h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Allthough the read was very fine indeed, I could not help noticing the statement that Apple bought the GUI from Xerox. Apple didn't buy it. But Apple didn't steal it either...

This is what's so confusing... When people've seen "Pirates of silicon valley", they believe that Steve ALSO stole the GUI from Xerox. That's -so- not true.

What really happened was that Steve hired all the GUI guys from Xerox and gave them a bunch of stock to them. So technicly, Apple didn't steal it, they 'half' bought it (for a cheaper price of course!).

Also, don't forget that it was Gilbert Amelio that created the Apple Masters program (whom wich Douglas Adams, Harrison Ford, and many other celeberties are in).

Gilbert was OK. He had good ideas. The problem was that he didn't provide profits fast enough. Sure, Steve nixed Newton. But Newton actually got more and more promising as time passed by.

Steve took the drastic, quick way. Gilbert (or Dr. Gil that he wants to be called) took the slow, less pleasing to the shareholders way. Sure, we wouldn't have had the iMac if we followed Gil, but, who knows? Only speculation can tell the truth.

By the way, Gil used to be called Buster in school when he was young, hence the code names of the System 7 updates (such as: Son Of Buster, Bride of Buster).

Apples web site says that they bought the GUI from xerox, and you in your statement say that they "kind of" bought it from them. Without going into a lot of retoric about how it was purchased.

If you could clarify that point then please do so, this is about the Mac after all and there are a lot of disperite oppinions but I only want to write one thing.

Your input is appreciated, please continue to comment so we can build the best entry we can.

Oh. One more question, when you say "bought", are you refering to the line that said Apple "aquired" the GUI? I did a quick read through and couldn't find where I wrote "bought"

Anywho, waiting for your reply.

Roughly: The idea was copied off The Xerox Gui but it was very basic, no menu's no overlapping windows etc. The Mac OS was created after 2 or 3 short meetings at Xerox in the early 80's both of which evolving Jobs, some lady from Apple and the Xerox geeks, they managed to persuade Xerox to demo the concept and the Mac GUI was created from the notes taken in those meetings (and possibly some poached employees).

Roughly: The idea was copied off The Xerox Gui but it was very basic, no menu's no overlapping windows etc. The Mac OS was created after 2 or 3 short meetings at Xerox in the early 80's both of which evolving Jobs, some lady from Apple and the Xerox geeks, they managed to persuade Xerox to demo the concept and the Mac GUI was created from the notes taken in those meetings (and possibly some poached employees).