Microsoft admits: Apple is great, we copied OSX

We all knew the Windows 7 interface was, er, inspired by Apple’s OSX, we never expected Microsoft to just come out and say it. That’s exactly what’s happened though.

If you’ve used Windows 7 you’ll probably have noticed the similarities to OSX. The Dock-like Taskbar and the Exposé-esque Aero Peek feature are two of the most prominent. Now a Microsoft manager has come out and admitted that Apple was a direct influence.

In an interview with PCR, quoted by AppleInsider, Microsoft Partner Group Manager Simon Aldous divulged:

“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… What we’ve 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.”

Yes… that’s a Microsoft manager saying that a lot of people love OSX and they copied it. Of course, we all know that they’ll discuss this stuff in board meetings… but in public? Well that’s very odd indeed.

Aldous goes on to suggest that Windows 7 is far more stable than OSX but the damage is done. He’d better hope he doesn’t incur that wrath of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer – he’s famously a little crazy.

Discussion - 18 Comments/Pingbacks RSS feed for comments on this post

1. 

   Stuart Shields says November 11, 2009

   Reply

   indirectly said they copied it. Didn’t say oh look yeah windows 7 we used OS X ideas.

   • 

     Martin Bryant says November 11, 2009

     Reply

     Stuart – Indirectly yes, but if you ask me it’s a pretty close copy!

2. 

   Tyler Hurst says November 12, 2009

   Reply

   Who cares? So they made it better than it was before. Good for them.

3. 

   Rob says November 12, 2009

   Reply

   And early Mac OS was a direct port of Xerox OS. They all copy and borrow ideas. Microsoft incorporated ideas such as the Dock and improved upon them, like with Jump Lists. While there are many more similarities, 7 still has a Windows feel to it. But that is just my opinion.

4. 

   Richard van Denderen says November 12, 2009

   Reply

   If i read this article
   http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2008/11/20/happy-anniversary-windows-on-the-evolution-of-the-taskbar.aspx
   i think otherwise…

   and the Aero style is not so different to vista..

5. 

   astroX says November 13, 2009

   Reply

   people need to:

   1. stop plagiarism
   2. give credit
   3. stop making up wrong titles

   Microsoft never said that, it was some guy from Microsoft, big difference + he never worked for the design of 7

   • 

     Martin Bryant says November 14, 2009

     Reply

     AstroX – How is it a wrong title? If someone from Microsoft says something in an on-the-record interview he is saying it as a representative of Microsoft and hence “Microsoft said it”.

6. 

   cc says November 16, 2009

   Reply

   More fuel for the next Apple Commercial. I can see it now.

   And that guy will get an early retirement. “Trust Me.”

   LOL

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