12.09.06
Has Microsoft Stolen UNIX Ideas?
If Windows is so genuine and innovative, then how can Microsoft explain the following?
Gates: “And through Windows NT, you can see it throughout the design. In a weak sense, it is a form of Unix. There are so many of the design decisions that have been influenced by that environment. And that’s no accident.”
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In light of the recent saber rattling about Linux and patents, the “There are so many of the design decisions that have been influenced by that environment” sentence is particularly interesting if these patent threats include things that are prior Unix art. “In a weak sense, it is a form of Unix” is also telling. I said before that I don’t think that’s the case; I think the patent stuff is talking about things like Samba and Mono, but even there the “influenced by that environment” could be important in the court of public opinion if not in actual law.
This is definitely a noteworthy observation, which has just been posted by Anthony Lawrence.
Draconishinobi said,
December 9, 2006 at 6:25 pm
It is probably true that they stole a number of things from the *nix OSs … but it seems it didn’t do them much good, Window$ is still a POS.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 10, 2006 at 7:18 am
I would argue that while they ‘borrowed’ ideas from UNIX for the server, they also ‘borrowed’ ideas from Apple for their desktop O/S. See if you recognise that machine at the back.
http://www.geekrant.org/files/2005/billgates2.jpg
osgeek said,
December 11, 2006 at 1:56 pm
Perhaps because of http://osgeek.blogspot.com/2006/12/microsoft-unix.html ?