“Sometimes I wonder how Apple CEO Steve Jobs can sleep at night. He appears to spend half his waking hours ridiculing Microsoft’s admittedly behind-schedule operating system, Windows Vista, for copying Mac OS X features. But this week at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), he announced ten new features for Leopard, the next version of OS X, most of which will seem more than vaguely familiar to Windows users. I’m not dim: Microsoft does copy Apple on a fairly regular basis. But seriously, Steve. Apple’s just as bad,” Paul Thurrott writes for Paul Thurrott’s SuperSite for Windows,
Thurrott writes, “More important, perhaps, is that the new OS X features that Jobs and company announced this week aren’t, by and large, all that impressive. Two of the new features–Time Machine and Spaces–are valuable additions to OS X and worth discussing, though both, interestingly, have been done before in other OSes. The other Leopard features Apple announced, alas, are almost all a complete waste of time. They’re the types of things one might expect of a minor, interim update, or from free Web downloads. They are certainly not major features as Jobs claimed.”
Thurrott writes, “OK, enough Jobs bashing. The guy’s a visionary and truly important presence in the industry, and it will be a sad, sad day when he steps down from his post at Apple and fades into the sunset. (The reality of this possibility seemed all the more real this week. Am I the only one that though Jobs looked oddly gaunt and sickly during the WWDC keynote?) But as I’ve often said of Apple and Jobs: They do good work. It’s too bad they feel the need to exaggerate so much… I have to admit to being a bit shocked by how childish Apple is about Vista. Say what you will about Microsoft (heck, I do), but the company is at least deferential to its customers in public, about as far from smug as is humanly possible, and it very rarely takes pointed shots at the competition. From the opening PC guy video (“Widgets, gadgets… completely different. They are their own thing. Just like Aqua. I mean, uh, Aero.”) to the last moments of the keynote, Jobs and company unleashed a never-ending, tireless diatribe against Microsoft and its upcoming Windows Vista release.”
Thurrott covers the 10 parts of Leopard that Steve Jobs showed – of course, there are “top secret” parts not shown for competitive reasons – and spends a considerable amount of time stating his opinion (no facts get in the way) about which company thought of which idea first in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We agree with Thurrott. No, not with his ludicrous assertion that Apple is “just as bad” about copying Microsoft as Microsoft is about copying Apple; all you need to do is look at the OSes today: Mac’s GUI came first and, thanks to a bad contract by Apple’s lawyers, Windows came later… and keeps coming today, like heartburn. We all use a Mac in one form (the real thing) or another (an upside-down and backwards insecure knock-off) today. It’s plainly obvious to anyone with working eyeballs that, overall, Microsoft is the copier and Apple the originator. And, gasp, yes, Apple does find ideas elsewhere – even from Microsoft ocassionally. The difference is that Apple refines the ideas to make them actually useful and intuitive to people. And, really now, let’s give poor addled Paul a break: he’s been running a website that’s been waiting for something, anything to talk about for half a decade since Windows XP was released (October 2001)!
What we agree with Thurrott about is that Apple needs to relax with the Microsoft jabs.
Note that, unlike Thurrott, we do understand Marketing 101: #1 should not take shots at or even mention #2. #2 is free to pound #1 every chance it gets. For example, you rarely see Coke mention Pepsi, but a lot of what Pepsi does mentions Coke. It would only hurt Coke by elevating Pepsi to a status of being worthy to comment upon and it only helps Pepsi to be constantly associating with and comparing themselves favorably to #1 Coke. So, Apple is executing plays from the basic marketing playbook with their Microsoft attacks.
