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Jobs Claims Microsoft Is Shamelessly Copying

Nicholas Roussos writes "Steve Jobs was outspoken at a recent annual shareholder meeting. He claimed 'They are shamelessly copying us', referring to Microsoft. Of course, Microsoft has done its share of pointing fingers as well." From the article: "Most telling, Jobs said is that Tiger, the next version of Mac OS X, will go on sale later this month, while Longhorn is still more than a year away."

19 of 868 comments (clear)

  1. Who's copying whom by Flexible+Typhoon · · Score: 5, Informative
    From Who's Copying Who article:

    Search: Tiger will feature a built-in local search technology called "Spotlight" (technology built upon the search engines that Apple currently uses to search iTunes and e-mail). Microsoft has said it plans to offer a similar local-machine search engine for Longhorn that will be based on the company's Windows File System (WinFS) technology.

    Scripting:Tiger will include a front-end scripting environment known as "Automator." Longhorn will include a new scripting shell (currently in beta test) known as "Monad."

    Built-in RSS support: Tiger will embed an RSS aggregator into the Safari browser. Longhorn will include an embedded RSS feature in the user interface.

    Info-Display Panel: Tiger will have an information-display capability called "Dashboard." Longhorn will have an information-display panel called "Sideshow," to which users can "pin" collections of items of interest.

    Integrated Instant Messaging/Video Chat: Tiger will feature a souped-up version of iChat. Microsoft will embed Windows Messenger (a sister to MSN Messenger), which also will likely feature video-chat.

    64-Bit Support: Tiger will include extended 64-bit capabilities. Longhorn allegedly will be optimized for 64-bit systems.

    As many an Apple advocate has pointed out, Tiger is set to debut at least a year before Longhorn. That's a pretty significant head start, especially for folks who have no corporate edicts, application constraints or other limitations on which hardware/software platform they choose.

    1. Re:Who's copying whom by pecko666 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      the magic word here is System wide System wide search through all your data - seach string in all txt/word/PDF documents, in your mail, in your adress book. The same with scripting, the system needs internal support to use system fucntions in scripting.

    2. Re:Who's copying whom by rokzy · · Score: 5, Informative

      >Search: Maybe I'm missing something, but name one somewhat modern OS without a built in search function.

      yes, like most other people, you are missing something.

      this is built into pretty much everything. for example if you open the system preferences and want to know where a setting is you type it into the search bar and it will highlight where it is no matter how deep linked. this will happen in real-time as you type and will be instant. I have never seen anything like this on Mac, Windows or linux before. usually you have to open a separate help application/window and do a long search on contents or select something from an index.

      have you used iTunes? compare its live-updating search with the Windows/linux type-then-press-enter-then-wait-a-bit. it's not just evolutionary, its like the difference between going through various Yahoo portal screens or just Googling something. searching will always just be a variation on a theme, it's the *user interface* to the search that makes the difference between awkward and genius.

      also, the results of *anything* are included in this instant, live-updating search. I love the prospect of having loads of PDFs of scientific papers and not needing any order to the filenames or directories because I can search for the relevant content and it will be much easier to adapt my filter as I go because I'll see how many results are being returned.

      just imagine not just the invention of Google, but a Google that would change its results in real-time and which would do web page, image, PDF search etc. all at the same time. everyone accepts Google has changed the web but is so blind to how Spotlight changes the desktop even more.

    3. Re:Who's copying whom by ggvaidya · · Score: 5, Funny

      Windows Messenger (a sister to MSN Messenger)

      No, it's not. Windows Messenger is MSN Messenger's bastard, mutant son with ugly flecky skin, an abhorrant fear of the sun and a hellish need to eat raw fish.

      Me: "I want to log into MSN, please"
      WM: "No ... nobody gets past, gollum! Nasssty userses, we must be upgraded first! Thisss version won't work, preciouses! Not thiss one!"
      Me: "Err, it's okay, I'll just run MSN messenger .."
      WM: "Ha! The parent is well hidden, gollum! Nasssty users will never find it without getting deep into Program Files! Never!"
      Me: "No, here it is ..." (double-click) Another instance of WM launches, fails to log in and cackles horribly. Much searching finally reveals the MSN messenger hiding somewhere.

      Honestly, I'm just waiting for it to creep out and bite off my finger one of these days ...

