Does anyone else think that the look of Tiger's Dashboard should be turned into a Mac theme?
On a side note, it's really a shame that Apple continues to rip off software from their own developer community. Where I come from this practice is called stealing and those who commit the act are usually sent to jail.
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
It's a shame to see the smaller developer getting pushed aside once again by a larger company. It's a wonder that people even bother with developing small apps such as Konfabulator anymore because of this.
Not to mention Butler and Quicksilver being replaced by the built-in Tiger search. And Stattoo will be pretty much useless as well.
I can't say I really have a problem with it, since I'm sure the built-in versions will be much better and more integrated, but your right, if I were an app developer I wouldn't bother to make anything mainstream enough that Apple would be interested in copying it.
"Where I come from, Canada"
(please excuse my bad joke, but the urge to make a Simpsons-Airbag crossover joke is too strong)
The first thing I thought upon viewing Spotlight was that it looks an awful lot like Launchbar/Quicksilver etc. Wouldn't be surprised if it launched with cmd-space either. The first thing I thought upon viewing Dashboard was of Konfabulator.
I love Konfab's response, though. Perfect amount of snarkiness and satire of Apple's own snarkiness towards Redmond.
Am I the only person not that thrilled with Dashboard? I thought the other technologies were much more interesting. I actually wrote about it in my journal at Apple's Tiger: Gunning for the Enterprise.
Tiger is the first BIG step into the enterprise. It only gets better from here.
Spotlight != Butler, LaunchBar or even QuickSilver.
Spotlight is not a true launcher, just a powerful search feature. It could be a really, really basic launcher, but those who really use Launchers will find it too weak for that task.
Check out Arlo's interview on Geek Patrol. It's pretty good.
Personally, i dont believe that spotlight is a rip of quicksilver et. al. As has been said, its search feature not a launch bar, and its a full framework (which ties into apples searching technologies thus far, as the broader scale case), with spotlight being the tip of the iceburg.
If you read the tech page, you'll see that Apple have a layer of API in addition to the search field in the menubar - which supports plugins for your own apps wizzy meta-data. Its also wickedly live. The other launchbars do nothing of the sort.
Just my 2c
Andrew
While I agree Apple definetly has to stop taking their developer's jobs away (be it only for their own sake), I don't think this applies in the case of launchers and search bar utilities being pushed aside by Dashboard and Spotlight.
iPhoto, Font Book, Xcode 2.0, the upcoming Safari RSS are all applications that have nothing to do with the actual function of an OS and all infringe on 3rd party developers market share. They should never have come to exist.
Spotlight on the other hand, is definetly a functionality that is definetly part of an OS's job. Apple had to come up with a better and most of all faster search/indexation feature - unless you think the current Finder search is acceptable: for me it's not.
The same applies to Dashboard. If 3rd party developers make software that adds features to the OS which becomes obsolete once Apple actually adds normal workflow functionality to their system, well though luck then.
The way Apple stole the overall design and implementation of widgets from Konfabulator is just disgusting, but they have every right to introduce new features that render existing 3rd party system utilities useless.
Wether it's a smart move from their part is another story
Holy crap! It's Mac XP!!
You're kidding right?
The practical appeal of Konfabulator escapes me. The concept is neat, and the widgets are fun to play around with, but the last thing the native OS needs is a pile of garish floating toys.
Looking at those sample pics of Dashboard makes me glad that my car's real dashboard wasn't designed to mimic Konfabulator.
What's left for Apple to intergrate in to the OS?... the web browser perhaps? ... sounds like apple gets to do anything they want because they are "not" microsoft.
Not "not Microsoft," but "not a monopoly" as defined by the Department of Justice and the FTC. You can behave one way if you're competing in the marketplace; you have to behave a different way if you are ruled a monopoly. Fair? Maybe not, but it's the law.
I look at it this way: It's Apple's job to do absolutely everything they can to make their offerings a clearly better choice than the competition. If someone has a great concept (like a portable digital audio device), but Apple thinks that the concept is not proprietary and could be executed better by them, and that it's a marketplace winner, then by all means they should do it.
Sure, it be friendlier for Apple to embrace developers who make cool little helper apps. But the reality is Apple has rarely placed nice in the marketplace — they are a tough, bare-knuckled marketplace brawler, following what they think is the shortest path to continued survival. They step on toes in the process, but I'm sure it's just seen as a cost of doing business. In the end they think their #1 job is to deliver a better product to the average customer.
Ironically, yesterdays posters with slogans like "redmond, start you photocopiers" chastize Microsoft for stealing.
I guess it's ok if you are viewed as the underdog.
Apple does really innovative and cool things. But, sometimes they do so at the cost of small companies that pour their hearts and money into developing for the market. Even the bigger companies are getting stung and getting out. Look at Adobe.
Apple, Microsoft, etc. are all the same beast and out for one thing. Dominate and make money. These are corporate entities, not people, and they will eat up whatever is in their path.
What came first, Konfab or Dashboard? I don't mean launched, I mean developed, conceptualized. Perhaps Apple has had plans for Dashboard pre-dating Konfab's initial release and it's been buried in Cupertino's garage all this time. Small, indy developers, by their nature, are far more agile. They can go from concept to release significantly faster than Apple can. If Apple, out of plain courtesy had to approach and deal with each and every 3rd party developer before they released a 'like minded' app or OS feature it would be nothing short of a corporate hemorrhoid. Not to mention the barrage of screaming, high-paid legal eagles on Apple's payroll who no doubt have instructed the company to not go anywhere near any developer who has beat Apple to the launch button for an Apple-planned app or feature. C'mon people, this is BUSINESS. Apple won't, nor should they ask for permission from any 3rd party developer before they improve upon their own product.