But, while we Macheads love it all, the rest of the world doesn’t. And Apple doesn’t need to lower themselves either (that’s also why Jobs himself didn’t deliver the main body of the Microsoft zingers in yesterday’s presentation, by the way, he left that seciton to a subordinate). In reality, Apple holds “number one” status already: Mac OS X Tiger is roundly and almost universally acclaimed over Windows XP and what exists of Vista today. Even by Paul Thurrott. Apple may not have number one market share, but they can still take the high road here. People are interested in Macs right now. Only Macs can run Mac OS X and Windows. Nobody else can adequately compete. If Apple would cut the petty sniping, they’d attract a lot more Mac converts much more quickly than they are now. Nobody likes to be told that the last PC for which they paid what they consider to be a good chunk of change is “dull” and equated with a pudgy not-so-bright dork in a yawner of a suit. Just tell them about Mac OS X and leave Windows out of the conversation. A quiet confidence will speak louder than taunts right now. (We can keep taunting to our hearts’ content right here.)
So, Apple, put those WWDC banners in storage, can the wise-ass attitude, and just let the Mac speak for itself. It’s quite capable.
And don’t worry about Leopard. It’s too early to make any judgments. What you saw yesterday was a preview of some features, many of them minor filler, certainly not the whole ball of wax by a longshot. With Leopard, the best is yet to come.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Thurrott: Microsoft collapsing under its own weight, Gates has driven Windows Vista into the ground – April 20, 2006
Thurrott: Microsoft going to get eaten alive over Windows Vista’s resemblance to Apple’s Mac OS X – March 09, 2006
Actually Thorin’s example is pretty poor since it completely ignores the concept of tone and attitude. In any case, I mostly agree with the MDN take (which is not that common, so I feel I should mention it when I do).
If you’re looking for a pat on the back for owning a Mac, then the smug attitude will suit you just fine. However, most of us Mac owners aren’t looking for empty reassurances of our worth as human beings, so the attitude seems a bit over the top.
I do think Thurrott is correct in how Jobs tends to exaggerate things, but that’s mostly a matter of opinion.
And after writing this article Thuroot puts his kneepads back on and crawls under Ballmers desk.
I now believe that the MDN takes are done by different people.
I say jab their eyes out Apple. If I get one more Windows user crying to me about some Windows PC that I told them not to buy, I’ll scream. I have not heard one complaint from the people that have taken my recommedation to buy a Mac and it feels good.
Captain Huh? take is spot on.
Re: Steve’s Health
I went through the posted videos of WWDC 2205, MacWorld 2006, and WWDC 2006. The quality of the WWDC 2006 isn’t as good as the others (which you could choose a higher resolution). The current stream is also rather dark and red-shifted.
In the first two, you will notice Steve has a bit of a love handle. These are gone in the WWDC 2006. It is obviously he has lost some weight, but he now seems more trim and athletic than the earlier ones.
Perhaps, in this over-weight country, we prefer a little fat on people. Perhaps to make ourselves feel better.
But, Steve’s overall stature, stride and voice all seem fine in the latest video and no longer sports a noticeable belly.
My opinion is that Steve is back to a more normal weight and athletic build, and no longer looks like most pudgy Americans.
Comparison pics here…
I tried to color correct the most recent one to compensate for the poor video quality.
would anyone really be complaining if Microsoft took Apple’s ideas and made them better? I don’t think so and I know I wouldn’t. It would push Apple further…right now…the only company pushing Apple is Apple’s last release.
Seriously Microsoft…copy all you want…just improve it. If Vista was more like Leopard from the get-go then that’d be great…Leopard would have to be a step above that. Microsoft’s back-up should have looked more like Time Machine in it’s second release. If you improve something it’s not copying…it’s inspiration, and there is nothing wrong with that.
realist,
Your comment about “tone and attitude” is exactly what I’m talking about. What the hell should Apple do when talking about their products (at their own flipping developers conference, I might add)?
I suppose they should say something like:
“Uh, excuse us, we don’t mean to me rude, but uhm, well, this piece of OS X is better than, pardon, Vista. We’re so sorry to say it, we don’t want to come accross as rude or “smug” or like we think we make better stuff than, beg your pardon, Microsoft…”
The complete Thurrott article is actually pretty well written. It’s actually pretty fair about some of the features of Leopard vs. Vista.
