Microsoft: Windows 7 GUI Was Not Copied from Mac OS X

By ilovetech
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ilovetech

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As the report started spreading across the web, Microsoft was quick to react. In an official statement, Brandon LeBlanc, Windows Communications Manager on the Windows Client Communications Team, indicated that Aldous had absolutely no idea what he?s talking about. LeBlanc stated that Aldous was not involved in the design process of Windows 7, and that the information he supplied was far from being correct or even informed for that matter.

?An inaccurate quote has been floating around the Internet today about the design origins of Windows 7 and whether its look and feel was ?borrowed? from Mac OS X. Unfortunately this came from a Microsoft employee who was not involved in any aspect of designing Windows 7. I hate to say this about one of our own, but his comments were inaccurate and uninformed. If you?re interested in learning more about the design of Windows 7, I suggest reading this AP story with Julie Larson-Green as well as these WSJ (membership required) and Fast Company articles. And here is one of many blog posts on the E7 blog discussing the design process of Windows 7,? LeBlanc said

source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-W...-X-126769.shtml

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ilovetech

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If you people don't think Microsoft is getting inspiration from Apple and trying to pretty up their OS in direct response to Apple, then you're delusional. This isn't apophenia, it's plain as day. Microsoft might claim otherwise, but get real.

i agree with you completely, taskbar look & feel says it all when compared to dock.

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Klethron

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It's like every other competitive industry. You make yours pretty, we'll make our pretty. Only the consumers win here. Are we really supposed to think the Microsoft isn't upping their game because Apple has a slicker UI? If they would have went back to the Windows 3.1 UI I would have laughed.

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svnO.o

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Who cares about who copies whom? Of course it would be stupid of Microsoft not to get at least some inspiration from their competition -- but it doesn't mean they ripped anything off either. Technology constantly builds upon other technology and that's how we learn and grow is by taking ideas and doing something more/different with it. I'd say more but then I'd end up ranting. I'm also tired of seeing threads like this.

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truba11a

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It's like every other competitive industry. You make yours pretty, we'll make our pretty. Only the consumers win here. Are we really supposed to think the Microsoft isn't upping their game because Apple has a slicker UI? If they would have went back to the Windows 3.1 UI I would have laughed.

I have my windows 7 set to 3.1. =]

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truba11a

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Who cares about who copies whom? Of course it would be stupid of Microsoft not to get at least some inspiration from their competition -- but it doesn't mean they ripped anything off either. Technology constantly builds upon other technology and that's how we learn and grow is by taking ideas and doing something more/different with it. I'd say more but then I'd end up ranting. I'm also tired of seeing threads like this.

amen

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Shokus

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Must it necessarily be delusional? Many aspects of the current superbar can be found in prior versions of Windows, such as grouping similar items together (XP) and quick launch bar (???). Coupled with several requests to allow users to move taskbar items around, it is a logical progression of where the taskbar is heading (of course this is in hindsight). All that is new is how everything comes together with live previews instead of headings, removal of titles from the taskbar leaving only the icon behind, and a proper presentation of it that is pleasing and functional to most people.

Neowinian

JoieDeVivre

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Here's an article about the Windows7 taskbar.

Engineering Windows 7 Blog Article

If Mac OSX predates Windows 1.0 (circa 1985) as shown in the image, then I "agree" that Microsoft coppied OSX, else, it's just some uninformed manager making a silly comment.

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