It's pretty clear that
Apple left no stone unturned in Leopard, making changes and fixes throughout the new operating system. Unfortunately, that also included an upgrade to its crucial smugness subsystem: the image you see above of an old school CRT monitor with a blue screen of death is actually the not-so-subtle gag icon Leopard uses to represent Windows machines on your local network. (Is it any wonder why PC and Mac fanboys tend to get in so many fights?) Granted, many Leopard beta users have seen this icon since the early releases, but we didn't actually think the shipping version would include something so pompous and galling to the other 90%.
We'll save the missive on the subject (although if that's what you're looking for,
Anil Dash wrote a pretty good one), and skip straight to the problem solving: hidden away deep within the recesses of Leopard, far, far away from the reaches of Spotlight, is an unassuming icon file that's doing a great job at perpetuating the myth of Mac users' disdainful sense of self-superiority. Luckily it's an easy fix, and we'll show you the three easy steps necessary to get rid of the BSOD and make your Mac a little less condescending.
Ok, so the file in question (public.generic-pc.icns) lives in /System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/, which is basically a pretty boring place to cruise around (unless you like looking at hundreds of sets of icons). And unfortunately for us, boring places like this are usually locked down tight in Unix systems, so we'll need to use the command line to make some changes.
This is a pretty easy process, especially if you know your way around a command line. First, open up Terminal (it's at Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app), or the terminal app of your choice (we also like
iTerm).
Then, type in the following three commands:
- cd /System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/
- sudo mv public.generic-pc.icns public.generic-pc_lame.icns
[enter your admin password]
- sudo cp com.apple.mac.icns public.generic-pc.icns
That's it! You've backed up the BSOD icon and moved the generic Apple Mac icon to where the system was expecting it, which, if we're not mistaken, should stop it from showing up when browsing your local Windows network. (Of course, you're also free to use another icon instead of the generic Mac icon.) Enjoy, and try not to go around telling people how much more amazing your Leopard machine is than their Vista laptop (and vice versa), ok? It's unbecoming.
posted Oct 30th 2007 2:54PM
"We'll save the missive on the subject"
Er... too late.
Why do apple users have to hack everything in order to get it to work???
Iphone, OSx...what a joke. Get a PC...It just works
And hacking to change the icon modifies the functionality how? This is purely a cosmetic change, it does 'just work' but it 'just works' with a picture that people want to change.
I guess I was referencing the irony here. OSx ships out of the box with "BSOD" issues. Numerous reports of poeple having issues backs that up.
Iphone functionality is a joke! Losing all 3rd party apps after they give them, then hacking to get them back?!?! Why do I have to hack any apple product to:
A. Get it to work
B. Get it to do what I want it to do.
I've never had that with a PC that's for sure...
@aaron
OS X does _NOT_ ship "out of the box with 'BSOD' issues." The fairly rare but widely reported bluescreen only occurs when an outdated version of the 3rd party Application Enhancer framework is installed.
Care to explain how it's Apple's fault that users have outdated and incompatible add-ons created by another company? Should they have tested their new release with every possible version of each program ever written? It's not as though there are widespread software compatibility issues like another recent OS had, and all blame lies with the Unsanity and the users. Mostly with the users though, because Unsanity had released a version of APE that didn't cause any problems, which is pretty much all that can be asked of them.
@Will
Care to explain how it's Apple's fault that users have outdated and incompatible add-ons created by another company?
Applies to Microsoft too doesn't it? Seeing as how there are a bazillion combinations of products to choose from for a PC. Apple can choose their components since they are the system builder. Microsoft cannot.
Thanks alex. PC's work with thousands and thousands more applications than a mac does. Windows seems to have had great reliability even with all those "sub-standard" 3rd party apps.
Apple obviously has yet to figure out how to make their os stable with apps...maybe that's why they locked down apps on the iphone...LOL
@Will
It's call a beta, and if Job's wasn't a paranoid megalomaniac, it would have been caught before release.
At least MS has a public beta. Apple user's are the beta testers, and they get to pay for that "privilege".
lol. funny name... anil
@Will
HAHAHA . . . Apple and their fanboys are such amateurs to the game, they don't know what they're getting themselves into when they diss Windows. How can you like Apple? They're screwing you over bud. Don't be so naive and just buy things because they look "contemporary." The design is simple, and their designers are simple, and it's simple to make. It's cheaper, and they up the price and call it art.
arteekay is right. Microsoft invented this business, so I'm pretty sure they know what they're doing. Apple started to catch on 4 years ago with the ipod 3G and they're trying to transfer some of that success to their computers. They should respect Microsoft, they have a lot to learn still.
