Re: PC or Mac?

[russotto@grace.speakeasy.net (Matthew Russotto)]

In article <a3emam$3qi$1@merope.saaf.se>, Paul Schlyter <pausch@saaf.se> wrote:
>In article <u5ldr9itgqhg9a@corp.supernews.com>,
>Matthew Russotto <russotto@grace.speakeasy.net> wrote:
> 
>> Apple borrowed (or bought) far less from Xerox than Windows borrowed
>> from the Mac. 
> 
>A GUI is a GUI is a GUI.... or did Windows borrow more from the
>Mac than just the GUI?

A GUI is not a GUI is not a GUI.  They all look the same
nowadays... because they all basically derive from the same source, and
I don't mean Xerox.  The Xerox Smalltalk interface was, while not
entirely dissimilar, noticably different.  (caveat: I've only seen it as
implemented on an Apple Lisa).  The major Windows/Mac difference has
been and remains the menu bar; that's about it. 

>> To this day, Apple does not use the PC diskette format.
> 
>Really?  On my 14-year old PC I can, without problem, read files
>on diskettes written to by my wife's PowerBook Mac.  So either the
>Mac uses the PC diskette format, or else my old PC can somehow
>automagically read Mac diskette format(s?)...

The Mac can write to PC diskettes, but it isn't the Mac's native format.

>> You can't legitimately patent an idea.  Many elements of the GUI have
>> been patented, however. (including, I believe, the "trash can")
> 
>Isn't the "trash can" an idea too?  Both the GUI idea and the trashcan
>idea have of course been implemented as working software.

I didn't say the patents were legitimate.
-- 
Matthew T. Russotto                                mrussotto@speakeasy.net
=====
Dmitry is free, but the DMCA survives.             DMCA delenda est!
"Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice, and moderation in pursuit
of justice is no virtue."