  2. Re:didn't apple steal... by ltbarcly · · Score: 5, Informative

    They licensed the GUI and the mouse from Xerox. Stop getting your knowledge "out of the air" and look it up. Xerox was paid a significant amount for them, including apple stock.

  3. is anyone truly copying? by Internet_Communist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    All progress is made from bits and pieces of previous experience which lead up to current progress. That's why there's never any giant leaps, that's why we didn't have some guy 10 years ago miraculously come up with a 3ghz processor. It's why we didn't have rock and roll in the 1600s. All past innovation leads up to current achievements.

    Pointing fingers and complaining about who's copying who is not only non-productive but it is the same mindset which leads to all this IP mess that we're currently in.

    So to you Mr.Jobs, get off your high horse. They didn't copy the wheel just because your latest car has one. It took that wheel to get you there, do not disrespect that wheel.

    I'm not trying to defend microsoft or apple. I hate everything equally.

    --

    If you don't want someone to copy something, don't give it to anyone.
  4. The only solution by Alzheimers · · Score: 5, Funny

    The only solution to such rampant disregard for originality is obvious: we need stronger intellectual property laws and more protection for software patents. Obviously, the current laws provide no incentive for Microsoft to innovate at all, and therefore we must protect Apple's ideas and creations by giving them a guaranteed mononpoly for a limited time - perhaps as long as 70 years - to force competitors to develop new and alterantive solutions.

    Oh, I almost forgot to close my /sarcasm tag.

  5. Re:Copy... by CrackedButter · · Score: 5, Informative


    (You cannot even post without being anonymous, shows you stand by your comment) . Why is this falsehood still presented as fact? Apple licensed the GUI from Xerox but MS copied their desktop metaphor from Apple. How many times does it need repeating until the trolls and the uninformed shut the fuck up and bring different points to the table?

  6. Re:This has popped up before by CrackedButter · · Score: 5, Informative

    Going with the flawed metaphor, Steve actually licensed the TV.

  7. Thoughts? by spidereyes · · Score: 5, Interesting

    While I understand Jobs' compliants and squabbling he has to keep on pushing. What he has been able to accomplish with Apple is remarkable. Steve Jobs has the foresight to move ahead and come out with new innovative products. In just about every market you're going to have somebody nipping at your heals to try to beat you to the punch. It just so happens the market leader is stealing from the secondary leader this time.

    Microsoft has their own set of problems to worry about and I think both operating systems have their own segments in the world today. Really though as of lately I think a lot of people are switching to a Mac. I have friends who have been Windows fans who are fed up with the licensing, security etc etc and have decided to move to the MacOS.

    Moreover, I see the problem being were each OS fits into the world. The MacOS always seems to stay with the education systems, graphic arts people, designers, editing and hardcore Mac addicts; while Windows hits up everybody else.

    Apple needs to rev up it's marketing and start hitting other users. Eg. Corporate users

    --

    I say we just grow up, be adults and die.
  8. Re:More copied features by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    We all know Apple invented the TabletPC, Media Center PC, PocketPC, XBox, ...

    Okay, how about these? eMate (1997), MacTV (1993), Newton (1993), Pippin (1995)

  9. Re:Free software anyone? by BenjyD · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm not an Mac owner, but Tiger's search doesn't sound anything like locate. Locate has no knowledge of file type, file contents or metadata. It couldn't show you "all Openoffice files written by John Smith last tuesday", for example. It wouldn't index you emails etc.

    It also requires a complete database scan to update AFAIK, whereas spotlight updates its database in the background as it is integrated into the OS, so Spotlight will generally be up to date.

    Free software that will be quite similar to Spotlight is Beagle, which looks pretty impressive.

  10. Re:OSX - Windows - Linux by Stevyn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Not for everything though. Maybe it follows that path for the parts people see on their desktop. Then again, that's more GNOME/KDE than Linux. However, for areas like security I think it's OSX/Linux --> Windows.

    Since the heart of OSX is BSD, they don't have to keep ripping their system apart to search for major security issues because it's probably been done many times previously by others. And KDE is catching up to windows with respect to "plug it in and it works" with kioslaves. When I plugged in a firewire drive and saw the little icon on my desktop, my reaction was "finally!"

