Filed under: OS
Safari and IE 7, separated at birth?
Microsoft just showed off some features of their long awaited browser, IE 7, at Gnomedex (which we're blogging). IE 7 is supporting RSS in a big way, and is using that fashionable metal interface all the ladies love.
While I was looking at the video I couldn't help but have a sense of deja vu, but I couldn't place why. Then it hit me, but I think I'll let this picture do all the talking for me:
The browser above is IE 7 (using a beta, non-finalized UI), and below is Safari RSS.
I rest my case, your honor.
While I was looking at the video I couldn't help but have a sense of deja vu, but I couldn't place why. Then it hit me, but I think I'll let this picture do all the talking for me:
The browser above is IE 7 (using a beta, non-finalized UI), and below is Safari RSS.
I rest my case, your honor.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
iFelix said 9:18AM on 6-25-2005
We the jury in the case aforementioned find the defendent guilty as charged.
Why wouldn't Microsoft copy Safari, Safari does work and works well.
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kakapo said 9:37AM on 6-25-2005
I think what really gets me about this is that Micro$oft is making like this is a "revolutionary-new-no-one-has-come-up-with-it-before" kind of announcement...
And as the Bill and Steve (B not J) show continues to illustrate just how plagiaristic they truly can be - we who use the already shipped and in use Tiger and Safari KNOW what real innovation is... :)
Cheers
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Dave Caolo said 9:47AM on 6-25-2005
That is A.) Shamless, B.) Not the least bit surprising.
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KIVERS said 10:09AM on 6-25-2005
Microsoft stealing another company's product design? Never!
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Dean said 10:09AM on 6-25-2005
Damn! You would think that a corp. as big MS would have their own software designers, with their own vision. The MS design strategy must be copy what apple is doing but make it look a bit worse.
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Callum said 10:14AM on 6-25-2005
Hmm, I don't remember IE supporting skins - without 3rd party plugins. Anybody seen longhorn, I remember early screenshots that looked considerably Dashboard / OS X ish.
I've said it before, I'll say it again, Apple will lead the pack- Steve Jobs said himself people who built Macintoshes are musicians and artisits and designers - they also happen to be frikkin good computer engineers. Apple's transparcy, slidey bits and curved IE is what people want, parrallels between the Mac OS and user's output can be seen in everything from fashion to advertising ( i know this myself from work / friends). People thinking different - while MS struggle to stop thinking the same. These two things are not the same, right?
This is indeed shameless - M$ won't be appologising but will take credit from the morons who think Windows will get better.
- Callum
Switch - switch now.
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Ryan Campbell said 10:47AM on 6-25-2005
"revolutionary-new-no-one-has-come-up-with-it-before"
Now you know how Windows fans feel about all the hype over the already been done dashboard and spotlight.
I know this is an apple web site, and you like to give Microsoft a hard time, but there is only so much you can do with a browser. That screenshot has just as much in common with Firefox as it does with Safari.
We should be happy that IE 7 is coming out at all, or else a majority of the world would be stuck using the less than par IE 6.
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paul said 11:16AM on 6-25-2005
Sorry Ryan, but I use the latest version of XP as well as OS X, and I don't see anything that works like Spotlight or Dashboard. And Firefox doesn't have a metal interface, so no, IE7 doesn't look as much like Firefox.
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Nico said 12:42PM on 6-25-2005
Callum said that he remembered early screenshots of longhorn looking dashboardish, and early screenshots of longhorn came up way before Apple thought of ripping off Konfabulator so where is the innovation. Also what is so revolutionary about Safari, and you are saying they are ripping off Safari because they have a brushed metal look, give me a break. Look I am a great fan of Apple and they have pioneered a lot of innovation but some of you give them more credit than they are worth.
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Michael Christenson II said 12:43PM on 6-25-2005
Ryan: "We should be happy that IE 7 is coming out at all, or else a majority of the world would be stuck using the less than par IE 6."
I ask why we should be happy? I'd much rather have Firefox, Opera, or Safari replace IE. Here's a hint for Apple: Safari port for Windows.
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Audun Wilhelmsen said 7:54PM on 7-04-2005
Michael: Why not do a port yourself.. The source is there :D
Ryan: Do you think Apple just threw up Spotlight over night? Even though MS announced this kind of search technology first doesn't mean they started working on it first. Apple has a lot of guys from BeOS, which had similar technology. The same goes for Dashboard. But Longhorn doesn't have anything Dashboard-like (what? That HUGE useless sidebar thingy? Not even the same concept)
I found Daves comment perfect. Shameless, but not surprising.
