Microsoft Manager Admits Mac Influence

Windows 7 has taken some heat for aping a few Mac OS UI features, but it’s certainly not a copycat OS — something Microsoft Partner Group Manager Simon Aldous might not know, given his recent quote.

Aldous is not a designer or developer, but works with Microsoft partners — sales, essentially. But his quotes are pretty odd despite their authoritative tone. Check it:

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.

Windows 7 and Snow Leopard may have some similarities in UI, but certainly not in graphical design — Windows 7′s airy, sky-blue aesthetic makes liberal use of transparency effects, while Snow Leopard dials back OS X to a more slick, grey-scale efficient look that matches its hardware design. Yeah, the Windows 7 Start Bar is inspired by the Mac Dock, but even they don’t look anything alike. Then there’s this:

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.

What? Not to kick a dead OS, but what? We’re not taking this as an official Microsoft statement, since nobody on the Windows team would ever say either of those quotes, but Microsoft better rope in their middle managers and teach ‘em about interview technique. [PCR via AppleInsider]