“Microsoft had a surprise visitor at its WinHEC trade show this week in Seattle. Several representatives from Apple Computer were on hand to blatantly copy, er, see what Microsoft is up to. ‘I am attending WinHEC to keep tabs on what is happening in the industry and what Microsoft is looking to do over the next year,’ David Harrington, the manager of Apple’s hardware technology group admitted when asked. He declined to make any further comment, however. I will say this. I do know that Microsoft employees also attend Apple’s shows, including the World Wide Developer events. So clearly there’s some cross-pollination going on here,” Paul Thurrott writes for WindowsITPro.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Thurrott’s turning into quite the comedy writer lately. In case he’s actually serious, according to Microsoft, the following groups should attend WinHEC 2006:
• All hardware engineers and designers who want more technical information about changes in hardware and Windows architecture and features: See Apple iPod.
• All driver developers and testers who want more technical information about Windows Driver Foundation, other driver architectures, and tools: See Apple iPod, iTunes for Windows, QuickTime for Windows, Bonjour for Windows, etc.
Apple develops products that work with Windows. Of course they would be at WinHEC.
And what exactly is there for Apple to copy? Bad copies of their own work? That would be weirdly derivative, huh? Perhaps Apple could copy constantly missed and perpetually slipping shipping dates? Or a poorly-thought-out “parade” effect so they can make Exposé less productive? How about ways to constantly annoy the end user with never-ending “User Account Protection” dialog boxes? How to gin up apathy over vaporware? Maybe how to make windows that are too translucent (even though they already toned that down years ago in Mac OS X)? Maybe, Apple could steal some general tips for creating confusing, unproductive and ugly user interfaces? Or how to pacify mutinous employees with free towels?
Let’s face it, the only companies whose products would benefit from copying Microsoft are Hoover, Dyson, Electrolux, Oreck, etc.
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MDN: “Let’s face it, the only companies whose products would benefit from copying Microsoft are Hoover, Dyson, Electrolux, Oreck, etc.”
HILARIOUS! I think I peed a little.
thurrott@windowsitpro.com
just in case you wanted to remind him to use his brain
Through thick & thin, Thurrott has consistently proven that he can be a tool.
Fanboys, man your battle stations! Of course Apple and MS look at what each other is doing. If you read Thurrott’s WinSupersite, he has done a fair job of dissecting the good and bad of Vista. Look at the screenshots of Windows Media Player 11. Hopefully Apple WILL steal some of MS’s ideas for the next iTunes. The new WMP interface makes great use of album art and stacks.
At least Oreck offers a money back guarantee on it’s products. And Dyson takes pride in it’s sucking power. Perhaps Microsoft should merge with Dyson?
nice…a copy of a copy…basically someone copying Microsoft would be like the messed up clone in Multiplicity. “I like widgets Stheve!”
ANYONE not keeping an eye on their competition is as stupid as Thurrott for phoning this article in.
i cant think of a more inefficient way of browsing my music (a lot of it|) than looking at album artwork.
ya think MS has some good ideas now and then? YES. YES THEY DO.
One must be in possession of the thought organ in order to use it.
As I see it one of the main reasons would be to grudgingly keep tabs on Windows so that they can ensure their machines continue to network with Windows machines etc. Microsoft certainly aren’t interested in making sure stuff works together so someone has to do it.
i agree with andy…album art is probably the last thing I think of when I’m trying to remember a song.
Especially since I buy so many physical CD’s now…oh wait…
i actually don’t consider Vista to be ugly myself. XP certainly is an eyesore, but I find the Aero Glass style to be non-offensive. The longevity of the widespread translucency is something to be seen to, however.
Once OS X loses its cosmetic advantage, its immediate appeal to the masses will be greatly softened.
On the contrary….Apple’s visit, could allow them to keep a closer eye on Microsoft “infringing” upon Apple’s patents….along with the direction of Microsoft in general. We already know Microsoft has ripped off Apple’s OSX features for Vista (Spotlight, Widgets, etc), so maybe Apple will actually get involved now, in order top stop the TRUE thieves!
>> Perhaps Apple could copy constantly missed and perpetually slipping shipping dates?
