MSN vs Spotlight

[Abstract]

What is this guy going on about, and why are we listening to Paul Thurrott?

For purposes of comparison, many people are sizing up MSN's new desktop search program and toolbar suite against Google's previously released desktop search program. But a Macintosh convert, Eric Longstaff, points out the similarities between MSN's new program and "Spotlight," the desktop search feature that Apple plans to incorporate into Tiger, the next version of the Mac OS X operating system. The MSN tool is "a ripoff," he writes.


Actually, it's the other way around, insists one Windows-related publication. On the Windows SuperSite, in the intro to a glowing review of the new MSN software, Paul Thurrott asserts that Apple and Google were inspired to pursue their own desktop search strategies after seeing Bill Gates demonstrate the desktop search features the company was planning for Longhorn, the frequently delayed next version of Windows.

"ince announcing its Longhorn desktop search intentions, Microsoft's worst fears were realized," Thurrott writes. "Other companies began copying the Microsoft desktop search strategy, knowing that the never-ending Longhorn delays would help them get to market sooner and appear to be nimbler and even more innovative, though it's sort of astonishing how transparent that latter claim is. Chief among these competitors are Apple and Google."


He calls the Spotlight feature "a rough subset of the desktop search features Gates discussed in late 2003, but presented to the user with Apple's standard graphical excellence."


There's probably no hope of settling this disagreement. But regardless of who is copying whom, or whether anyone is copying anyone, there are clearly some common elements between the two tools, at least conceptually, particularly when you look at the desktop toolbar features. For example, compare publicity shots of the MSN desktop toolbar, above, and the planned Apple Spotlight search function, below.

Source: http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/003962.html

Well if MS actually had the idea soooo long ago, then why was their search feature going to be excluded from Longhorn? Or maybe it still is. Who knows. All I know is that Apple has it sorted, and so does Google, although it isn't as good (supposedly, but I'll admit that I have never tried it....no PC).

 

[DavidLeblond]

Paul Thurrott is a Windows zealot... don't listen to him. I read his stuff every once in awhile for entertainment.

Here is his review

 

[Timelessblur]

and the people here are not anti mircrosoft Apple zealots...... but it does have a point. Microsoft stated before Apple or anyone one else did that they where working on something like this so it not microsoft coping this time....

 

[FelixDerKater]

It is an endless cycle that cannot be prevented. Apple will innovate and Microsoft will steal.

 

[Timelessblur]

It is an endless cycle that cannot be prevented. Apple will innovate and Microsoft will steal.

I find it strange how people scream everytime microsoft even remotley looks like they copied or stole something yet no one seems to care when apple blantely steals something (dashboard any one)

 

[munkle]

I find it strange how people scream everytime microsoft even remotley looks like they copied or stole something yet no one seems to care when apple blantely steals something (dashboard any one)

Please lets not start argument again! And just for the record the argument that Apple stole the concept for Dashboard is an extremely shaky [URL=http://daringfireball.net/2004/06/dashboard_vs_konfabulator]one. Not to say that Apple doesn't steal ideas, Fast User Switching (but at least they acknowledge it!), but Microsoft has a long of history of 'borrowing' ideas. Heck, the whole company is pretty much built from the success of copying and pasting a certain somebody else's OS - that tends to make a few people bitter!

 

[Thomas Veil]

Look, the fact of the matter is, the minute companies hear about one of their competitors coming up with a good idea, they immediately set about trying to counter it. Happens all the time, in everything from cars to razor blades.

Now, Apple comes up with enough of its own original ideas. Microsoft, OTOH, is famous for simply taking other people's ideas and technology and implementing them badly. So if Apple "steals" an occasional idea, people are willing to give Apple a pass, whereas they won't do the same for MS.

Besides, what also counts is what companies do with the idea. So Microsoft came up with it first. Is Apple supposed to apologize for getting it finished first and implementing it better, while bumbling Microsoft is still struggling along? Please.

 

[howard]

it boils down to who does it first, not who thought of it first.

and of course, who does it best.

 

[Timelessblur]

it boils down to who does it first, not who thought of it first.

and of course, who does it best.

well by the logic then apple copied MS in the OS market because the first MS windows was released to the public before the first Mac OS was. firgure I would point that out. mind you it was really a pretty poor and not really ready. it was rush to market to beat Apple but it did beat apple to market

 

[Fukui]

Let's put it this way. MS has been promising this search stuff for a decade now with absolutely zero results. Isn't funny that after apple decided that a metadata and file based search was "good enough" than the full fledged "new file system," MS backtracked and one week after apple demonstrated spolight Gates said that a pared down search capability would be added to XP and Longhorn ahead of the WinFS which has now been delayed into 2008...

So while Apple could be seen as copying MS, MS had a looooooooong time to do its stuff, and apple showed them how to do it quickly, which they capitalized on, of course. So I'd say, whatever.

In this case, they are technically equal, but apple gets points for being first, and getting it right...

 

[mattroberts]

ummmm..... not to sound dense or anything but

Sherlock in OS 8.*

I seem to remember having much of the functionality i'm promised in spotlight/msn/google WAY back then. though it wasn't all that great.

One search engine to search them all kind of thing. Now the technology behind it all is probably(definitely) changed but the original idea hasn't all that much.

just my 2 cents

m