"I’ve enclosed a screen shot from Lenn of using Spotlight against locally cached exchange data. (You can point the built in mail client against an exchange server. The mail is copied down locally, and then "spotlight" works against it wickedly fast)."

--Vic Gundotra, Microsoft, 2004

Summary: Vista 7 is the "the next version" of Windows Vista, inspired by competitors

A FORTNIGHT ago we raised the point that parts of Vista 7 look as though they were 'inspired' by KDE4. Many other elements, including visuals, have also existed in GNOME and Compiz for several years.

Well, at least Microsoft can still falsely claim credit for the GUI.

Fortunately, thanks to Comes vs Microsoft exhibits, we know for a fact that Microsoft copied Mac OS X when it created Windows Vista. Now we find out that Microsoft did the same with Vista 7:

Microsoft's partner group manager Simon Aldous told PCR:

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. We've significantly improved the graphical user interface, but it's built on that very stable core Vista technology, which is far more stable than the current Mac platform, for instance.

Aldous also described Windows 7 as "the next version" of Windows Vista, which took flack for copying Mac OS X with its use of Gadgets, mimicking Apple's Widgets, and photo storage and editing software similar to Apple's iPhoto.

Microsoft can deny this all it wants; it can even truly believe its own denials. It is interesting that Aldous also called Vista 7 (Windows 6.1 actually) "the next version". Vista 7 is just Vista with enormous amounts of marketing, well-documented bribes, and some visual changes.

For those who do not believe that Microsoft developers are copying rival operating systems, the innovation lie is right there in Comes vs Microsoft exhibits, black upon white. Microsoft did not manage to bury the evidence with a secret settlement. ⬆

"Our friends up north [Microsoft] spend over five billion dollars on research and development and all they seem to do is copy Google and Apple."

--Steve Jobs, 2006