Actually, Microsoft stole that from Apple too… the Copeland fiasco…. What next? They buy their next generation OS?
that’s quite an assumption: “Once OS X loses its cosmetic advantage, its immediate appeal to the masses will be greatly softened.”, remember 10.5 is due before Vista. Besides it’s not just the form that is important but the content even more so.
Clearly Thurott posted that to poke a little fun at the Mac crowd and it certainly had the predictable, intended reaction he expected.
Dyson: An innovative product with a pipeline that is unmatched in its rich user experience. Sucking with richness and innovation sums up our company moto.
Oh, and we supply all our employees with towels.
MW: death.
Does M$ blatantly copy features from Apple? Of course. If in the windows folks come up with a good idea, should Apple copy it? They should…
Case in point: the two button mouse. Yes,
Apple all but invented the mouse and the GUI some time before Windows. But the Windows folks improved upon it with the additional button, and it took Apple years to admit it when they finally came up with the Mighty Mouse. Apple’s failure to latch onto the concept sooner is almost incomprehensible, and smacks of an almost delusional intellectual snobbery.
M$ is not afraid or ashamed to adapt, adopt and improve (aka “stealing”) ideas, concepts and whatever from anyone else. Why should Apple be? Not doing this is tantamount to bringing a knife to a gunfight, except that a gunfight does have some rules…
So, visiting a trade show to see what MS is up to constitutes copying. Gimmie a break.
Actually, I’ve found that encouraging others to copy Microsoft is very useful. Yeh-heh-hehesssssss . . . whenever I start dating a new bitch, I always tell her to study de history of Microsoft before our first hook-up.
That way she’ll be a truly worthwhile date when we finally go out. I mean, who better to teach her how to suck than Microsoft?
Thurrott?
More like: Thuridiot.
SHA-ZZZZAM!
of course, I have not and will not visit his web site. thanks once again MDN for informing me without getting dirty, and adding to this web hit counter.
Triumph:
You are one classy guy, take it from me.
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There actually are some benefits to a 1-button mouse.
Example: if you are left handed, 2-button mice on a shared computer is really crappy.
Being left-handed, I’ve always appreciated 1 button mice.
Should we even bother paying attention to this Turd-head or even MDN should keep quoting him?
Thurrot… Oops. I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.
Panther Lover
“Once OS X loses its cosmetic advantage, its immediate appeal to the masses will be greatly softened.”
I have a feeling that people will still dislike all the malare issues they’ll (still) be facing…
@ Ronin:
E X A C T L Y.
Thurrot at his trolliest orchestrates yet another MDN reaction. He must’ve needed to fill a “hit” quota for his site before the end of the month. Thurrot: “Thanks MDN!”.
clyde,
Apple debuted contextual menus with Mac OS 8 which was released in July 1997. Since then, Mac users could Control-Click and/or use a third-party mouse to “right-click.” Control-Click in July 1997 was Apple’s “two-button” mouse. Notice that the Mighty Mouse still defaults to one-button and that is for a reason – Apple consitently does the same or more with less complexity.
So, Apple “latched onto the concept” nearly a decade ago.
First learn your history, then comment.
You would have to an idiot to think that the high priced talent Redmond can afford has come up with NO good ideas…of course they have. There are pieces of what Windows does that are great… but in the aggregate it’s system that is trying to do many, many things well due to it’s nature and the need to work in a multitude of environments. So…it fails, in some rather spectacular ways. Corporations adapted by hiring IT pros who are there to keep it all running. That’s the landscape and the status quo now.
I know plenty of people who use PC’s and get along just fine with them and who are completely confused by the Mac…
BUT…since I’m a mac user since 1985 and now support about 40 of them I have converted quite a few people. Some people really will be happier with a PC…for a number of reasons (they have existing experience or a machine they inherited or use it only for the kids homework and email or have a built in tech person…brother, husband, sister, cousin)…
For others the Mac is like heaven opened it’s gates just for them. It’s clearly more intuitive for beginners. But there are always little problems and some macs have bigger ones to deal with..trust me…they really do (I’ve had to use Data Rescue to save a couple of Mac Minis recently) and teach people how to use Disk Warrior (pretty easy) and Cocktail (a little harder) to keep their systems running in good order. So…we WILL see
a merging of the best ideas from both platforms…that’s GOOD thing.
