Microsoft official admits Windows 7 design inspired by Mac OS X - Page 3

Originally Posted by alangsam

MS has become a copy to catch up company. challenge is copiers usually fail as they cant innovate to differentiate.

copy the OSX UI. copy the ipod with the Zune (how many Zune HD's are selling? havent heard much about that.

Copy and steal apple employees and open stores right next to apple?

copy the iphone with windows mobile 6.5 professional for business - er it still uses a stylus...

you can see Balmer screaming about how to build a tablet but they cant yet because they havent seen Apples.

i bet they come out with a MS touch mouse at some point in the future

thing is they cant manage the experience you get with apple. Dell blames all problems on MS and MS blames it on dell.

Originally Posted by axual


Both Windows 7 and OS X are very good pieces of software. But one big thing MS lacks and that they will never really have is the total computing experience. Apple builds the hardware, the operating system and many of the applications for a total user experience.

Originally Posted by sprockkets

While no Mac is sold with a touch screen, there isn't really any need for it. It's a desktop; Microsoft is trying to be cool and put multi touch where it isn't necessary, which again is what they do all along, solve problems that don't exist.

Originally Posted by doyourownthing

they are a criminal organization...all they do is steal, their real business isn't software

if it were, then they'd use their money to write a decent operating system, they've had time since the release of windows 95...instead of spending it on sales

Originally Posted by Povilas

Do you want to kill me with laughter?

Originally Posted by teckstud

You left out one big missing item.
You have much more flexibility and freedom using Windows.

You're not locked into anybody's control.

Flash even works.

More games- are there any MAC games?

The flip side is more suceptibilty to viruses.

Now where can you get a MAC with Touch control on the screen like Windows has?

Originally Posted by extremeskater

If your going to quote someone you either have to quote everything or nothing. Anything in the middle is called lying.

Originally Posted by alangsam

how many Zune HD's are selling? havent heard much about that.

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

Garish?

It looks like a multiple-clown homicide. Colours all over the place, transparency-glass-hell, like it was designed by Flava Flav on a bender.

Eye-candy is supposed to be subtle and elegant, not Ringling Brothers meets Death Wish 4: The Crackdown.

Originally Posted by doyourownthing

they are a criminal organization...all they do is steal, their real business isn't software

if it were, then they'd use their money to write a decent operating system, they've had time since the release of windows 95...instead of spending it on sales

Originally Posted by teckstud

As opposed to VESA mounting an iMac which serves absolutely no purpose as you can't run a Blu-ray or PS3 on it- or anything else on it with HDMI for that matter. ANd then it's too far away to use as a work station hung up on a wall. And MS makes no sense?

Originally Posted by DaHarder

Ahhhh...


Macs are little more than computing appliances,

Originally Posted by michaelt

Funny you should ask. I just checked Amazon's top-selling electronics list today, and the Zune HD is a blazing hot 92nd on the top 100 list. Poor Apple has to settle for 2nd and 3rd with its iPod touch.

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

Garish?

It looks like a multiple-clown homicide. Colours all over the place, transparency-glass-hell, like it was designed by Flava Flav on a bender.

Eye-candy is supposed to be subtle and elegant, not Ringling Brothers meets Death Wish 4: The Crackdown.

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

Touch on the Surface (aka Big-Ass Table[TM]) works. For obvious reasons. Except consumers don't get one. Or even a really small one. Until Apple releases the Tablet.

As you know, Touch on an upright display while the user is sitting in front of it, at a table . . . not so much. Apple put touch controls where they belong. On their notebook touchpads, on the mouse, and on their handhelds (one-handed operation FTW.)

If MS wanted to pull a Star Trek LCARS interface thingy, this isn't the way to do it.

If we all worked while standing, it would be a diferent story. Until your feet get tired.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb5g19Nn4Cc

Originally Posted by teckstud

As opposed to VESA mounting an iMac which serves absolutely no purpose as you can't run a Blu-ray or PS3 on it- or anything else on it with HDMI for that matter. ANd then it's too far away to use as a work station hung up on a wall. And MS makes no sense?

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

Which is all they ever need to be.

Originally Posted by DaHarder

... and McDonalds sells exponentially more burgers than The Rosebud Steakhouse, but there's very little doubt which one appeals to the more 'discriminating' consumer.

Originally Posted by DaHarder


Macs are little more than computing appliances, ones that cater to the absolute lowest common denominator of user e.g. those who want every aspect of their computing experience decided for them.

Me, I prefer a bit more involvement...

Originally Posted by DKWalsh4

I just wish I could enjoy the Mac OS X GUI on a nice shiny, quad-core, 27 inch iMac. *looks in wallet, sighs.*

I guess I'll have to "settle" for my 8 month old 24 incher.

It's only slightly more useful on a notebook and is perfectly suited to handheld devices. The failure of the tablet PC format shows that touch-screens are not needed for general use.

The touch-screen abilities of Windows 7 are just more Microsoft Kool-aid, of which you seem to have been drinking a long and deep draught.

Originally Posted by knightlie

Can you define exactly what that means? My Mac is as 'flexible" as I need it to be. What exactly is inflexible and restricted on OSX?



Neither am I on my Mac - again, define what this means, instead of using the same old anti-Apple soundbites - what "control?"



So what? Flash is a steaming pile of manure, good only for playing ads and Youtube. I don't use it and I don't miss it.



