Microsoft gives up trying and starts blatantly copying...

[aryayush]

Microsoft gives up trying and starts blatantly copying…

John Gruber just made quite an interesting post/find on his site about how Microsoft has straight copied Apple’s Workgroup Manager Icon.

Here’s a screenshot of Microsoft’s page with the icon:

The page this is on is here (click the Buy Now button).

Then check out the icon on Apple’s OS X Server page (towards the bottom).

This is way more than “inspiration” here. This is some kid at Microsoft going to the Apple site, saving the image to the Microsoft server, and then bragging to his boss that he just whipped up the icon. Pathetic.

UPDATE: It would seem Microsoft have swapped out the icon…what a surprise.

________________________

Source: Microsoft gives up trying and starts blatantly copying… at The Apple Blog


I know this should have been in the 'News' section but such topics usually spark off a debate, therefore, I posted it here. Mods, please move it if it is inappropriate. As for the Microsoft defenders, what have you to say? Copying features from an operating system is one thing, but ripping off your opponents icons! Sheesh!

I must say this John Gruber guy has some great observation skills.
Btw, i think this thread would be better off in News section. I don't think anyone would come to fight for Microsoft after seeing this.:-P

[~Phenom~]

His site says that MS has replaced that icon now. I really wonder whether that icon was really there and MS has replaced it now or it was just a rumour by John.

[aryayush]

This was all over the internet. And the screenshot proves it too.

[~Phenom~]

if it was all over the internet , then its ok coz the pic can be tampered.

[aryayush]

I know the pic can be tampered with. BTW, if you visit the source I mentioned, you'll see that the update about MS changing the icon was posted at a much later date than the original post. Plus, if you read the comments, it becomes quite obvious that readers have seen it too.

[~Phenom~]

I have accepted ur point buddy. I m no MS fan.

[aryayush]

Yeah, I can see your sig.

[Kiran.dks]

Some are so much anti-microsoft that they just see world from their own view. What the big deal in this issue? Work manager icons are not designed by either apple nor microsoft. It is a 3rd party development. It has been long time in use. Possible that the 3rd party vendor may have given the same icon accidently. Don't make a BIG mess-up of these kinda small issues. All I would say, this as a 'childish' act.

[Aberforth]

Marketing and page designs (including Icons) are done by the respective department and often by third parties. If a method worked why can't any company use that technique to sell their products. It is not like Windows Vista is a carbon copy of OS X Leopard or Microsoft is phising Apple's site. Its just an inspiration and a matching icon, what the fight is all about, come on its only an icon.

[aryayush]

That icon was developed by Apple's designers in Apple's labs. There is no third-party involvement here. And it is not a matching icon, it is the SAME icon. I am not fighting or anything - it is just a goof-up by Microsoft that I reported. And had it no been of any significance, Microsoft would not have removed that icon. Apple has been using that icon for more than three years.
Please do not jump at the slightest aspersion cast at Microsoft! What is true will remain true. As for Windows Vista, yes it is not a carbon copy of Mac OS X and it can never hope to be either.

[Aberforth]

In that case I think this is a topic worth in the Chit Chat or News forum, not exactly a fight worthy topic.

Originally Posted by aryayush

That icon was developed by Apple's designers in Apple's labs. There is no third-party involvement here.

hmm

chuk it...whose gonna say again

[aryayush]

Could you be a bit more clear, please?

nah....

[aryayush]

It was one thing to copy an icon on their website. It is a totally different thing, however, to incorporate a ripped-off icon into their mobile operating system. See this:



And now see this:



Notice something similar? The picture above is of Windows Mobile 6.0 and the one below is of Apple's iSync icon. It is copied and pasted. If you cannot ask your designers to make an original icon, it really is no surprise that Vista is a rip-off of OS X.

Source
__________
BTW, that globe icon is also a straightaway rip-off of this icon of the OmniWeb browser:

[aceman]

My god, the apple fan-boys have nothing else to say about the os and are left with commenting about some Icon usage....how funny (:
and tying some icon usage to vista os development .............these kinds of comments can only come from apple fan boys, since as usual they look at only the glossy exterior and forget about anything else that works inside (:.Vista is radical improvement when compared with any other windows os..............give it some time to stabilize.

[subratabera]

Originally Posted by aceman

My god, the apple fan-boys have nothing else to say about the os and are left with commenting about some Icon usage....how funny (:
and tying some icon usage to vista os development .............these kinds of comments can only come from apple fan boys, since as usual they look at only the glossy exterior and forget about anything else that works inside (:.Vista is radical improvement when compared with any other windows os..............give it some time to stabilize.

I am not a Mac user or fanboy but I can say that you must agree that M$ indeed done something which is not so professional...

[gxsaurav]

Originally Posted by aceman

My god, the apple fan-boys have nothing else to say about the os and are left with commenting about some Icon usage....how funny (:
and tying some icon usage to vista os development .............these kinds of comments can only come from apple fan boys, since as usual they look at only the glossy exterior and forget about anything else that works inside (:.Vista is radical improvement when compared with any other windows os..............give it some time to stabilize.

That is why they are called macboys, an Icon is an Icon, should I say how many icons apple copied from Rocky & Marvilla....