“…Windows folks improved upon it with the additional button…”
The original PARC mouse had three buttons, so that blows that theory, or should I say that theory blows.
Guys like Thurrot have to beleive this kind of crap because otherwise they’d have to face reality that Apple is the tail that wags the dog in the PC business.
Me personally when I first heard about this, I thought, Apple’s going there to make sure MS doesn’t rip off anything and doesn’t intentionally cripple iTunes.
MW hell, as in Apple will copy MS when hell…
Thurrott you are in the wrong line of work. Go to your Mother and find out who’s your Daddy.
Apple copies MS when it suits them, and if MS happens to come up with something good which they do from time to time.
Two button mice, right-click and if I had time to research it, I’m sure I could find plenty of other examples.
Clyde,
IIRC the multi-button mouse goes back to the 1960’s.
At one point didn’t the mouse concept have 4-5 buttons? Apple wanted things as simple as possible, and stubbornly held onto the one-button model.
MS didn’t innovate anything; they simply made a different choice.
I figured when I read Thurrott’s article that I’d find a rant about it here. Everyone copies everyone, Apple is no different, end of story. Remember Konfabulator? Two button mice? Scroll mice? Xerox’s GUI??? Fast user switching? Context menus for mice? The only real difference between Apple and the rest is Apple tries to make you think they actually invented the idea, even when they’re blatantly ripping someone else off. (Konfabulator is the best example, and to be fair, they admitted getting 1-up’ed with the fast user switching)
I’ve seen the light!! Microsoft is the true innovative company. Apple follows. Now I understand. Since Apple couldn’t follow up with the success of DOS, they had to create a crappy copy called MacOS. Since it was such a bad copy, Microsoft had to show those guys in California how to do it, and they created Windows. Since then, Apple has been chasing after Windows coats, trying to match the stability, security and high quality interface of Windows XP with a much inferior product called Mac OS X.
OK, this is the new divine truth. Let’s just rewrite the history. Kids, forget about Apple. Microsoft invented the GUI. Hey, let’s also say Microsoft invented the personal computer. Why can’t we also say Microsoft invented innovation?
Perhaps they will also copyright that too.
That covers the companies that make products that suck, yes. But what about companies which makes things that blow? Conair, Carrier, Black & Decker, Fleer — these businesses could also learn a thing or two from Microsoft’s innovation.
I’ve had ham sandwiches with more intelligence than this guy.
They buy their next generation OS?
MS could never do that.
MS would want to take a successful, WORKING OS, and “merge” it into Windows. They’d want a thousand new features, full backward compatibility, and the ability to boot off an 800k floppy.
Buying an OS would only deepen the Vista morass, and delay the new Windows at least another five years (or until MS gives up again).
Either way it’s a win-win deal for Apple.
MacDailyRant, there’s a difference:
Xerox (actually, some engineers at PARC) invented the GUI and the mouse, but the big suits hated the idea, and they were never going to make it commercial.
Despite what is shown in “Pirates of Silicon Valley” ( don’t take me wrong, i love the movie), Apple approached Xerox to learn about the technology, and it was a legal knowledge transfer. Xerox knew what Apple wanted to do. In fact, most of the PARC staff that invented the GUI went to work for Apple. it was not “loot, pillage and plunder”.
Microsoft story is different: The had access to the Mac to build software, and while the were bulding the software in one office, they were copying it at the next one. The were stealing it. THAT was a ripoff.
There’s a big difference between Apple’s “ripoff” to Xerox and Microsoft ripoff to Apple.
Several representatives from Apple Computer were on hand…
And they were viewed in awe and respect too. According to what I witnessed.
I actually saw a Microserf create a puddle of pee when he saw that Apple shirt logo.
Oh yes, they got a visit from the very best in the industry. I wish I had a camera to capture their expressions.
the only companies whose products would benefit from copying Microsoft are Hoover, Dyson, Electrolux, Oreck, etc.
Those companies need to ship well-desinged, well-built, and reliable products.
Copying MS would put them out of business.
Any good product designer will always have their eye on the competition! Apple would be very stupid if they didn’t. Also MS must keep their eye on Apple.
All this talk about MS copies Apple and Apple copies MS, is just stupid. It’s more of who is leading and who is following. Who is adding value through product innovation and who is trying to keep up.