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peeweejd said 12:58PM on 6-25-2005
not trolling here, but...
what did they copy? the brushed metal look is about it if you ask me.
so they have a search box :-O ohmygawsh! safari was not the first, nor is it the only browser to have that (as a matter of fact IE is the only one that doesnt have that)
did they copy rss support like firefox has?!?
maybe its putting as much as possible on one line? what pirates they are!
good god! they even copied the web page rendering!
seriously, this is reaching guys...
/mac user for life
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Michael Katz said 1:05PM on 6-25-2005
I've always hated internet explorer, takes up too much space from the actual web browsing since they keep making the buttons larger. Truthfully, it looks like crap, MS can't design a program aestetically for anything, not even to save their grandma's life, but that's a different story.
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Mark said 2:42PM on 6-25-2005
8:
Unless there is a better screenshot or a written description I missed, just going from the above picture IE7 looks grey, not metallic. Also, I have to agree with Ryan, it looks as much like Firefox as it does Safari, and by that I mean the search box integrtation, which appears to be the only really similar element placement.
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Dean said 1:53PM on 6-25-2005
Damn! You would think that a corp. as big MS would have their own software designers, with their own vision. The MS design strategy must be copy what apple is doing but make it look a bit worse.
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Scott Ahten said 3:49PM on 6-25-2005
I think the frustration Mac users experience stems from the fact that most Windows users are unaware of just how well Apple merges existing and new technology into a seamless user experience. When Microsoft copies what Apple has done, Windows users think it's completely new, great idea developed by Microsoft.
What's even more frustrating is that Microsoft's implementations are often a poorly designed copy that doesn't work as nearly as well as Apple's.
Then again, some people fail to recognize good design when they see it and really don't care.
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Tim O. said 4:25PM on 6-25-2005
Scott: I think they really do care, but because windoze users can't compare to Mac users, they just say that to make themselves feel superior. Apple not only has great software in terms of aesthetics, but also in raw power. The people at Apple know that you have to put both into an OS to make it successful. Now, as for microsoft, they know that Apple knows what they are doing, so they copy them. microsoft made it to the top by making things cheap (in more ways then one) in the time of beige boxes and John Scully. This is because they were without Steve Jobs. But now he is back, and has been back. Apple has made some huge changes worldwide since then, and is continuing to today. microsoft will always try to copy, ruthlessly even, to stay on top, but it is up to Apple to out-innovate them even further.
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Michael May said 5:06PM on 6-25-2005
to those who say it's not copying apple at all, no way, take a look at the minimise, maximise and exit buttons on IE7; don't they look somewhat Aqua-esque?
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Scott said 6:05PM on 6-25-2005
Tom: some people really are unable to recognize or don't care about good design. Speaking from my experience working in a small design shop, finding clients that recognize or value good design enough to pay for it can be a challenge. They are either can't see it or do not think it's important. Then end up paying some guy in his bedroom to design their website or print piece instead.
I think that most Windows users think it's "good enough" or don't realize that there are better options out there.
Sure, there are Windows users out there who appreciate the difference, but it's either not important enough for them to purchase Apple hardware, or not in their financial interest to do. (Dell is willing to sell Mac OS X, but only if it ran on their x86 hardware.)
And Microsoft? Well Microsoft has painted themselves into a corner just as Intel did with their Itaninum CPU. Itaninum sales have been less than stelar because the x86 CPU mind-share is huge and no one want's to switch. Even if it is a better architecture. Intel is essentially competing with their own product. Why does Microsoft keep removing features from Longhorn and adding them to XP? Because Windows XP has 90% of the market. If they completely started from scratch with Longhorn they would loose compatibility and they too would be competing with their own product, Windows XP. And users wouldn't be willing to wait the 8-9 years for a new OS to be developed from the ground up. Longhorn will eventually ship, but it's likely that most of it's features will folded into Windows XP and people won't upgraded until they need to by a new computer.
IE 7, is a perfect example of this. Originally to be be released only with Longhorn, IE 7 will ship for Windows XP.
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Weili Wang said 6:58PM on 6-25-2005
Imitation is the highest form of flattery... but to pass off someone else's idea as your own is just immoral.
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