Brad Wardell's views about technology, politics, religion, world affairs, and all sorts of politically incorrect topics.

With Dell taking the Windows experience to the next level with the introduction of the Dell Dock, I've seen a lot of online buzz about it.  Most agree that the Dell Dock is really good but intermixed are a lot of Mac fans who use terms like "Mac rip off" or how it's a copy of the Mac dock.

imageMac zealots have a long and glorious history of retroactively claiming pre-existing concepts as being invented by Apple.  For example, the modern "widget" (end user created applets that use Javascript) was not invented by Apple.  They also didn't first appear in Konfabulator either. They appeared in Stardock DesktopX years earlier. Apple zealots usually counter by arguing that things like desktop accessories from 1981 "invented" the concept (as if the average user was going to whip out small assembly language programs).

imageI think most rational people agree that the modern widget is a mini application that can be created by end users that are tied together with a high level scripting language (i.e. Yahoo Widgets, Dashboard, Sidebar Gadgets, DesktopX).  And DesktopX borrowed the concept from IBM's worksplace shell which in turn was inspired by prior art as well.

But the controversy over widgets is nothing compared to the claim that Apple somehow invented the concept of docks.  Even allowing for the history of NeXT with its side dock, the dock concept is ancient.

 Stardock, for example, has been doing "docks" since 1994.  Object Desktop for OS/2 included things like Tab LaunchPad and Control Center. You don't see Stardock fans complaining that every sidebar is a "rip off" of Control Center. And Control Center certainly didn't invent the concept of a side-based bar or dock either.

You would be hard pressed to find many companies that have been continuously producing a dock and a sidebar as long as Stardock has -- 14 consecutive years of development. I think it's fair to say that we weren't "inspired" by an Apple OS that wouldn't exist for 7 more years from the time we started doing this sort of thing.

image
Tab LaunchPad on OS/2 circa 1994

Stardock makes no claims of having invented the dock.  We called our first dock Tab LaunchPad because IBM itself had created a dock for OS/2 2.0:

image
IBM OS/2 LaunchPad circa 1992

But let's say you're a true die-hard Steve Jobs zealot and want to argue that NeXT "invented" the dock. You'd still be wrong as docks were part of Acorn computers from the early 80s.  The point, of course, isn't who invented the dock, the argument of course is whether companies like Stardock (who wrote the Dell Dock) were somehow ripping off or stealing or what have you from the MacOS dock and I think you can see why this is such an obnoxious and offensive argument - we've been making docks since before Apple had figured out how to do preemptive multitasking.

They say a picture is worth a 1000 words.  Here is a picture of what the Macintosh looked like in 1996 (System 7.5) along with a picture of Stardock Object Desktop in 1996:

image vs. image
Mac 1996 vs. Stardock Object Desktop 1996: Which desktop do you think more closely resembles today's modern desktop? Note that Object Desktop was written during the Windows 3.1 era.

Stardock doesn't run around claiming that it invented the modern desktop experience. We don't imply or assert that everyone else is "ripping us off". Some ideas are just obvious.

The Dell Dock represents the continuing evolution of the desktop experience. Like all improvements to the user experience, inspiration can be found everywhere. But when advocates of a company or an operating system try to lay exclusive claim to all such improvements, they diminish the hard work, innovation, and inventiveness by thousands of other people from around the world who often have worked in obscurity with little glory. It is bad enough that these innovators don't get credit they deserve, it's even worse when they are so often smeared as copying those who came after.

Other Pictures:

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Dell Dock

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Stardock ObjectDock

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Stardock ObjectDock Plus (4 different docks)

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Stardock Impulse Dock


Comments (Page 2)
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on Jul 21, 2008
Here's a thought...who gives a flying monkey who's was first. Stardocks is best. 'nuff said.
on Jul 21, 2008

The RISC-OS dock:


http://www.netneurotic.net/bin/riscosdock.png

I believe RISC OS has had it since 1987.

NEXTSTEP (i.e. Mac OS X) had a dock since 1989, I believe.

If I am wrong and RISC OS' dock is newer (and NEXT's is not), the claim that Apple's dock was the first would be true.

I doubt many people outside England even know RISC OS.

Did you read the article?

From the article:

But let's say you're a true die-hard Steve Jobs zealot and want to argue that NeXT "invented" the dock. You'd still be wrong as docks were part of Acorn computers from the early 80s.  The point, of course, isn't who invented the dock, the argument of course is whether companies like Stardock (who wrote the Dell Dock) were somehow ripping off or stealing or what have you from the MacOS dock and I think you can see why this is such an obnoxious and offensive argument - we've been making docks since before Apple had figured out how to do preemptive multitasking.

 

on Jul 21, 2008
will there be a Dell-styled flyout for ObjectDock? that kinda looks useful.
on Jul 21, 2008
we've been making docks since before Apple had figured out how to do preemptive multitasking.


why was it when I read this line , I pictured the UT2004 announcer saying

HEADSHOT
on Jul 21, 2008

For what it's worth, ObjectDock is a necessity. Especially when you have a lot of shortcuts and only use two or three enough to put on the dock.

on Jul 21, 2008
Warning - Incoherent RANT -

Now I am really confused so a Mac is defined by What? When? and is a ripoff how? I missed most of the point of why we care. When personal computers began a MAC was its own machine with its own GUI which was inspired by the work of Xerox and other early pioneers. Long past are the days when the Mac was really even a Mac its just another OS on Intel Hardware. With a BSD Unix OS and a GUI overlay, which could run on everyone's PC. So Mac is not only a ripoff who's hardware failed because they tried to remain proprietary in a collaborative world. They haven't got the stones to compete their superior software on the open market with everyone else. Now you are telling me they want to take credit for the Dock too?

It's just not possible no one could be that arrogant and I refuse to believe it. I am taking my mouse (another Mac invention I suppose?) and going home. Slinks off looking for a sedative...
on Jul 21, 2008
what is so special about a dock on your desktop, i have an object dock on mine from SD. I did not find it anything special other than having the convenience of doing multitasking easier in the sense i can have most of the programs i need at my finger tips.
on Jul 22, 2008

@rufnredde


Of course you forget that Apple invented Unix as well


And Brad: I think it's time to reveal your time machine to the world, too many of these occurences and people will find out anyway

on Jul 22, 2008

Did you read the article?


I did. But as I said I am not sure whether RISC OS had its dock before NEXTSTEP did.

Was it 1987? If it was 1988, the first released version of NEXTSTEP could have been out earlier. I don't know.
on Jul 22, 2008
Yeah, and if Apple had its way, James Watt, Alexander Bell and Madam Curie would have no claim to fame, either.

However, Apple DID create Steve Jobs... cos without Apple he'd be just another insignificant wart on the backside of humanity.

As is, he's Mr Smug... a turtleneck wearing blot on computing honesty.
on Jul 22, 2008
so who is worse, Bill Gates or Steven Jobs.
on Jul 22, 2008

so who is worse, Bill Gates or Steven Jobs.

Jobs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next question? ....

on Jul 22, 2008
Heck, Stardock's 1996 dock looked better than the Apple one anyway! Now if I had that Dell dock on my PC, my desktop icons would be gone! Again, hint, hint....
on Jul 22, 2008
so who is worse, Bill Gates or Steven Jobs.


Jobs... unlike Mr Smug, Bill's not so far up himself that he's not pink on the outside.
on Jul 22, 2008
so who is worse, Bill Gates or Steven Jobs.

Jobs. I hate that turtleneck.

Macs just kinda drop dead when I'm in the same room.
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