This is the very reason why MS and Apple need each other etc.
wmd
Steve Jobs worked a deal with Xerox to borrow elements of the PARC for the first Mac GUI.
Microsoft just stole it.
>> Perhaps Apple could copy constantly missed and perpetually slipping shipping dates?
>Actually, Microsoft stole that from Apple too… the Copeland fiasco…
Except that Apple never announced any release dates for Copland. There were no “perpetually slipping dates” for Copland. Or Gershwin.
And except for the nukernel, pretty much all the new stuff scheduled for Copland ended up being rolled into various classic Mac OS releases, starting around 8.1, up through 9.0.
I won’t go to Thurrott’s site, he isn’t getting hits from me, but I am curious as to where is the list?
What has Apple copied from M$?
What has M$ copied from Apple?
BTW – Since Apple owns NEXT, anything M$ stole from them, ultimately counts as a steal from Apple.
triumph i havnt tried that one, but i like it.
sorta like, “girl just do what microsoft does only wetter.”
Vista is not an OS X rip off-it is a SUSE linux/kde ripoff.
guess Thurrott wasn’t really listening to any of the WinHEC presentations.. if he had been pay attention he might have noticed all the stuff in Vista already exists on a Mac.
but.. he was busy giggling about… some Apple employees at a show that reveals ZERO top secret information..
PT, pass the crack pipe buddy.
What has Apple copied from M$?
–Long file names
–Fast user switching
–Cloning
–Fast application switching via the keyboard
–Symmetric multiprocessing
–A calculator with more than 4 functions
–Protected memory
–Support for file extensions
Big deal. Its called “competition.” Companies are always looking at what their competitors are up to and seeing if they can improve. Apple took fast user switching and application switching to a whole other level. I hope M$ can improve upon some things Apple has done. Otherwise things would be pretty dull.
Hey, all of you grumpy cranks have a good weekend. I’m out.
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Ha ha ha hahahahahahahaha!!!!!! Oh man, that is a good one thorrett!! That is a GOOD ONE!!!!
no but seriosly, what a doushbag
Calm down, kiddies. Its nap time. Milk and cookies later when you wake up.
Ampar:
There is only one organ that Thurott has in his possession.
Thurott being tongue-in-cheek.
Clearly MDN is too defensive to figure it out and took him too seriously.
Let's face it, the only companies whose products would benefit from copying Microsoft are Hoover, Dyson, Electrolux, Oreck, etc.Loved this line. Reminded me of a joke I heard years and years ago:
The only way Microsoft could make a product that didn’t suck was if it started making vacums.
“Xerox knew what Apple wanted to do. In fact, most of the PARC staff that invented the GUI went to work for Apple. it was not “loot, pillage and plunder””
Not to mention I beleive that they actually paid for this info with Apple stock.
Just because it’s friday and I’m sick:
Rubes!
Enjoy your weekend.
Someone should take Thurrot to see X-Men 3. He’d ask “Which one of them is Superman?”
Tool.
Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates are lovers in the biblical sense.
Their offspring is Thurrott, which beget Windows, which begat Symantec, which begat Viruses, which begat Trojans, which if any of them wore one in the first place we wouldn’t be in this mess.
Amen, praise Jobs.
Tis a shame Microsoft couldn’t copy Apple’s stability and security, much less match Apple for expected release dates of its operating systems.
Paul, would you please be more specific what exactly Apple would have to gain from Microsoft or would you rather admit you made a presumptuous and preposterous guess based on your own ignorance.
You don’t know the history of MDN removing my posts. I do.
From John Gruber, http://daringfireball.net/
“…it won’t be good for Mac users if Vista turns out to be a dud. It might be good for Apple, but it won’t be good for Mac users. What would be good for Mac users is for Windows Vista to ship with innovative new features that are worth ripping off in a future version of Mac OS X. Put another way: the better Windows is, the more pressure Apple is under to improve Mac OS X.”
Right on, John. Right on.
Soyuz, you’ve always been able to use file extensions in Mac OS. But only the Mac gave you the option of not using them if you preferred.