  11. Wrath of Linux Users by Lefty+McGrep · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm not sure why Apple often gets the wrath on SlashDot from the Linux community. My only explanation is that Linux users are more often than not also Windows users. They dual boot. They have other PCs laying around running Windows. Why not use MacOS X and be able to run mainstream apps and have a unix core without dual booting? Why not run Yellow Dog Linux and truly thumb your nose at the MS/Intel duopoly? Apple is is the same boat as Linux. Trying to tell the world that they have a viable OS platform other than Windows. Apple is succeeding and putting a unix machine on millions of desktops. Be Happy!

  12. Re:Nope, analogy still works. by Queer+Boy · · Score: 5, Informative
    At Xerox Parc, the GUI they developed only contained icons for verbs. Cut, copy, paste. There were no icons for nouns, which is where Apple innovated. Apple also invented the pulldown menu. Meaning a stable menu where menus dropped down. That's just a few of the things they came up with. Xerox got Apple stock based on the ability of letting them SEE what they were doing, not actually get any code or know HOW it was done.

    The truth of the matter is Xerox invented the wheel and Apple went and invented the Maserati.

    --
    Not since Marie-Antoinette played milkmaid has looking simple and honest been so fake and complicated.
  13. Re:My favorite OSX to Windows feature... by Queer+Boy · · Score: 5, Informative
    Apple's Dock was a similar nod to the popularity of the taskbar in Windows

    You make me laugh, really hard, too. This is Slashdot, you know, you shouldn't say such assinine things like the Dock comes from the taskbar. Let's see a raise of hands for everyone who knows where the Dock comes from.

    --
    Not since Marie-Antoinette played milkmaid has looking simple and honest been so fake and complicated.
  14. Re:Imitation by macmurph · · Score: 5, Informative

    So tell me why Apple remains stagnant at 3% of the desktop market and it's biggest commercial success in years has been the iPod.

    Simple, it's not stagnant.

    Forbes Magazine: The conversion rate of iPod customer base to the Macintosh platform from PC "implies two points of global PC market share gain for Apple in 2005," to 5% from 3%, said Morgan Stanley, adding that the conversion rate for iPod owners could track closer to the 25% range going forward from 19%.

    http://www.forbes.com/markets/2005/03/18/0318autom arketscan10.html

  15. Re:OSX - Windows - Linux by Chops · · Score: 5, Funny
    Precisely. The Windows -> Linux flowdown is quite well established, as you'll see by the following examples:

    IIS -> apache, ftpd
    COMMAND.COM -> Unix shell
    Exchange -> sendmail
    poorly-implemented third-party "virtual desktops" -> multiple X11 desktops
    Visual SourceSafe -> rcs, CVS, now subversion
    Internet Explorer -> Mosiac and Netscape
    Remote Desktop -> X11

    Expect to see more shameless copying in the future:

    • The Linux community will probably create imitations of popular Microsoft languages such as Visual Basic and Cobol.NET to replace outdated perl and python.
    • The confusing package management systems (particularly in Debian-based distributions) will be replaced with Microsoft's obviously superior "every app's installer does whatever it feels like" approach to shared libraries.
    • The next version of Firefox will look just about exactly like IE, with popup blocking and tabs, for example.
    • Vendor-provided security support for third party applications (e.g. Redhat's updated Mozilla, postfix, and mysql packages to replace vulnerable versions) will give way to the familiar, consistent "Fuck off" Microsoft users are accustomed to receiving when using third party products.
    • The Linux shell will be reinvented after its increasing deprecation in recent years, with scripting features copied (poorly) from Microsoft's offerings.


    I could go on, but I think Microsoft's role as an innovator is quite well-established.
  16. Here's the read point by BWhaler · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The whole who's copying who debate is silly. It doesn't really matter, and if competitors are incorporating the best ideas from the industry, we all win, regardless of platform. There is nothing worse than the "not invented here" syndrome. But there is something worth noting with Longhorn: there doesn't seem to be any fresh thinking. The fact that we are having this debate and not one person has defended Microsoft by pointing out a feature that is totally unique and ground breaking is telling. Very telling. Not one single feature that someone can point out as unique and innovative to Microsoft for others to copy. Not a single one. And that, I think is the problem with Microsoft and their role in the industry.