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Thu, 12 Nov 2009 Microsoft rebukes exec for Mac inspiration comment

Computerworld 's Preston Gralla gave Apple the edge in Mac Vs Windows comparison

Nick Spence and Computerworld staff Computerworld

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Microsoft yesterday disowned a company executive who said his company's Windows 7 was inspired by Apple's Mac operating system, calling his comments "uninformed" and "inaccurate."

In an interview published Tuesday, Simon Aldous, partner group manager at Microsoft, acknowledged that the company had used Mac OS X as its muse.

"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 told PCR from a partner conference at Wembley.

"What we've tried to do with Windows 7 - whether its traditional format or in a touch format - is create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics," Aldous added.

Aldous' comments caught the attention of Macworld UK website along with blogs and enthusiast sites, such as Gizmodo and AppleInsider, which made much of the admission.

The story picked up a lot of traffic on the Macworld website along with some lengthy and often amusing comments from readers.

"I like how the guy on the windoze ad is so excited that he can bring his work laptop home and plug his home printer into it. I've been doing that for years on OSX," noted darkmavis.

"I'm Steve Jobs, and Windows 7 was an idea I had years ago and then improved upon."

"The mere suggestion that Microsoft "Vista technology" is anywhere near as stable as UNIX is a joke...," added JC.

Even as he granted that Apple's user interface was well-liked by users, however, Aldous couldn't resist taking a shot at Microsoft's rival. "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," Aldous said.

Late on Wednesday, Microsoft repudiated Aldous. "Unfortunately, this came from a Microsoft employee who was not involved in any aspect of designing Windows 7," said Brandon LeBlanc, a company spokesman who authors most of the Windows 7 blog posts . "I hate to say this about one of our own, but his comments were inaccurate and uninformed."

Comparisons between Microsoft's and Apple's operating systems, common because of the short gap between their releases, have often noted Windows 7's resemblance to Mac OS X 10.6, particularly the similarities between the revamped task bar of the former and the dock of the latter.

Computerworld 's Preston Gralla, for example, highlighted Windows 7's taskbar, calling it better at displaying thumbnails of an application's open windows. Gralla, however, gave Snow Leopard the edge in the user interface match, saying in a head-to-head comparison that, "No one beats Apple when it comes to design."

Both Windows 7 and Snow Leopard have sold well since their debuts. Two weeks after the 28 August launch of Mac OS X 10.6, retail research firm NPD Group estimated that Apple had sold twice as many copies of Snow Leopard than it had of its predecessor, Leopard. Microsoft, meanwhile, sold three times more copies of Windows 7 in the week surrounding its Oct. 22 release than it did Vista in the opening days of Vista sales in early 2007, NPD said last week.


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Richie said on Thu, 12 Nov 2009

Don't forget that in Vista microsoft changed the folder names and order to be identicle to Mac, Documents, Pictures, Library, User folder containing user folders etc.

Brian said on Thu, 12 Nov 2009

The really incredulous part is his statement that Windows is more stable than OS X. No one can really argue that with a straight face, not even a MS exec. This is the real reason he has been rebuked. :-)

Alan Smith said on Thu, 12 Nov 2009

But the SAD reality is that his comments were true. Look at MS and their shameful and blatant copying of Apple. So where do all their research dollars go? Isn't it in the billions? Billions to copy Apple, huh?!!!

spielbrot said on Thu, 12 Nov 2009

"Redmond, start your photokopiers".

They did, they always have and always will. That's a well known fact, no matter what MS is saying.

Look att the Microsoft Stores, does it accure to anyone that the concept is a genuine MS innovation, never seen before?

Jocca said on Thu, 12 Nov 2009

You cannot believe what comes out of the mouth of any Microsoft executives. Just watch what the company is doing and draw your own conclusion.It has been blatantly copying Apple since as long as I can recall.

Nicholas said on Thu, 12 Nov 2009

Well, didn't MS and Apple have a cross-licensing thing for IP - a ten year contract forged in 1998? So, Windows 7 is the last OS they can actually release with ideas nicked from Apple.

Should start to get interesting with Windows 8 (or NT 7).

Gary said on Thu, 12 Nov 2009

If it were not for the MAC PC users would still be using DOS 15 and a C:>_ prompt.

Fonejacker said on Thu, 12 Nov 2009

I have just seen Windows 7 on You Tube, it looks terrible, nothing but clip art type icons, can't they have photo icons??? It looks like a toy OS, very messy user options, complicated actions to go places or do things, typical MS. Snow Leopard looks polished, slick, powerful and easy to use. Can't wait to take the mickey out of any PC user.

Joe said on Thu, 12 Nov 2009

So when Microsoft makes the statement that Aldous didn't know what he was talking about and that his statement was false, that means that Microsoft admits that Windows 7 is NOT more stable than OS X, right?

Baskaran said on Fri, 13 Nov 2009

Does this rebuke is about the stability as well? If so I welcome their effort to tell the truth. But then 'did not copy' is a total lie. Common Microsoft - be a grown up.

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