As for Apple clinging to the one-button mouse, it’s not intellectually snobbery but a simplistic design philosophy that it doesn’t want to compromise. The Mighty Mouse was an acknowledgement that even if Apple had valid reasons for sticking with a one-button mouse, it was losing potential switchers who wouldn’t consider anything with less than two buttons (or didn’t realize that the Mac supported third-party multi-button mouses).
Macowner,
If you think Windows Media Player 11 has a great interface with parts worth stealing then you’ve only been a Mac owner long enough to download Boot Camp and instal XP.
There’s more in that box than a great looking piece of hardware, you know.
The Mac comes with a great OS that actually works. You should try it out sometime.
Really, only a dyed in the wool Windows fan boy could love the way Windows Media Player 11 operates. I reminds me of Windows ME.
Shudder.
FactChecker:
“Apple debuted contextual menus with Mac OS 8 which was released in July 1997. Since then, Mac users could Control-Click and/or use a third-party mouse to “right-click.” Control-Click in July 1997 was Apple’s “two-button” mouse. Notice that the Mighty Mouse still defaults to one-button and that is for a reason – Apple consitently does the same or more with less complexity.”
So, what’s less complex, a right mouse button or a keyboard mouse combination?
And wmd made eloquently made my point. I second.
Guys, it’s a computer, not a f#$%ing religion.
Conner,
File name extensions became mandatory in Apple’s interface guidelines in 2001. It went from something that you could use to something you had to use (although you can choose to hide them, they’re still there).
Things that Windows PCs had before Apple Macs
–True SMP where the OS handles sharing the load between the CPUs
–Support for more then two proccessors (in reality, theoretical means nothing)
–memory management where the app only takes up as much memory as is needed, not a large block of memory to do everything and hope it doesn’t need more
–keyboard access to the OS so you can control the GUI without the mouse
–Java 2 support
–ACL support for the file system or even just a file system that supports permissions
–preemptive multitasking
–protected memory
–optical mice
–PCI support
–USB suport
–Context sensitive windows
–alt-tab switching
–“send to” menu
–multiple user logins
–bios passwords
–command line
–AGP support
–transparency support (Win2k)
–OpenGL
–3d sound api
–file extensions
At the VERY top of the article: “An often irreverent look at some of the week’s other news”
“Clearly Thurott posted that to poke a little fun at the Mac crowd and it certainly had the predictable, intended reaction he expected.”
“Clearly MDN is too defensive to figure it out and took him too seriously.”
—> <b>Agreed.<b> PT is being tongue-in-cheek. Get over it.
Another interesting tid-bit from the page:
————————————
</i>”Google has struck a lucrative deal with PC giant Dell that will see Google’s desktop, toolbar, search engine, and home page added to all consumer and medium-sized business PCs shipped by Dell. “Windows lacks certain features, and Dell figured out a way to add them,” says Google CEO Eric Schmidt.”</i>
Think Dell may be a little miffed because of Vista’s delay?
“What has Apple copied from M$?
–Long file names”
LOL…. Are you being sarcastic here?
While DOS/Windows supported only 8 characters for filenames until Win95, the Mac OS 1.x-9.x could support 32 chars from the beginning in 1984, which is much better.
Sure it was expanded to something like 256 in OS X, but do you seriously think they got the idea from Microsoft? Please…
Expanding the max length of file names on the Mac became obvious the day someone tried to name a file with more than 32 chars, no need for an external inspiration…
Doing this kind of expansion on a file system is not simple and can cause all sorts of problems. Apple did it relatively seamlessly, but in Windows 95 it was a nightmare, it was so bad that MS themselves kept using the 8.3 format for system files.
The funny thing is that 10 years after, files using the 8.3 convention are still all over the place in XP. What a great idea, name vital parts of the OS with cryptic 8 characters name like MDSTK343.DLL… (Hmm what’s that, a MiniDisk Stick driver?)
–Things that Windows PCs had before Apple Macs
We’re talking about Apple copying MS, not “Windows PCs”.
–True SMP where the OS handles sharing the load between the CPUs
Right, Windows PCs had that before the Mac, but Apple didn’t copy MS on that, it was just a logical evolution of any OS.
–Support for more then two proccessors (in reality, theoretical means nothing)
If it means nothing, why do you write it? There was Quad Processor Macs in 1996 using the classic MacOS. Win95 couldn’t do this, only WinNT (which was not the consumer OS).