The problem is not with Apple hardware & Software, it's with there Marketing methods & macboys arrogence. Sometimes i think with every mac they buy, they get paid for posting anti-MS rants,......it's been said many times by Admins here, to use whatever they like & shut up, but still they don't leave a chance to whine.....

even linux users don't like MS for many things, but the best thing about them is that they know here they lack & admit it, & atleast they never whine about linux like macboys do

(hides under the rock.....attack coming from apple camp )

[eddie]

As I have said earlier, Mac camp should be the last one in this world to talk about copying. An OS that is built by "blatantly copying" Open source code and gives back nothing should not even talk about such things. First people should look at themselves and then point finger at others. This is just an icon...if you hold the copyright...go ahead...sue them. If you can't do that, then just keep silent

[freebird]

^^ Wow Agree!MAc boys...hi

[led_shankar]

Originally Posted by aryayush

BTW, that globe icon is also a straightaway rip-off of this icon of the OmniWeb browser:

Now the globe is also copyrighted?

[aryayush]

I knew someone would say this. Look at the two images. They have exactly the same angle of the globe with the light falling from the same point on it and forming the same reflection.

@eddie, I don't know much about this but Darwin is an open source operating system developed by Apple. That is their contribution to the community.
And Apple has never copied icons from other companies. Copying such trivial things such as icons by high profile companies like Microsoft is shameful IMHO. It is not about how little a thing it is, it is about what this conveys about Microsoft's mentality.

Nowadays, gx_saurav's sole job seems to be telling others about 'macboys' and nothing more.

[gxsaurav]

Originally Posted by eddie

As I have said earlier, Mac camp should be the last one in this world to talk about copying. An OS that is built by "blatantly copying" Open source code and gives back nothing should not even talk about such things. First people should look at themselves and then point finger at others. This is just an icon...if you hold the copyright...go ahead...sue them. If you can't do that, then just keep silent

well said

Originally Posted by arya

I don't know much about this but Darwin is an open source operating system developed by Apple. That is their contribution to the community.

Open Source last i saw apple clsoed the source of the darwin core...if it was given to the community, then we would be having Mac on any X86 PC out there....get your facts right

Nowadays, gx_saurav's sole job seems to be telling others about 'macboys' and nothing more

Yup , informing them so that they don't take macboys seriously, say something & get banned. Whats the problem in telling someone to be cautious of macboys, it's not like macboys don't whine

[aryayush]

Social worker extraordinaire is here to save the day. Drum roll please!

[freebird]

I can see that they are offering darwin d/ls for both ppc and intel on their site @
http://www.opensource.apple.com/darwinsource/
but i know they shutdown this project..

On July 25, 2006, the OpenDarwin team announced that the project was shutting down, as they felt OpenDarwin had "become a mere hosting facility for Mac OS X related projects," and that the efforts to create a stand-alone Darwin OS had failed. They also state: "Availability of sources, interaction with Apple representatives, difficulty building and tracking sources, and a lack of interest from the community have all contributed to this."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDarwin
I doubt what they return to open source commty after grabbing a lot from FreeBSD and more.

"Yahoo has a story about how Apple is using non-GPL'd open source software, making proprietary extensions, and giving nothing back to the community. 'Apple simply found a source of cheap high-quality systems software that it could make its own without needing to give back so much as a bug fix, let alone useful software projects.' Good stuff."

http://slashdot.org/apple/01/05/02/222239.shtml

Apple has taken plenty and given nothing back, exactly as it's entitled. Beyond that, we read that Apple's behavior may even be hurting the Open Source community at large.

http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story...2-012-20-OP-BD

[eddie]

Originally Posted by aryayush

@eddie, I don't know much about this but Darwin is an open source operating system developed by Apple. That is their contribution to the community.

Don't be too happy about Darwin. It is not Apple's "contribution" rather it is their compulsion. They have to open the code they use from OSS and that is what you see in Darwin. You show me Apple submitting patches or the changes they make to code of Konqueror, BSD or million other things and I will accept that they contribute to Open Source.

And Apple has never copied icons from other companies. Copying such trivial things such as icons by high profile companies like Microsoft is shameful IMHO. It is not about how little a thing it is, it is about what this conveys about Microsoft's mentality.

So you are telling me that it is ok for Apple to copy code which is not "trivial" while it is not ok for Microsoft to copy Apple's icon...even though it is trivial? So copying OS back bones is fine while trivial things is bad? What kind of logic is that?

[aryayush]

AFAIK, the GPL allows you to use the source code anyway you want. So, if Apple uses it, what are they doing wrong?

[eddie]

Originally Posted by aryayush

AFAIK, the GPL allows you to use the source code anyway you want. So, if Apple uses it, what are they doing wrong?

Sometime back I replied to a similar comment from one of your buddies with this statement...

It is as simple as taking fruits from a tree in a free land. Taking fruits from a tree is not illegal and they are free as well, but the ethical thing to do is to give something back to the tree. You water the tree or give some fertilizers now and then. That is all the tree wants...if you can't do that...the tree will not sue you but you are still a pathetic leech man...

In any case, if you yourself are copying...don't crib about others doing the same to you. If you have some rights over the stuff that others copied from you...go ahead and sue them but don't cry about it.

[gxsaurav]

Originally Posted by arya

Social worker extraordinaire is here to save the day. Drum roll please!

Thank u, thank u , :flying kisses.....i love u all fans

Originally Posted by aryayush

AFAIK, the GPL allows you to use the source code anyway you want. So, if Apple uses it, what are they doing wrong?

Sometimes I pity on your knowledge Arya, I m no Linux guru, but I know one thing. GPL means contributing to the source code freely available, if you are taking it...modifying it, & using it, then according to the GPL you are supposed to give it back to the community & make it freely available.

m i right eddie?

So far, what do we see.....well, Apple giving nothing back to open source community. Not even the Quicktime Engine, that alone can solve 80% of the Linux Multimedia problems...but hey, like i said, it's ok if Apple copies