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Microsoft Demands Removal Of Longhorn Images
bonch writes "After the previously reported release of the Longhorn beta at this year's WinHEC, Neowin and other Windows sites are reporting that Microsoft is going around sending legal letters demanding removal of Longhorn Build 5048 screenshots. Paul Thurrott discusses it on his site, stating that Microsoft never told anyone beforehand not to post screenshots of the publicly available beta, and links to the new galleries he has up now. 'Enjoy it while it lasts.'"
Maybe Microsoft is afraid Apple will steal some of its features?[1]
Or perhaps Microsoft just needs more time to cover up what they stole?[2]
On slightly different note but on topic, did anyone else notice how the Recycle Bin icon's shadow slants left while the text's shadow slants right?
[1]hahahahahahaaaaahahahaa
[2]most likely imho
This has to be my most appropriate experience of the "Nothing to see here, move along" error =)
Sheesh. Microsoft can't even be original in this -- Apple was way ahead of them.
Apple rumors aren't considered confirmed until there's been at least one notice from Apple Legal.
.. Have people been turning to stone?
Starsucks
...give a four year old some marker pens (primary colours) and ask them do draw a UI. There's your screenshots. :)
It would be a shame if apple copied MIcrosoft's style and UI design, once again.
GoatPigSheep, the 3 most important food groups
Screenshots? Who the hell needs screenshots when you can get the entire operating system yourself?
Since you asked, they get by by cutting corners.
In the EULA section Corinthians 12:8 it clearly states that publishing screanshots is prohibited.
Someone you trust is one of us.
Or maybe one in very small print taped to the back side of the door and consent consists entirely of walking through the door.
Honor Among Slackers. A veri
I guess Microsoft is afraid that Apple would snag that oh-so-yummy Longhorn interface. With a couple days 'til Tiger launches, Apple could put in a serious cram session to update the look. Cram Apple, cram!!!
"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lampposts...for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang
Yeah, my guess is that they're waiting for Tiger to be released so they'll know exactly what to put into Longhorn.
If someone says he and his monkey have nothing to hide, they almost certainly do.
Didn't like it?! You must be joking!
Think of it this way:It's not a new tactic, but it never really gets old either....
I hate MS as much as the next guy, but only a real idiot would call XP "Win95 with a makeover" and actually mean it.
Be honest and fair. XP is really NT 3.51 with a makeover, and you know it.
Information wants to be anthropomorphized.
Microsoft don't want you to realise how little has Lonhghorn has changed from XP until you've bought and installed it.
this is perhaps the only thing thurrot has ever written that i've liked.
who is she? leave a comment!
"They promised to "wow" us all with a whole new Windows experience"
And they succeeded. I can honestly say their new "Shut Do..." menu option in the Beta truly did make me go "wow".
As in "Wow, WTF are they thinking?"
Seriously, just how much work do they have left on this "Beta"? Getting kind of late in the game to have such glaring UI problems.
Nevertheless, I really wonder how many of MS' GUI designers actually consider function over pretty colors. Not to be an Apple fanboy (I don't even own a mac), but OSX's GUI seems to have function as well as slickness. I'm anxious to see if Longworn :D will do the same.
Mercy was given to me by Christ...I must give the same to others.
True. Visually stunning bootup logos are a critical part of any OS.
While I personally prefer the thousands of lines of scrolling text on bootup provided by Linux, the lack of an Enterprise Level bootup logo means that it just isn't ready for the desktop.
According to Thurrot, MS was afraid someone might try to steal their UI. What a joke. Who the hell goes to Windows to figure out how to design a UI? Hell, if their competition decided to copy the Windows UI, it would only help MS anyway.
From that page:
"1:07pm
OK, Microsoft has provided its explanation. What it boils down to is that there may be certain technologies in the Longhorn Developer Preview build for which Microsoft has not filed patent applications, and the confidentiality provisions protect or mitigate the company's filing rights. One of the focus areas of IP protection has been user interface, hence Microsoft cannot permit screenshots of the UI. I was told that Microsoft had left its Media Center user interface unprotected, and that UI has been stolen and replicated in numerous other places. They don't want that to happen to Longhorn."
BWHAHAHA!
1) Then don't release it as a "public beta", dummies (or put on a UI that is not so encumbered);
2) Their UI ideas largely borrow from previous ideas anyway;
3) As far as has been shown, MS can hardly call the UI "innovative" enough to patent (unless "Shut Do..." counts as something original);
4) Software patents. Bleah.
Once again, Microsoft copies Apple.
He would be OK in my book if he did all of those things. I still wouldn't buy his software, though...
"The features I work on, and most of the features I've seen in other group's demos, were not merged into this build."
Is your job to add the suck before or after core API's? I assume there are people responsible for both.
He'd probably claim that they were an integrated part of Windows and couldn't be shipped separately.
deus does not exist but if he does