–memory management where the app only takes up as much memory as is needed, not a large block of memory to do everything and hope it doesn’t need more
Common misconception here. Mac OS classic apps could request more memory if they wanted. Settings were to set the minimum memory required by an app.
–keyboard access to the OS so you can control the GUI without the mouse
You are right about this, but again I don’t see how Apple could have copied MS on this. It’s a logical evolution, and it didn’t happen until OS X because it would have been too complicated to implement on the legacy Mac OS.
–Java 2 support
Yeah I’m sure MS was responsible for that… Where is built-in Java support in Windows now?
–ACL support for the file system or even just a file system that supports permissions
The Mac OS file system supports file permissions since it started to support local area networking, which is around 1984.
–preemptive multitasking
–protected memory
You are trying to argue that Apple copied MS on this? NeXT had this long before any version of Windows.
–optical mice
I guess you are talking about the newer kind of optical mice, but I used an optical mouse in 1986 on a Mac.
–PCI support
–USB suport
These are not Microsoft inventions, and they were quickly adopted by Apple.
–Context sensitive windows
I’m not sure what you mean by that…
–alt-tab switching
Ok that’s the only one in your list that makes sense in the context of the article. Though alt-tab switching wasn’t invented by MS, Apple did copy MS implementation, and made it better in some respect (You can quit an app while switching)
–“send to” menu
Lol are you talking about the service menu in OS X? It directly descends from NeXT.
–multiple user logins
You are right that PCs got it first, but again it’s just an obvious feature that had been done before.
–bios passwords
Apple decided to wait for OpenFirmware, which was much better than BIOS (which Macs never had)
–command line
The Mac was about getting rid of it, but if anything, Apple “copied” UNIX.
–AGP support
Same thing as PCI.
–transparency support (Win2k)
Then how come no part of the OS used it? You could do transparent windows in OS 7-9 too. But it’s one thing to have the top window transparent, it’s another to have multiple layers of transparent objects with changing content (and that didn’t happen in Win2k either)
–OpenGL
Again, not an MS invention. OpenGL was designed to be cross-platform, and it just took some more time for Apple/SGI to implement it on the Mac.
–3d sound api
I’m not sure what to say about this one, it’s an obvious feature, and it’s overrated. Apple was 1 year late compared to Win 95. But let’s say you got this one right too…
–file extensions
The Mac had file extensions since 1984, they were just not visible without a tool. It enabled a 4 character extension for Type and another 4 for Creator. In my opinion, it was a much better system akin to metadata. The only reason Apple went with .zzz file name extensions in OS X was to get more compatible with Windows and UNIX.
–Things that Windows PCs had before Apple Macs
We’re talking about Apple copying MS, not “Windows PCs”.italics
No, we’re talking about things things that Windows PCs had before Apple Macs.
What came out on Macs first:
http://www.mackido.com/Innovation/
Covers 1981-1999, but it’s more than enough to determine who’s the leader and who’s the follower for certain people who are ignorant of the historical timeline and which company is most responsible for consistently driving the personal computer forward.
Does M$ blatantly copy features from Apple? Of course. If in the windows folks come up with a good idea, should Apple copy it? They should…
Case in point: the two button mouse. Yes,
Apple all but invented the mouse and the GUI some time before Windows. But the Windows folks improved upon it with the additional button, and it took Apple years to admit it when they finally came up with the Mighty Mouse. Apple’s failure to latch onto the concept sooner is almost incomprehensible, and smacks of an almost delusional intellectual snobbery.
M$ is not afraid or ashamed to adapt, adopt and improve (aka “stealing”) ideas, concepts and whatever from anyone else. Why should Apple be? Not doing this is tantamount to bringing a knife to a gunfight, except that a gunfight does have some rules…
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Wrong…the two button mouse was around before windows or the mac os for that matter. Apple made the choice to use the one button mouse instead of a multi button mouse. These are completely ignorant statements. You may also be surprised to know that the Lisa that was in development at the same time as the Mac at one point had the menu items on the top of every window way before Windows (anything). The idea was dropped. It seems to me MS has been doing the overwhelming majority of ripping off. They need to. MS seems void of original thought.