I'm saving the massive missive for when OS X 10.6 aka "Mittens" comes out and Apple warns that this little software tweak MAY brick your Macbook.
On top of that, this tweak has also voided your warranty, and re-activation is required, and you can't use your T-mobile SIM card anymore...
I really don't understand Apple. They are so GOOD at hardware, and then it's as if there is some monkey-exec that changes the software and just... kills all faith in the company...
Sigh.
@V3LOCIP3D3
What the hell is your problem??
Some people like Windows... Some people like Mac.
What does it matter to you?
People can do whatever they want.
"they don't know what they're getting themselves into when they diss Windows."
I could come up with plenty of things that are wrong with Windows, and just as many that are wrong with Mac!
These idiotic Mac vs PC fights on Engadget are just ridiculous and POINTLESS.
@alex, even tho this reply thread is way too long.
it's apple's fault because they should have noticed that in the testing and corrected it.
@Dean
I think buying into the macfad, and turning around and being arrogant about being fooled into it says something about you're intelligence. Apple fanboys have something to learn about electronics and creating good products vs. creating good advertising. If you don't like the argument, don't get involved.
@Alex
We produce several software titles under multiple brand names. While there are more popular titles on the net, they are still fairly popular (between 10K-70K downloads per day, depending on the software).
Microsoft contacted us over 6 months before Vista was released, regarding each individual title (it is not obvious they are all run by the same company), assigned a "contact person" and worked with us to make sure our products were compatible with Vista. They were extremely responsive, very friendly, down to earth.
We never approached Microsoft before, never signed up for any of their betas, etc. It was 100% their initiative.
Our products are quite popular on MacOS as well. We never heard from Apple and on the rare occassion our development tried to communicate with them, it was virtually impossible. All we get are "scripts".
There is no company out there that is better at communicating with ISVs and partners than Microsoft. The only company that is worse than Apple is Google...
Enough said.
@ V3LOCIP3D3
Wow, you really need to read up on your history and check your facts.
MS invented this business? Are you kidding... What are you 12?
OK, lets see;
APE, a third party application that is installed in a location Apple specifically tells developers to NOT place files in causes system issues, WOW! Image a Windows app that removed key bits from the registry and deleted system DLLs.
The iPhone was shipped and performed as promised. A group of people wanted it to do more and created hacks that altered the firmware and afterward complained when they had problems after a system update. Boo Hoo cry me a river. I have an iPhone which I love, hacked it before, reset it when the update came out, re-hacked it and have had no problems. If you are going to hack something then you have no place to complain if the functionality goers away with an update... just wait a week and the fix will show up.
As far as testing Leopard and having the APE problem show up, most developers (myself included run test bed machines, which don't have extraneous crap on them. Even my standard production systems don't have APE because it is nasty and a crufty little hack.. and shame on Logitech for installing it .
@Ian
Okay Ian, I'm apparently 12. That was a mature comment, are you 8 years old? I think you got sidetracked when you were about to prove me wrong, but I'm pretty sure it was windows who invented (or I guess popularized) personal computing to such a large scale. This really means nothing except that Microsoft has a lot more experience (dealing with over 90% of the market) than Apple . . and apple should think twice before they get all arrogant and start saying they deserve everything.
Sorry for posting off topic, back to Leopard . .
There's a simple reason for the stereotype of Windows BSOD (which may have been somewhat true in the past) that Apple doesn't have to deal with. Options. Apple doesn't have to program around the hardware, the hardware is static and always tested for compatibility. The breadth of options PC users have is both a blessing and a curse. But now the era of BSOD is all but closed. I haven't had one real problem with my PC now that I have Vista. Windows 98 for me was big trouble, but the alternative, Mac OS 9 I believe, was... heh.. not an alternative at all. XP, in its later stages (service packs) got most of the problems taken care of, and I think Vista, aside for some little nagging problems that will be customarily patched soon, is just the next step in creating a beautiful and functional operating system. Really the only thing Windows can claim superiority over the Mac OSX is developer support, obviously, because other than that there is no reason for me to be a PC guy. Well... I can't go out and put together my own $1,800 beast of a Mac, because for that money you will only get a 24-inch iMac. I have a Quad Core, it doesn't. I have a powerful video card, it doesn't (at its base price). I have a decent screen, it has a damn nice screen, but that's not the point. Basically what I'm trying to say is that, Mac users pay loads of cash on overpriced hardware, just for the consolation of using its exclusive software. Come on, use that brain!
