Very true. And while all technology products are derivative of earlier products to some degree, I think Microsoft does more bandwagon-jumping than most. Let's look at the evidence.

* Java, made by Sun. "Reimagined" by Microsoft.
* Console gaming, made by Atari, Nintendo, Sega, Sony, et al. Microsoft gives us Xbox.
* Online Music, pioneered by Napster, made legitimate by Apple. Microsoft gives us MSN Music.
* MP3 player, pioneered by Rio, made super popular by Apple. Microsoft gives us Zune.
* Internet search, pioneered by Archie in 1990, made insanely profitable by Google. Microsoft gives us MSN. And Live Search. And Bing.

Far as tablet computing goes, Microsoft actually has a much bigger history than Apple. I remember MS peddling tablets back in 2001 with XP. Trouble is, XP was never designed as a touch interface. Even as recent as 2008, Microsoft tried this strategy with the Origami.

The innovation Apple made is to take its smartphone OS (whose design is based on touch) and pull it up to the tablet rather than take a full-blown desktop OS and push it down. This is the idea Microsoft is copying with Surface and Windows 8.

Other than Kinect, which is an innovative product since it is more than merely a response to the Wii, I'm not sure Microsoft invented anything. Even its flagship Office suite is based on earlier software (WordStar, WordPerfect, dBase, Lotus 1-2-3). In fact, when Microsoft first licensed MS-DOS to IBM for a huge profit back in 1981, it was essentially QDOS, which they purchased outright from some guy for $50,000. Deal of the century.

You may say, "Well Apple didn't invent the MP3 player. Why aren't they guilty of copying too?"

They are. But Microsoft's history is rife with this sort of "me-too" thing in a way no other company's is. Let me distil my point into one sentence: How many companies are copying Microsoft's products?

To sum up: Microsoft is slim on innovation, fat on looking over the shoulders of the smart kids in class...>> ^Sarzy:

>> ^mtadd:
Microsoft never fails to innovate their name on someone else's product.

Yes, because the iPad was, of course, the first tablet ever.

>> ^bamdrew:

Here was last year's 'Book of Mormon' Tony performance of "I Believe":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlbDHejQFV4
I hadn't seen it before... really funny.


Since we're posting songs from musicals I'll post this.

It was dead, I just tried to sift it, forgot this is where I learned of the cover. Just cruised through it on my old mp3s.

The mp3 can be downloaded from http://www.noisetrade.com/only1noah - linked by the author.

>> ^Grimm:

Most likely because in real life Steve Jobs was this guy.>> ^notarobot:
Later MP3s would be developed to ease such arguments.
"Hey, where's my ipod?"
"Oh, I put it on the table."
"Okay, thanks."



I can see that.

Most likely because in real life Steve Jobs was this guy.>> ^notarobot:

Later MP3s would be developed to ease such arguments.
"Hey, where's my ipod?"
"Oh, I put it on the table."
"Okay, thanks."

Later MP3s would be developed to ease such arguments.
"Hey, where's my ipod?"
"Oh, I put it on the table."
"Okay, thanks."

MP3 Player converted to Cassette Tape converted to 8-Track!

>> ^Sagemind:

I think it all sounds great!
Except for maybe the wireless speaker (if it is on batteries).
She pulls it out of the side, which makes me wonder if it doesn't have a slot, making it recharge while it's connected. You just pull it out for movie night.
And ya (@Gallowflak), Sometimes families use TV, DVD & MP3. what was your point?
Example: As an artist, I don't mind the idea of grinding my own pigments to make my paints, but I don't expect the average person to bother. It's the same with tech. Why would most people bother? Confusing tech is a FAIL in my book. If I have to go and set up one more family's surround-sound or program one more super-remote - I'm gonna loose it


I'm not sure I really had a point... just that, as CrushBug notes, this obviously isn't for people who get a kick out of technology* and have an active interest in it.

And when I said "as a sound guy", I was mostly joking and being masturbatory, but I'm sick to death of shitty goddamn speaker systems.

*(or at least entertainment tech/hardware)

I think it all sounds great!
Except for maybe the wireless speaker (if it is on batteries).

She pulls it out of the side, which makes me wonder if it doesn't have a slot, making it recharge while it's connected. You just pull it out for movie night.

