In 1989, Robert Brunner accepted the position of Director of Industrial Design at Apple Computer, where he provided design and direction for all Apple product lines, including the Newton and the PowerBook portable series, including the PowerBook 100 which moved the keyboard toward the screen, providing wrist rests up front and leaving an obvious place for a trackball; most portable computers now follow this design.
In January 1996 he became a partner in the San Francisco office of Pentagram and has designed products for PC-maker Dell and is now “moving deeper into Apple enemy territory as well: The graphics and images in Microsoft’s new operating system called Vista (formerly codenamed Longhorn) will be designed by the Apple vet,” BusinessWeek reports
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Windows czar Allchin says Apple copying Microsoft’s Windows Longhorn – April 27, 2005
eWEEK Editor Coursey: Longhorn so far ‘looks shockingly like a Macintosh’ – April 25, 2005
Due in late 2006, many of Windows Longhorn’s features have been in Mac OS X since 2001 – April 25, 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
Microsoft’s Windows Longhorn will bear more than just a passing resemblance to Apple’s Mac OS X – April 15, 2005
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
Putting a nice face on a turd is not going to make it more Apple like. ;o)
Hmmm, so all the Vista graphics are going to be in charcoal black or beige?
Steve Jobs was right, “they have no class”.
The hypocrites want to sue Google over some former employee and out the other side of their mouths they go hire a former Apple employee in their feeble attempt to copy Mac OS X. Good luck M$!
They’re putting perfume on a pig and calling it Vista (Stillborn).
Ah, Rock on Steve!
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
I hope they can get Vista to look as good as OS 9. Perhaps with Brunner they can.
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BUT HE’s NO JOHNATHAN IVES!!!
Apple kicked him to the side of the road when old Johnny boy showed up to play
go s&ck; the M$ teet, robby baby, your wash out
you can glaze the heck out of win turds all you want, it’s still a turd
Often imitated and duplicated, the great design works of Apple
but they will always be behind as they can’t innovate on their own
The blue-screen-of-death should look sleeker than ever with his design talent!
Doesnt matter. MS will still find some way to screw it up.
MS new slogan per Steve Ballmer memo: “Who do you want to f–king kill today”
The guy works for a company called Pentagram? Figures that a devil-worshipper would be in cahoots with Dell and MS.
Doesnt matter. MS will still find some way to screw it up.
That is oh so funny! And true too.
Couldn’t put it any better meself.
Amen, MacDude!
Poor Microsoft. They always get Apples hand-me-downs.
> …Pentagram? Figures that a devil-worshipper…
I hope you are not serious. A Pentagram is a geometric figure, nothing more. And if you had read your Faust (I) you would know that a well drawn Pentagram has the power to BAN the devil… 😉
(Could be useful in Ballmers presence)
I dislike windows (almost) as much as the next guy, but Pentagram are one the most influential design companies around today. If anyone can make it look good, they can.
http://www.pentagram.co.uk
(fyi: They’re called Pentagram as 5 people originally started it up)
Whatever good designs/intentions they come up with will be twisted and changed by the time it makes it through the Microsoft wringer.
Fucking traitor.
Microsoft continues it’s strategy of copying Apple and making everything “good enough” so people won’t switch.
I hope Jobs & Co have a second wind and take OS X and the hardware to the next level. Let those ass bags in Redmond copy Apple’s designs from 5 years ago.
Take it to the next level (again) Apple. Change the game on those posers.
Gee, the lack of maturity here is stunning. The guy did great work for Apple. The PowerBook 100 was a landmark in laptop design. He’s hasn’t worked at Apple for a long time; it’s not like he was “lured” away by MS. He’s part of a independent design firm that’s been hired to do a job. Sure, it’s pretty sad that MS can’t find the internal talent to accomplish the task, but that’s not Brunner’s fault.
It’s amazing how obvious a game of catch-up this is for M$ — more than any of their previous moves.
By the way, Jonathon Ive doesn’t design graphics. He’s an industrial designer of hardware.
Apple v1 had Steve Jobs & Woz
Apple v2, now insignificant, had Sculley, Spindler & Amelio.
Apple v3 started with the return of Steve Jobs
The dude in question was at Apple during the dark years- v2. I doubt anybody should give a sh*t.
God, you Apple users are embarassingly juvenile. I hope the comments on this thread don’t represent the level of maturity of the average Mac user…
I thought the original Powerbook line was a landmark of computer design. I still have my 165, and it’s running beautifully, even after 11 years.
The LC, too, had a great design, especially when matched with the 12″ displays.
So the guy got pissed at people like Sculley and Spindler and left Apple to build up something of his own. He’s a business man who has to pay his employees and for his kids’ tuition. He takes Billy Boy’s money, helps them a little bit to build a somewhat less ogreish user interface, and laughs all the way to the bank.
I fail to see why anyone should diss him. Like Steve Jobs, he makes a living off the ineptitude of MS.
John says: “God, you Apple users are embarassingly juvenile.”
Sweeping generalizations are generally used by 13-year-olds. Make a point, or stay silent.
I looked at Pentagrams web site http://www.pentagram.co.uk and its difficult to figure out what they do. I guess this is why M$ picked them to do their graphics. Sort of like click the “Start” button to “Shut Down”. Bill Gate is an evil genius.
John,
You need to turn your Juvinility© Filtering Processor™ on.
You seemed to have read past the articulate comments, while making an asinine comment yourself.
Welcome to MDN, and continue to read and post comments.
But, remember that the JFP™ is your friend, and it is cross platform.
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And be mindful of low energy levels and topic interference.
Don’t worry John, luckily it is just indicative of the readers here at MDN, and the maturity level is a direct reflection of the MDN “takes”.
There are plenty of Mac users out there who agree that the comments here are more times than not ridiculous.