@V3LOCIP3D3
You should shut the hell up...
It blows my mind that you would be so naive as to think that everyone is going to like only one thing. Some people are going to like Mac, and some people are going to like Windows (and Linux, to be fair). After using Mac for a while now, I would never go back to Windows...
"...says something about you're intelligence." - Do you know what this quote says to me about your personality? It tells me you are a total condescending asshole. I suppose I could also say that you fell into Microsoft's advertising plan as well, but to that you would just say something along the lines of "its better." But then it just comes back to personal preference...
Oh and by the way, you can't diss Apple for having a small issue with BSOD because, if I recall correctly, Windows has had a lot of things wrong with BSOD.
Hehehehe..... You are all so funny! You guys should have a T.V. show! I can see it now, "I Love BSODs".
I like how, in a topic about promoting Mac/PC unity, you've all managed to have a flame war.
Good game people. And grow up.
So changing icons on Windows just works from the mind-linkup function? Since when did changing an icon not require at least a few steps. Actually, I don't know about Vista, but in XP it was a pain.
So changing icons on Windows just works from the mind-linkup function? Since when did changing an icon not require at least a few steps. Actually, I don't know about Vista, but in XP it was a pain.
So changing icons on Windows just works from the mind-linkup function? Since when did changing an icon not require at least a few steps. Actually, I don't know about Vista, but in XP it was a pain.
@V3LOCIP3D3
You need to do some research upon the evolution of the computer revolution. Microsoft did not "invent this business". Both Gates and Jobs stole (neither of them are angels), but dont think that before Gates there was nothing.
"Apple fanboys have something to learn about electronics and creating good products vs. creating good advertising."
Funny that you mention electronics and creating good products because Apple makes more electronics than Microsoft and the notorious Xbox360 red ring problem isn't helping your "microsoft knows more about electronics" argument.
Im not saying one company is better than the other nor is one companies products better than the other. Your statements just dont make sense.
on topic: I like Apple, but their smugness/arrogance is starting to get a little annoying. Sure I chuckle for second, but they are starting to kick a dead horse and it's starting to not be "playful kind hearted" things. If Apple insists on this icon being included they should have this BSOD icon in there as an alternate for some Mac geek to use if they wanted, but this BSOD icon should not be the default icon.
@ V3LOCIP3D3
"HAHAHA . . . Apple and their fanboys are such amateurs to the game, they don't know what they're getting themselves into when they diss Windows. How can you like Apple? They're screwing you over bud. Don't be so naive and just buy things because they look "contemporary." The design is simple, and their designers are simple, and it's simple to make. It's cheaper, and they up the price and call it art."
That's arrogance and being naive right there. How can you insult Mac fanboys when you are outright Anti-Apple? There are just as many Apple-Haters and Windows Zealots that are just as bad as any intense Mac fanboy. Making empty personal attacks on Apple fans is hypocritical.
As far as the BSOD icons, maybe it is an arrogant thing of Apple to do. Maybe it's all in humor. If you use leopard and don't like it then change it. If you don't use Leopard then don't worry about it. It's just poor taste on Apple's part.
When it comes to Apple's "BSOD" when installing Leopard I'd like to remind everyone that all software has bugs. In this case *one* program caused a problem with the installer. I think Apple has done a very good job with keeping compatibility between Tiger and Leopard. While APE caused Leopard to crashed, it's not Apple's job to make sure 100% of third party apps are updated to work with Leopard. With that said Apple did release a statement explaining the problem and how to fix it. I also believe that Apple intends on patching future Leopard install DVDs to avoid this problem. I don't see how Apple's doing anything wrong.
The Windows BSOD has pretty much been dead for a very long time and making fun of it now is "like kicking a dead horse". How quickly would the Apple fanboys pounce on someone who started poking fun at OSX Leopard? Pick a new flaw and run with it and quit dwelling on the past. Those Mac commercials that make fun of Windows UAC was a good start. I just believe that the minute a BSOD appeared on a Mac they lost all rights to make fun of the Windows BSOD. I don't care if it happens on 100x more PCs. It's no longer a relevant joke. It serves Apple right that the same version of OSX that ships with this kind of garbage also gives them their first BSOD. Karma's a bitch.
