In a totally unsurprising development, the derivative Microsoft has clearly ripped off Apple’s Workgroup Manager icon.
Daring Fireball’s John Gruber has the info and screenshots here.
MacDailyNews Note: Microsoft seems to have already changed their icon after being caught red-handed.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Microsoft Windows Vista developers used Apple Macs for inspiration – November 27, 2006
Microsoft’s Windows Vista is basically Microsoft’s version of Mac OS 9.3 – October 11, 2006
Microsoft Windows Vista: If you can’t innovate… try to impersonate Apple’s Mac OS X – August 10, 2006
Ballmer: I’m Microsoft’s ‘primary champion of innovation’ – July 27, 2006
Microsoft botches another copy job: Windows Vista Flip3D vs. Apple Mac OS X Exposé – June 26, 2006
Windows Vista rips-off Mac OS X at great hardware cost (and Apple gains in the end) – June 13, 2006
Computerworld: Microsoft Windows Vista a distant second-best to Apple Mac OS X – June 02, 2006
Thurrott: Microsoft going to get eaten alive over Windows Vista’s resemblance to Apple’s Mac OS X – March 09, 2006
NY Times’ Pogue on Gates’ CES demo: Most of Vista features unadulterated ripoffs from Apple Mac OS X – January 05, 2006
Analyst: Windows Vista may still impress many consumers because they have not seen Apple’s Mac OS X – January 05, 2006
Apple’s talent and innovation vs. Microsoft’s hype – October 25, 2005
Microsoft’s Windows Vista strives to deliver what Apple’s Mac OS X already offers – October 10, 2005
Thurrott: many of Windows Vista’s upcoming features appeared first in Apple’s Mac OS X – September 26, 2005
Microsoft’s Ballmer: It’s true, some of Windows Vista’s features are ‘kissing cousins’ to Mac OS X – September 18, 2005
PC World: Microsoft innovation – an oxymoron – September 14, 2005
As usual, Apple leads, Microsoft tries to follow – June 02, 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
Steve Jobs: Microsoft copied original Apple Mac with Windows 95, now they’re copying us again – February 08, 2005
Novell CEO: ‘Microsoft sucked $60 billion out of IT industry that could have used for innovation’ – September 13, 2004
Apple CEO Steve Jobs: Mac OS X Tiger ‘is going to drive the copycats crazy – June 28, 2004
PC Magazine: Microsoft ‘Longhorn’ preview shows ‘an Apple look’ – May 06, 2004
Charles Arthur: Microsoft’s definition of ‘innovation’ different from everyone else’s – April 27, 2004
Apple usually ahead of the times; Windows users often have to wait to catch up – February 27, 2004
Windows ‘Longhorn’ to add translucent windows that ripple and shrink by 2005 – May 19, 2003
Loosers
Biters!
Btw, didn’t MS steal QuickTime? Something about them hiring the same SF firm that developed QT for Windows to performa code-dump into WMP?
Good artist copy.
Great artist steal.
Microsoft drags and drops.
I swear……
Yep. Found it here:
http://www.roughlydrafted.com/insideitunes2.html
Biters!
what can you say here?
…probably used it as a placeholder until they could come up with a “SIMILAR” icon…and the placeholder just went out as is…keep an eye on this…it will disappear from the site by the end of the day.
…and, it’s gone.
The “Busines” mispelling is still on the page title.
I am shocked upon reading this news brief.
Microsoft has long carried the torch of original thought and design.
Take the recycle bin, for instance.
Just joshin’ ya…Microsoft sux!
TEB
@ CandTsmac
Losers
I hate MS
After seeing Daring Fireball this morning I checked the MS web site and low and behold… the icon image was there. I copied both the MS and the Apple versions and opened them in Fireworks.
The MS ‘version’ was just a messed up (slightly larger and re-compressed as a gif) version of the original jpeg that Apple had up. Doing that manipulation made the icon fuzzy and, well, fuzzy.
Going over it at extreme close-up (I was on ‘hold’) shows that it really was the same image. Taking the Apple jpeg and enlarging it and converting to a gif and I came up with the exact MS image.
I’ve never heard of such a rip-off before. Why did they think that was a good idea?
I love to bash MS as much as the rest of you, but I think
this may have just been an honest mistake. The web designer
was simply thumbing through a database of images, some of which
are uploaded from the MS Mac lab.
no one got a screen shot?
Check the replacement icon on MS website. Are those iMacs?
What you don’t realize is that the MS web designer started with Print Screen, printed to a workgroup inkjet printer, waited seven hours for ink cartridges to be replaced, waited four more hours for the job to spool, scanned the print in low resolution, waited another three hours for MS IT to troubleshoot the scanner connection, touched up the icon in Paint, posted the icon to staging for twelve management groups to review, then pushed it live. This process started months ago. She was commended by MS management for excellent teamwork and incredibly quick follow-through.
That web page is horrendously designed even without the rip-off.
So M$ just happened to spot their mistake – or do they have some one ( probably need a whole department ) in Redmond hired to read MDN and alert people when Mac enthusuasts spot their latest snafu ?
The computer still looks like a globe iMac!
“. . . or do they have some one ( probably need a whole department ) in Redmond hired to read MDN and alert people when Mac enthusuasts spot their latest snafu?”
Here’s a hint. They do and he bears more than a passing resemblance to someone in the Addams family, He sweats profusely. Sometimes just spontaneously. He freaks out tech interviewers with thinly veiled double entendres and his last name rhymes with Mallmer.
Give up?
They have someone hired to read all the Apple news. That’s clear.
I guess we should be careful not to mention the Apple’s upcoming douche, now with extra vinegar.
When will it end?
Bastards!
Good copy?, or they are stealing code.
“busines” – I guess someone has finally admitted that Apple is beating the “s” outta Microsoft “Busines”
😀
“Now isn’t that Special?!”
MDN = special
And maybe you’ve also noticed that the latest Xbox (MS) ad bears a strong resemblance to the iTunes ad with the thousands of swirling CDs? So original…..