Edgumacate yourself:
http://www.folklore.org/index.py
Well, I’ve decided to come up with my own OS. Give me a few minutes. Right back.
Thanks for clarifying that Soyuz. But my statement that “only the Mac gave you the option of not using filename extensions” stands. If we didn’t need to share files with Windows there’d be no need for them.
This is Thurott’s brain at work – I’m at a dull Win conference – how I do incite the most page views … what Apple thing could I write to get people work up in a lather … what do i care if it’s true or not … He, Enderle & Dvorak should make their own web buttons to put on their pages … some weird …
PRESS THE MAC USER HOT BUTTON
Don’t Care Don’t Care
I’ll never visit that site again.
Mac Daily N word of the day – Death. lol So true.
Two-Button mouse, a Microsoft invention or innovation??? GIVE ME A BREAK!!!
There were two- and even three-button mice BEFORE Windows.
What’s more: The right button in Windows was almost useless until the released Windows 95. Windows 3.1 and before, I don’t remember EVER using the right button (perhaps for a determined video game, but never for the operating system).
In the other hand, some UNIX GUIs made use of 3 buttons. AND… CHACHACHACHAAAAN!!! In 1990, 5 year before Windows 95, NeXT was releasing mice with 2 button (I still have one!)
So…. come on!
Hey, about the 2 button mouse, just to complete the idea:
The INVENTORS of the mouse and GUI, XEROX, invented the mouse with 3 buttons. Don’t believe me? Here it is:
http://www.oldmouse.com/articles/xerox/Alto.shtml
How is it for innovation now, uh?
More mouse:
I remember having an original Mac brochure, titled “If you can point, you can use a Mac”, with a breakdown of the machine.
On the mouse section, I remember the text under the mouse (not verbatim, but I remember):
“Most mice have two-button. The Mac mouse has only one, so you can’t use the wrong button”.
First, Apple acknowledges the mouse ALREADY exists.
Second, the 2 button mice had multi-function (mostly enter-cancel-delete).
The one-button idea was introduced to simplify the use of the mouse, and it stuck for over 10 years.
My letter to Paul
Paul,
Does it really matter if Apple copies MS? For years MS did the same thing, did anyone care? The only people who cared were Apple users, Windows users just went ahead and enjoyed the tech. Today if Apple copies MS, no one will really care, except perhaps yourself.
I used to think OS X’s Dock was a copy of Windows’ Taskbar until I realized the NeXTStep dock predated Windows 95. There are very few things Microsoft does first.
To be fair, though, I think MS was touting its Sidebar before Dashboard. But Dashboard does it better. (Just like Expose does it better than Flip 3D, etc)
FORGIVE THIS MAN. FOR HE IS A N00B.
THE MAC PRAYER
Our Apple, who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy Name,
Thy Macintosh come,
Thy will be done,
On Intel as it is in PPC.
Sell us this day our daily songs
And forgive us our use of PCs,
But we won’t forgive those
Who break our leg’s.
And lead us not into Virtual PC,
But deliver us from Windows.
For thine is the Mac,
And the power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
That prayer is very, very good.
I will pray that every night now on. I think this can all be settled by saying:
Apple make everything, Windowz copies it badly and then sells it to the masses with a very large price tag..
the next 5 years will prove important for both OS’s
I will put a faximilie of his whole article on my site , then you don´t have to visit his site and give him any ad-revenue !
Heck, here it is :
See, I Told You Apple Copies Microsoft
And finally, Microsoft had a surprise visitor at its WinHEC 2006 trade show this week in Seattle. Several representatives from Apple Computer were on hand to blatantly copy, er, see what Microsoft is up to. “I am attending WinHEC to keep tabs on what is happening in the industry and what Microsoft is looking to do over the next year,” David Harrington, the manager of Apple’s hardware technology group admitted when asked. He declined to make any further comment. I will say this: I do know that Microsoft employees also attend Apple’s shows, including the World Wide Developer events. So clearly there’s some cross-pollination going on here.
mdn word: hours as in pauls mother used to many hours to give birth to paul..
Bummer…. I promise to never do this again…
mdn word : simple as in ; a simple check would have shown me that the whole”articele” was on top of this page…. *ashamed*