@V3LOCIP3D3, you are giving pc users a bad image, grow up.
One word for Apple and Steve Jobs: T-A-C-K-Y
W-H-Y-?
Presumably someone high up in Apple must have approved the icon. Lets see what icons Vista SP1 adds now.
Dumb and pointless. But funny none the less.
Windows != WinME. BSOD is almost never seen these days - it's pretty stable! They should have had a screen with solitaire on it, that would have been funnier.
Tacky indeed...
Microsoft's Retort, come Vista SP1:
Option 1: All OS X/apple machines are hidden, completely. Why? Because you can't get work done on them anyways!
Option 2: All OS X/apple computer icons are plastered with the hippy/gay rainbow-esque logo of the 1990s. A random smattering feature the old-school Mac Classic-box-with-happy-face logo.
Option 3: Any office document made with Mac Office 2004 pops up a dialog box saying "HA! This was made in Mac-office! Those noobs are still running Office 2004, and we're not going to update it anytime soon until they feel the pain of not having an updated office suite that reads our new .docx/.xlsx/.pptx formats!"
ownt.
Option 1: Windows can't tell the difference between an SMB share on a Windows machine, and one on a Mac.
Option 2: http://interfacelift.com/icons-mac/details.php?id=1950
Option 3: http://www.apple.com/iwork/
@nerdtalker
http://www.macoffice2008.com/
Idiot.
@mattclarkie Vista will now feature an icon with the pippin for every mac on your network.
Whilst I'll admit that it's hardly the smoothest move Apple could have made, its slightly understandable if you consider that the use of any standard representation of Windows (i.e. the Windows logo) would probably have required permission and/or licensing from Microsoft. Chances are, however, that they haven't actually copyrighted the BSOD.
Then again, they could have just used a picture of John Hodgeman.
That's pretty funny.
I'm a PC... and that's pretty funny.
...and I'm a Mac...
And I think this is horribly unprofessional. I can understand this being in the beta, but to release it in the final product it just shameful.
...and I'm a linux....ha.....ha.....ha......
I also thought it was pretty funny, and it seems to fall in line with heated rivalries between tech companies
Remember the Zune "iPod Amnesty Bin"?
http://flickr.com/photos/fimoculous/503637222
Or Microsoft's dig at Mozilla in IE?
http://www.eeggs.com/items/731.html
Or Mozilla's dig back in Firefox?
http://www.eeggs.com/items/43803.html
Some of those jabs at each other's products aren't as blatant or easily seen as this BSOD icon, but it's still geeks pointing fun at each other. I like the cheekiness of it, and wouldn't have a problem with MS doing something similar with their network icons for my iMac or my Gutsy install...
I think it's funny because Apple depicts Samba shares as computers. Does the Apple dev team not understand the difference? Why use a computer icon at all? There are plenty of SMB mounts that are attached to no PC at all. How about that the Airport Extreme can show up as one? My DDWRT-flashed router does...
Wow,
So apparently, I AM the a-hole.
From the Mac community, please accept our most gracious apologies, Windows peeps.
Mein Gott! Someone on the Internet who can apologize instead of playing fanboy! May thousands of good things come your way :)
The icon's in kinda poor taste, but I wouldn't blame mac users for that, that'd be more Apple themselves.
Classless.
thats what it really boils down too... I don't hate apple computers... its their smug users who drive me insane
I brought my first Mac this weekend and I have to say the whole Mac vs. PC battle is over. Mac is the winner ... only because I can install Windows! The first thing I did on my new Mac is install Vista. Now I'm happy with both.
Hey best of both worlds!!! Stop complaining
I have owned, and own, several Macs. It doesn't make it any less classless. Layoff the Kool-Aid, pal.
Classless? Can the hyperbole, Ace.
And I think I've just found a new icon for my Boot Camp partition. Thanks Engadget!
You're only proving my point.
This is for you, Nate. Enjoy.
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/6508/leoparddeskzz1.png
@pkilla
why is he so low ranked? he's right. The MBP just got voted best notebook running Windows Vista.
the funny part about all of this is leopard bluescreens too...
Beat me to it.
My how the times change. Since XP and Vista don't, shouldn't we just switch the icons?
