Microsoft admits Windows 7 design was inspired by OS X

Microsoft sales exec says things he probably shouldn't


When releasing a new flagship product to the world it’s probably best to avoid comparing it to the opposition’s - unless of course you can do so favourably. Either way, rule number one in the ‘things not to do when launching a tech product’ handbook clearly states: “don’t say you pilfered ideas.”


- T3's Windows 7 review


It’s obviously a book that Simon Aldous, Microsoft Partner Group Manager, neglected to read at MS boot camp, as he has been quoted as saying that Apple’s Mac OS X was a design muse for Windows 7. The actual aural blunder currently being banded about the web - straight from Aldous’ mouth - reads:


“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."


Fair enough, Aldous’ job leans towards sales, so he probably shouldn’t be let out of the office long enough to form quotable sentences in the first place, but it still renders all those “I’m a PC” adverts a bit redundant, doesn’t it?


Microsoft as a whole hasn’t responded or made alterations to the contrary, but then it’s probably busy telling Mr Aldous off and making him stand in the corner.

Again this was taken from t3. so al rights reseved

Microsoft hits back at claims Windows 7 was inspired by Mac OS X

Microsoft hits back at claims Windows 7 was inspired by Mac OS X

Posted by Katherine Hannaford on Thu 12 Nov 2009

Whether or not Microsoft was inspired by Apple when designing Windows 7, there are certainly some similarities between the two operating systems


Microsoft's HR department must be busy today, with their Partner Group Manager Simon Aldous speaking on record to PCR-Online, claiming that they were heavily inspired by Apple's OS X operating system when designing Windows 7.


Microsoft has written a post on their blog claiming that the "inaccurate quote" came from "a Microsoft employee who was not involved in any aspect of designing Windows 7." While they admit that they "hate to say this about one of [their] own," his comments "were inaccurate and uninformed."



Aldous's full, controversial quote, reads as follows: "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."



Link: Microsoft blog--

This was taken from T3.com, all rights reserved.