MDN’s quote of the article doesn’t really give an accurate portrayal of it.
For example, Thurrott says,
“Give Apple some credit for getting to market first–by a long shot–and doing a fantastic job of implementing features that Microsoft, frankly, may never get right.”
Of course, this was never mentioned in MDN’s summary.
“Apple should start acting less like me.” — Paul Thurrot
MDN, can you please NOT post more ‘stories’ from Thurrott, please? He’s horribly annoying. Isn’t he the one who says he purposely ‘baits’ Mac users with his crazy ‘stories’.
I just read the entire article. What Paul still doesn’t get is that Vista has not shipped yet. He still claims that Apple ripped off Spotlight from Vista, even though Tiger has been shipping with Spotlight for quite some time now. Paul points out that Windows Server 2003 has had “Time Machine”s features for years, yet Windows Server 2003 is clearly not a consumer operating system.
Paul acknowledges that Vista blatantly rips off iCal.
Paul denies that Vista’s appearance rips off Mac OS X’s appearance, saying that Microsoft made it clear from the start that the new interface was going to look that way. (that is, that it will rip off Mac OS X…)
Paul acknowledges that Vista will still have its crappy registry and dlls and inherent brittle-ness that comes with them.
It seemed like his entire point was that Apple is “bad” because they ripped off Spotlight from Vista, because they ripped off Time Machine from Windows Server 2003, and because they are making fun of Microsoft for playing catch-up with Mac OS X.
In short, this article by Paul is an admission of Vista’s problems and a cry for Apple to stop being bean and hurting his feelings.
Wow thelt, you go from one extreme to the other. I’m not exactly sure what you think that proves.
Time Machine looks a lot like Shadow Volume Copy on Win2K3 MS Server, which is itself only an implementation of VMS’es versioning, circa 1979…
It is a way cool feature, very useful and I personally don’t care that Windows had an implementation first.
It’s not available on Windows’s XP Home, afaik, and barring buying an $N00/seat licence from MS, the backup cannot bestored on another volume, as, apparently, can Time Machine.
MDN MW: strength, as in OS X moves from strength to strength, Womndows moves, err, it’s NOT moving very well, now, is it?
Realist,
Thelt was commenting about the MDN take.
It says nothing about tone. It cites
Coke vs. Pepsi and taking jabs at MS.
We obviously see nothing wrong with that.
“but that tone”, GEEZ, this is starting to
sound like an argument with my wife.
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List of OS X Leopard improvements from developer build:
http://www.aeroxp.org/board/index.php?showtopic=5142&hl;=
Get it before it’s pulled.
Nick, it seems like you read things but only remember the words the reinforce what you already want to believe.
“I just read the entire article. What Paul still doesn’t get is that Vista has not shipped yet.”
– No, he actually aknowledges that.
“Paul points out that Windows Server 2003 has had “Time Machine”s features for years, yet Windows Server 2003 is clearly not a consumer operating system.”
– What difference does that make? It’s almost laughable that you think that the intended market determines whether a feature existed or not.
“Paul denies that Vista’s appearance rips off Mac OS X’s appearance”
– He was talking about the logo.
“It seemed like his entire point was that Apple is “bad” “
– No, he actually says that Apple is good.
As the saying goes:
“Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”
Apple has chosen to lead; Microsoft has chosen to follow; and the rest have one way or another gotten out of the way.
And by Lead I mean in quality.
Microsoft obviously leads in quantity, but more and more people are seeing the light day by day and switching to Apple for obvious reasons: quality and elegance.
Apparently, MDN and you others that think Apple should stop poking fun at Microsoft have never been harassed or beaten up for merely being in the minority.
This is a developers’ conference, filled with geeks (strike 1) that have chosen to support and defend the Mac OS (strike 2). These people live in a ridiculed minority, day in and day out. Steve HAD to give a rousing speech to bolster his troops, to build their moral. He is much more than the grand Wizard of Oz pumping out cool toys. He also leads a minority culture that is being perpetually being beaten upon by ignorant bullies and mindless lemmings.