And ya (@Gallowflak), Sometimes families use TV, DVD & MP3. what was your point?
Example: As an artist, I don't mind the idea of grinding my own pigments to make my paints, but I don't expect the average person to bother. It's the same with tech. Why would most people bother? Confusing tech is a FAIL in my book. If I have to go and set up one more family's surround-sound or program one more super-remote - I'm gonna loose it

>> ^sillma:

>> ^lavoll:
crap like this?
http://locus-design.com/cynosure_usb.html
http://www.lessloss.com/blackbody-p-200.html
and the winner:
a cryogenically frozen power multiplier that costs 18000 euro!!!
http://www.hifi4all.dk/content/templates/nyheder.asp?articleid
=2288&zoneid=1
it promises a calmer, more focused listening experience....
i also read a norwegian distributor of placebaudio equipment like this in a forum claiming that moving his mp3 collection to a ssd disks made his music collection "calmer, with greater focus and more dynamic mids"

hehe yeah. Ah well, I guess it's not the fool who sells...


LOL. I bought a full set of Polk Audio's for my surround sound system and you should see some of the moronic posts in their forums. One guy even posted a link to an article written by a professional sound engineer that used equipment to verify his findings that basically said they are all full of shit if they say they can hear the difference between using high end audio cables and regular speaker wire from Radio shack for instance. They STILL flamed the guy to death. They are as delusional as fundie Christians as far as I'm concerned.

Well, it reminds me of Tron. And I think it would be fair to tag it with "tron", as someone doing a tag search for "tron" might be interested to see this, given that it's got lighty-uppy suits and music from the Tron Legacy soundtrack.

>> ^Shepppard:

>> ^FlowersInHisHair:
>> ^Shepppard:
Apart from the glowing lights, this actually has seemingly NOTHING to do with tron, the original video doesn't have anything to do with tron anywhere in the wording, and the description is as follows:
"The full version of CM performance was appointed as the mobile phone company by street dance crew WRECKING CREW ORCHESTRA FAMILY representing Japan.
Has been produced in the original costume, control systems, such as the choreography."
Also, as they're working off of a CD or MP3, this is very much not live music.
So, no, not tron. Nochannel Scifi Dance Skillful Music

So you're telling me you don't look at this and think "Tron"? Seriously?

Nope. Same as I don't consider a video like this that essentially has the exact same type of costume on the dancers tron in any way, shape or form.
And regardless of weather or not one looks at this and goes, "Oh yeah, this reminds me of tron" doesn't make it a tribute to tron. Besides the glowing suits, there's nothing even referencing tron. No frisbee, no light cycle, not Master Control Program, nothing. It's just the costume they're wearing for the dance. That's all.
It's like saying that this is a tribute to Jurassic Park.

>> ^FlowersInHisHair:

>> ^Shepppard:
Apart from the glowing lights, this actually has seemingly NOTHING to do with tron, the original video doesn't have anything to do with tron anywhere in the wording, and the description is as follows:
"The full version of CM performance was appointed as the mobile phone company by street dance crew WRECKING CREW ORCHESTRA FAMILY representing Japan.
Has been produced in the original costume, control systems, such as the choreography."
Also, as they're working off of a CD or MP3, this is very much not live music.
So, no, not tron. Nochannel Scifi Dance Skillful Music

So you're telling me you don't look at this and think "Tron"? Seriously?


Nope. Same as I don't consider a video like this that essentially has the exact same type of costume on the dancers tron in any way, shape or form.

And regardless of weather or not one looks at this and goes, "Oh yeah, this reminds me of tron" doesn't make it a tribute to tron. Besides the glowing suits, there's nothing even referencing tron. No frisbee, no light cycle, not Master Control Program, nothing. It's just the costume they're wearing for the dance. That's all.

It's like saying that this is a tribute to Jurassic Park.

>> ^Shepppard:

Apart from the glowing lights, this actually has seemingly NOTHING to do with tron, the original video doesn't have anything to do with tron anywhere in the wording, and the description is as follows:
"The full version of CM performance was appointed as the mobile phone company by street dance crew WRECKING CREW ORCHESTRA FAMILY representing Japan.
Has been produced in the original costume, control systems, such as the choreography."
Also, as they're working off of a CD or MP3, this is very much not live music.
So, no, not tron. Nochannel Scifi Dance Skillful Music


*Asia

>> ^Shepppard:

Apart from the glowing lights, this actually has seemingly NOTHING to do with tron, the original video doesn't have anything to do with tron anywhere in the wording, and the description is as follows:
"The full version of CM performance was appointed as the mobile phone company by street dance crew WRECKING CREW ORCHESTRA FAMILY representing Japan.
Has been produced in the original costume, control systems, such as the choreography."
Also, as they're working off of a CD or MP3, this is very much not live music.
So, no, not tron. Nochannel Scifi Dance Skillful Music

So you're telling me you don't look at this and think "Tron"? Seriously?