Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Microsoft was busy copying the Macintosh in 1985. Late in the year Windows 1.0 was released.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_1.0



Microsoft has been supporting the Mac for a long time. Word 1.0 has run on the Mac since 1984. Some relationships are complicated.


I can tell they brainwashed you well in Cupertino. ;) They probably left out the part where Jobs borrowed the ideas for the Mac from Xerox I suspect too.

More accurately, there is probably a Mac here because they were building Office for it.


Nah. All the cool kids in the 80's wanted the Amiga. The Mac was a toy. The story of Jobs' visit to Xerox Parc is well documented. They paid a million dollars for the visits.

http://www.macstories.net/linked/parc-scientist-larry-tesler...

http://www.cultofmac.com/126863/in-defense-of-steve-jobs/


People tend to forget there were many players out there back in the day. Amoga was so far ahead in 'multimedia' infront of Pc and Mac that it's not even comparable until 486 era. Not to mention SGI and Sun machines. Pretending that Mac was some kind of single origin of everything or Pc being a toure de force is just wrong.


Or the atari st! Like a mac only at 1/3 the price :)


As Microsoft surpassed Apple and of course Amiga to become the absolute necessity of practicality that they are today, I don't think they cared as much about what the "cool kids" wanted.

I think it's apparent and I am thankful that Microsoft didn't copy Apple's UI and instead went with a much more practical and utilitarian approach than Apple. This along with Microsoft's business model obviously works better for the mass market and has stood the test of time whereas Apple has capitulated many times both on their UI principles and on their business model.


At the moment, the Apple business model is far out in front of the Microsoft business model, from a sheer profit perspective.


That's great that Apple is making money. How does that affect your life?

I'm just so glad that I don't see Apple computers when I walk into 90% of the offices around the world where their business model simply couldn't survive.




Consider applying for YC's Summer 2026 batch! Applications are open till May 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: