Microsoft Blunder as Employee Admits Windows 7 is Mac Copy

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Microsoft employee reveals look and feel of Windows 7 was copied from Mac OS X.

Microsoft have got themselves into bother again this week when a group manager claimed that Windows 7 was copied from ideas from Apple’s Mac system.

The company had to backtrack extremely quickly or else face the possibility of re-opening an old war wound between Microsoft and Apple over who came up with the first global operating system. The claim that the original Microsoft flagship product Windows was based on concept ideas from Mac led to a highly contentious law suit in 1988.

History resurfaced yesterday when Microsoft’s partner group manager, Simon Aldous told UK computing magazine PCR that Microsoft had borrowed ideas for the look and feel of new operating system Windows 7 from Apple.

In the interview, Mr Aldous said: “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 touch format – is create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics,” according to the BBC.

Microsoft’s manager of communications, Brandon LeBlanc hurriedly tried to pull Mr Aldous’ foot out of his mouth by denying that Microsoft had copied Mac ideas. Mr LeBlanc wrote in his blog post that the comments were “inaccurate and uninformed” before further adding that Mr Aldous was in no way involved in the design and look of Windows 7.

The issue of design of OS systems is clearly still a highly sensitive one for both parties, and Microsoft are keen to dismiss Mr Aldous’ faux pas as quickly as possible before getting embroiled in another legal battle.