PS: Greg, as per the CIRA issue, as you may have guessed, I have been unsuccessful in my discussions with them regarding airbag.ca. Sorry buddy. I did try.
So who was Konfabulator inspired by? Apple maybe?
Jonas, that is one of the best arguments in this whole conversation. And I mean on the whole web. Spymac, MacRumors, Dutch Mac sites. They are all shut up if they see this.
And the idea of integrating a browser is dangerous. See Windows, and you know enough. Sure, Linux has a built-in browser. But there are virtually no viruses for Linux, so who cares. Windows, it does have viruses.
A comment I posted here in a related discussion:
Based on my observations of Apple over the past several years, they clearly invest their money doing things that considerably enhance the user experience. That's what they are good at, and that's in the long term interest of their users and their development community.
When similar applications already existed, they introduced the iApps -- which, in a single stroke, dramatically improved the platform. And they leveraged those applications through integration with .Mac, and ultimately into new products like the iPod and the Music Store. And now we see Apple adding value to iTunes through the ultra-cool Airport Express. There were people that grumbled about Apple killing a few MP3 software players with iTunes, but would *anybody* argue that was the wrong thing to do?
Another example -- Apple opened retail outlets and an online store, to the detriment to many former Mac retailers. Do you think that was an unfair move? Apple did for retail what the retailers never did, nor could do -- they extended the Mac *experience* and consistency. And that's great for the long-term outlook of this platform.
Back to software -- I think the recent history of Apple has shown an ability to bring technology to the masses in a way that integrates into the overall user experience, can be leveraged along the OS roadmap, while leaving the market open to the developer(s) who perhaps lead the singular innovations.
I just recently purchased iView Media Pro, simply due to the introduction to media management that I discovered through iPhoto. And I'll continue to use and upgrade LaunchBar (as will many). And I'll bet makers of advanced RSS readers will see increased sales due to Apple's introduction of RSS to the masses.
In that respect, I think what Apple are doing is more than fair.
it is funny that this "stealing" is exactly what microsoft gets attacked about constantly by the apple community? yet, apple does basically the same thing with its OS. including, creating a brand new browser *safari* that comes with the OS so you don't have to use anyone elses. not one soul bats an eye. legally that is.
then you have fanatics saying things like "I think what Apple is doing is more than fair" completely ignoring the facts. they can go on for pages explaining how good it is blah blah blah. if apple steals -- its more than fair... if ms or anyone else for that matter steals ideas -- lets sue!!!!!
apple is a fantastic company no doubt but lets call a black cat a black cat.
Um, ricky...
You state that Apple "steals" and then, as an example, point to the fact that they developed a browser? Was that your intended argument?
You label someone with an opposing opinion a "fanatic"? Are you aware that many of the *affected independent developers* (e.g. Brent Simmons, Erik J. Barzeski) feel the same way. Are they fanatics, too?
Then you speak to the "legality" of things. So, according to you then, what exactly did Apple "illegally steal"?
If these "indy developers" come up with something original which they think could be "stolen", then they should patent the idea. That's what patents are for.
In this case, "Desk Ornaments", they wouldn't be able to get a patent because it isn't their original idea*. And without a patent there isn't anything "illegal" in taking the idea and reimplementing it.
* Though it does look like you can get a patent on anything nowadays, uncluding a novel invention: the "button".
from what is said here:
http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/hyatt/archives/2004_06.html#005876/ Dashboard is not a rip-off. it uses the concepts but makes it better.
Dashboard for the Mac is exactly what gDesklets is to the Linux Desktop. As far as I can tell, gDesklets was the first one to introduce this kind of application, so instead of chastizing Apple for taking things from Konfabulator, how about taking it out on Konfabulator for stealing from the Open Source community and turning a profit on it?
Apple's big faux pas in this was not doing a better job controlling the spin. John Gruber's got a well-written piece that pretty much echoes my sentiments over at Daring Fireball.
The piece I'd add to that is that I think it'd behoove Apple to be perhaps a little more sharing / open with the developer base about future development (though that can take some of the shine off the big announcements).
As far as those condemning Apple for developing a browser, or an mp3 player (whose code and developers they BOUGHT) - they really couldn't afford NOT to offer those products bundled with the operating system. Their primary competition (Windows XP) includes that functionality bundled with the OS...(I'm not arguing whether this *should* be bundled with an OS, just that it is...). So, much as it might have been a blow to Omni Web for Apple to develop their own browser, it should have come as no surprise. In fact I think it's somewhat surprising that it hadn't happened sooner (unless you count the failure that was OpenDoc...).
Bottom line - it's a shame for the Konfab guys, but if it improves the user experience for the *average* user, it can only benefit the plaform as a whole.
I agree, Jeremy. I'm excited about Dashboard because of it's potential to increase my workflow and provide some new show-off material with the PC world around me. I would be considered the average user.
I downloaded and installed Konfab when it was first released. I though the idea was great, and I admired the awesome design elements (Arlo, you be good at yer job). Still, I quickly realized it's price footprint wasn't worth the processor demand, nor the distraction from work (though some of those games are very addictive).
Now, with Apple's re-implementation of "desk accessories," I'm excited to be able to control iTunes via a cool remote (that I can design!), check my stocks while still working, and know my PowerBook's battery level in coins, rather than bars. It appeals to me mostly because it's packaged with the OS, and because it will leave a minimal footprint.
Gruber said it right. We non-developers have no right to cry for the Konfab team ... unless, of course, we've paid the $25 license fee.