP ad push – April 19, 2005
Apple’s Mac OS X reality vs. Microsoft’s Longhorn fantasy – April 19, 2005
Microsoft’s Windows Longhorn will bear more than just a passing resemblance to Apple’s Mac OS X – April 15, 2005
Analyst: ‘Microsoft’s Longhorn is going to have hard time upstaging Apple’s Mac OS X Tiger’ – April 13, 2005
Analyst: Apple in ‘position to exploit Microsoft missteps, claim leadership’ with Mac OS X Tiger – April 13, 2005
Apple’s Schiller: Mac OS X Tiger ‘has created even more distance between us and Microsoft’ – April 13, 2005
Will Mac OS X Tiger add fuel to Apple’s recent momentum in the computer business? – April 13, 2005
Why doesn’t Apple advertise Mac OS X on TV? – April 12, 2005
Analyst: Tiger proves ‘Apple is light years ahead of Microsoft in developing PC operating systems’ – April 12, 2005
Apple to ship Mac OS X ‘Tiger’ on Friday, April 29; pre-orders start today – April 12, 2005
Apple Announces Mac OS X Server ‘Tiger’ to ship Friday, April 29 with 64-bit application support – April 12, 2005
Analysts: Apple’s new Tiger operating system could really impact Mac sales – April 12, 2005
Piper Jaffray raises Apple estimates on Mac OS X ‘Tiger’ release news – April 12, 2005
Apple’s Mac OS X ‘Tiger’ vs. Microsoft’s Windows ‘Longhorn’ – March 31, 2005
New Microsoft Longhorn chief was former Pepto-Bismol brand manager – March 18, 2005
Microsoft’s Longhorn fantasy vs. Apple’s Mac OS X reality – September 14, 2004
Is Microsoft’s stripped-down ‘Longhorn’ worth waiting for? – September 10, 2004
Silicon Valley: Apple CEO Steve Jobs previews ‘Longhorn’ – June 29, 2004
PC Magazine: Microsoft ‘Longhorn’ preview shows ‘an Apple look’ – May 06, 2004
Microsoft concerned that Longhorn’s look and feel will be copied if revealed too soon – August 25, 2003
Windows ‘Longhorn’ to add translucent windows that ripple and shrink by 2005 – May 19, 2003
The copycat game is always fun to watch. Although I consider Apple to be at the forefront of creative thinking, I’m sure Longhorn will have some creative and unique features that OSX will not.
Like security holes etc.
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The eyes continue to open.
… like bring back “Microsoft Bob” — Gate’s best code to date.
Bill Gates must feel sick reading this stuff. Ballmer is so thick skinned he won’t feel the pain…
“Indeed, many of the features that Gates demonstrated Monday – including shadowed, translucent windows as well as fancy, stutter-free animations – have been a part of the Mac OS since it was released in March 2001”
Ouch, that must hurt!
Microsoft might as well create a PPC emulator for x86 so that OS X 10.4 can be installed in PCs.
Nice to see journalists getting it right. And as for M$ copying OS X, since the Macintosh Business Unit are developers for Apple, I am sure they get a copy and details of every upgrade way before the general public and that it is not just the Mac BU that is looking at it.
Hold on, wasn’t XP the most significant release since Windows 95?
If it wasn’t, then are MS saying that they’ve spent the last ten years (well, over 11 by the time Longhorn ships if you use 24th August 1995 as your starting point) goofing off?
Ahh, good ol’ 1995. Boy, I remember those good ol’ days, when things were just simpler. These whippersnappers these days just don’t have the same values as we did back in 1995. At least one thing has endured over the ages: Windows still sucks all these years later. It’s nice to see tradition is still alive and well.
Scaled back security and flash and glitter imitation? And this company calls itself innovative? They can’t even focus on the number one issue for their customers: fixing a Swiss cheese OS to protect them from hackers. What a crying shame!
I hope their customers reward them with what they deserve: abandonment. But I have little hope that the lemmings will wise up.
“The most significant update since Windows 95”
What a misleading lie that is! That clearly implies that Longhorn is as big a step as W95 was. W95 altho crap, was a huge step from W31 which was nothing more than a glorified menu system.
Longhorn is more akin to the step from 95 to 98.
Unihorn
Well at least the PC(winXP) is better then Tiger. Windows Longhorn will be on top just like all windows verison. Unlike Apple Microsoft does not try and control everything and have high prices that no one except the rich can afford
Is Jason from this planet?
I sure am that is why I returned my macmini. It crashed more then my windows XP machine.