Rather than bouncing around like a witless unimaginative ape, Steve entertained his most loyal followers by poking fun at the very thing that causes them pain. And he did it very well and very professional. He didn’t make any jabs at anyone personally, nor did he joke about any weaknesses that were not Microsoft’s fault.
Perhaps more of you need to live in the shoes of others within a downtrodden minority, be beaten for merely being how God made you, not something of you own choosing. THEN you will know the sweet taste of getting back at the ignorant bullies.
Someone needs to take Microsoft to task for their blatant copying and abuse of their consumers.
If not us, then who?
If not now, then when?
Thorin,
Ok, maybe MDN didn’t specifically mention the word “tone” but when they say “can the wise-ass attitude,” I think tone is implied since tone is often times a way to determine one’s attitude.
MLB: “Apparently, MDN and you others that think Apple should stop poking fun at Microsoft have never been harassed or beaten up for merely being in the minority.
This is a developers’ conference, filled with geeks (strike 1) that have chosen to support and defend the Mac OS (strike 2). These people live in a ridiculed minority, day in and day out. Steve HAD to give a rousing speech to bolster his troops, to build their moral. He is much more than the grand Wizard of Oz pumping out cool toys. He also leads a minority culture that is being perpetually being beaten upon by ignorant bullies and mindless lemmings.”
– Ok, what’s your excuse for when Apple acts like that outside of the developer’s conference setting?
Come on, dork! Sometimes I don’t get you Thurrot. Did you notice that I was preaching to the choir. Who but Mac fanboys would watch a two-hour keynote?
Pffttt…get a life dude, because the one you have seriously sucks your brain dry…
Bozo
S.
Come on, dork! Sometimes I don’t get you Thurrot. Did you notice that I was preaching to the choir. Who but Mac fanboys would watch a two-hour keynote?
Pffttt…get a life dude, because the one you have seriously sucks your brain dry…
Bozo
S.
When I saw Steve on the video, I thought he looked much older than before. But I think it was the beard. That gray beard really makes him look older. Lose the beard Steve!
Lots of the Leopard stuff was either in the:
-“ho-hum, another gimmick”
-“i will never use that and who would?”
-“solution looking for a problem that really does not exist”.
You really want that Time Machine feature keeping everything you thought you threw out???
And those roller coaster shots for the iChat—gimmicky crap.
And the top secret stuff—-prepare to be unimpressed.
Who cares about who copies who? Its the f’ing computer software industry. Everybody has copied everybody at some point. So what if Microsoft copies from Apple. So what if Apple copies from Linux or vice-versa. A good idea is a good idea.
I have a feeling there must be some reason why Apple is going after MS in such direct, blunt words… I am sure Apple/Jobs is smart enough to know not to bash the “#1 giant” So if Jobs is bashing MS so openly, I get a feeling they are getting ready with some real ammunition (the top secret stuff could be some of it). Could it also be that Apple is planning to stand on its own instead of under the shadow of MS (market wise, not quality wise ofcourse – the latter, we have already seen Apple do for years). It could also be that Apple is preparing for life without MS support? (i.e. MS Office etc?). Think about it, why would Jobs/Apple be foolish enough to provoke MS if they expect continued support/collaboration from MS? (Apple must have already known MS was going to pull the plug on VPC before the public did) so more and more Apple might be realizing that it CAN take a chance severing MS business ties and be strong enough to stand and offer true competition to MS in the marketplace esp. now that the iPod influence (hopefully) would spread to the digital lifestly/living rooms of people at large, the Intel transition which will put Apple & PC makers on an equal playing field etc (it’s been already shown that Apple hardware CAN now compete with PC hardware in terms of cost- no more “oh, Mac is more expensive than PCs”!) May be Apple now realizes that it is getting stronger enough to take the battle to Redmond (due to the above mentioned reasons and more?) :O)