I have a few, yes, but I power up my PC or Wii if I want to play any serious games. OSX isn't a gaming platform any more than my Motorola V220 is a smartphone, but I don't whine that I can't get applications on it. Again, the games argument is just a tired old anti-Apple soundbite that serious users don't care about.



True, but simple and free security tools will largely prevent this.



Touch-control on a desktop computer is pointless and overrated. The ability to reach over my desk and touch the screen instead of using a mouse or touchpad is unnecessary and considerably more difficult. It'll also very quickly result in painful injury. It's only slightly more useful on a notebook and is perfectly suited to handheld devices. The failure of the tablet PC format shows that touch-screens are not needed for general use.

The touch-screen abilities of Windows 7 are just more Microsoft Kool-aid, of which you seem to have been drinking a long and deep draught.

Flash is a steaming pile of manure, good only for playing ads and Youtube. I don't use it and I don't miss it.

Originally Posted by mstone

VESA does not have to be just 'hung on wall'. There are many different uses for VESA mount. Swivel, extend, raise, lower tilt, etc.

Originally Posted by DiscoNomad

Kind of pathetic...but at least they are honest.

Originally Posted by teckstud

Why aren't those features built into the iMac's neck to begin with like any $500 Dell?

Originally Posted by cycomiko

perhaps Rosebud steakhouse is blending mcdonalds nad serving it in a fancy aluminium enclosure?

Originally Posted by DaHarder

Ahhhh...

But the difference is that one can very easily modify/alter the appearance of almost ANY element of Windows, as opposed to the Mac OS which offers very little by way of 'customization' (of any sort).

Macs are little more than computing appliances, ones that cater to the absolute lowest common denominator of user e.g. those who want every aspect of their computing experience decided for them.

Me, I prefer a bit more involvement...

Originally Posted by wickedbob

Hmmm.. I see Windows7 looking more like Linux than MacOSX.
The taskbar doesn't look anything like Mac's dock.

Originally Posted by doyourownthing

they are a criminal organization...all they do is steal, their real business isn't software

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

When it looked to redesign its dominant operating system after the struggles of Windows Vista, Microsoft reportedly turned to Apple's Mac OS X for the "look and feel" of Windows 7.

Simon Aldous, partner group manager with Microsoft, told PCR that the graphical style of Windows 7 -- which he calls "Vista on steroids" -- was inspired by the look of Apple's Mac OS X. The new Windows operating system launched in October.

"One of the things that people say an awful lot about the Apple Mac is that the OS is fantastic, that it's very graphical and easy to use," Aldous said. "What weve tried to do with Windows 7 -- whether it's traditional format or in a touch format -- is create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics. We've significantly improved the graphical user interface, but it's built on that very stable core Vista technology, which is far more stable than the current Mac platform, for instance."

One of the more obvious similarities between Windows 7 and Mac OS X is the new taskbar. By default, the Windows 7 taskbar acts much like the dock that has been in OS X, combining program applications for both launching and accessing open windows, with only one icon per running application. And like Expose with the OS X dock, Windows 7 allows users to glimpse open windows on the taskbar before selecting them with Aero Peek.

The similarities between Windows 7 and Apple's latest operating system upgrade, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, were noted by The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg in his review of the Microsoft software. He said he believes that the Mac OS is still the superior operating system, but only slightly.

Snow Leopard had a head-start on Windows 7, launching in late August to positive reviews that praised the software's performance improvements and bargain $29 price. Consumers also responded positively to Mac OS X 10.6, with initial sales doubling that of its predecessor, Leopard, and coming in four times higher than Tiger.

For more comparing and contrasting Windows 7 with Snow Leopard, read the AppleInsider Windows 7 vs. Mac OS X Snow Leopard series.

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

Think about it.

He just admitted the competition is "fantastic." I don't know about you, but he just did Apple's marketing for them. And he was asked about Windows 7, not Apple. If that weren't bad enough, he also admitted that they tried to "create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics."

Double-whammy. He basically admitted that MS are ripoff artists. Way to feed in to the classic MS stereotypes, which apparently have been true all along.

It seems that every time an MS employee speaks (especially Ballmer - the CEO, even more scary), they make Apple look great. Even the Laptop Hunter ads admitted subtly that Macs were the most desirable product.

"What weve tried to do with Windows 7 -- whether it's traditional format or in a touch format -- is create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics."

So then WTH is the point of Windows 7 when you can get the Real Thing with a Mac??


Smooth move, Ace.

Originally Posted by Azathoth

As opposed to Apple which is a fascist party - all they do is dictate what people can do with their OS (which g can only be put on their glossy-screened, shiny hardware)

OS X? - based on BSD.. bunch of copy-cats! Oh no wait, I forget, Apple is allowed to copy, because Apple spells copy: i-n-n-o-v-a-t-i-o-n

Get over yourselves. MS saw which parts of OS X are effective and employed those - like every other company does. IMHO Win7 window management is better than on OS X, being able to enlarge windows from every corner, and the new Win7 drag-to-extents feature.

Bah, all this GUI stuff is copied from Xerox anyway.

Originally Posted by anonymouse

Are you serious? Being able to reconfigure the colors and appearance of your desktop, windows, and various controls is how you judge the computing experience on a given platform?

Sometimes I wonder why some people even bother to own computers.