Not that I care, but it's a bit dated. If windows had current problems, then it would be funny, but it's a little pot and kettle for apple right now.
Example of what would be ok (and funny): PS3 representing XBOX 360 with the RROD in its advertising or otherwise. It's a current problem, and the PS3 clearly doesn't have it.
@Andy
I rip on mac's all the time but saying Vista doesn't blue screen IS a lie.
I love Windows but every now and then I get a new and improved blue screen that lists errors I can almost understand.
In no way am I hopping on the bandwagon and bashing windows but the occasional hardware failure does trigger a BSOD v2
That's totally the first thing I thought of! How ironic that they used that with all the bsod problems they've been having
I've had vista since the day of the release and not had one BSOD. my bro got his version a couple weeks after that, and he hasn't had one either. So for a whole bunch of Macs to get it just hours/days after the release, I think is freakin hilarious. Considering "Macs don't crash....ever." hahaha.
It is particularly humorous because they have a very limited hardware platform on which to deal with the problems. They make the entire box, from conception to shipping product. There are less excuses than those available to the PC world, where Windows is expected to deal with millions of possible "PC" variants flawlessly. In fact, there's really no excuse. If the OS is failing on a totally closed platform, then it shipped broken. I can accept some failure on the PC side, but for the Mac to break is kinda silly at this point.
I can take Vista, and install it on several different machines with wildly different HW/SW configs, and in general it will simply install and run. However, if I want to run OSX on a PC, I have to get a specific brand of MOBO/Video/NIC to make the thing work at all.
@ Rob
It is not a valid comparison when you use a sample of two (i.e. you and your brothers so far positive experiences) with anecdotal evidence which reflects an over-eager self-reporting bias.
If you were to make a claim based on the total percentage of Windows Vista users who have had BSOD issues (or downgraded back to XP) vs. the percentage of Leopard users who have had BSOD issues with data from statistically valid studies, then your comments would be valid. As for now, it is nothing more than ignorant drivel.
one thing straight. this article is about apple jokingly showing windows pcs with a bsod instead of a standard icon on the network. not about how macs get bsods all the time. we clear?
besides if macs did have a bsod it would be all aluminum and nice and would probably do something other than make you want to kill yourself, like help you restore your system.
i call myself fairly impartial as i am an ubuntu user and dont have a windows or mac box in my house, though i must admit apple is definitely the lesser of the 2 evils here...
Except it doesn't 'blue screen', unless you install a third party hack (not an app, a hack). That hack (APE) rewrites the code *in memory* of running processes to change their behaviour, using a method which is explicitly not supported by Apple. It's no surprise to me that it stops a new version of the OS from running. The problem has been admitted by the people who distribute the hack, and fixed in their latest version (which now does nothing on Leopard). Unfortunately some people had the hack installed without their knowledge, for things like 'smart' crash reporter, or some logitech drivers, and ended up with an unbootable OS.
Apple and most other developers will refuse to accept bug reports when it is installed, and quite rightly - how can you know where a problem lies if your programs have been rewritten at runtime?
@Twitchy
The stories of Windows users "downgrading" is greatly exaggerated and deal mostly with hardware makers not stepping up to the plate to release new drivers, not Windows issues. If Microsoft had complete control over hardware this would be a non-issue. But then the hypocrite Apple fans would cry "Monopoly!"
@Dave
Apple has had its own "BSOD" screen for a while and it's not "pretty". It's gray and basically tells you in 4 languages that you're screwed.
@ Something
I understand that, my point is that I am sick and tired of individuals passing off opnions as statements of fact. I am not supporting Mac over Windows, I am supporting CONSTRUCTIVE debate instead of the shit-slinging which often plagues 'technical discussions'.
I'm not a MS fanboy my any means... but most BSOD are caused by failing drivers... or failing hardware... (RAM, VID........) Not really Microsofts fault.
Microsoft Windows supports MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH more hardware than Mac....
Mo hardware mo problems..
Interesting thing to note, Apple's own Windows audio drivers has been blue screening my MBP. I decided to get the drivers direct from the source, no problems since.
Exactly. The only Vista crash I've had were when nvidia's drivers still sucked ass. It's not MS's fault they drop the ball big time. Now they're stable, and I haven't had any crashes & things are running smoothly, and hope they have fun playing poker while I play BioShock.
You could make the argument that Windows & Mac OS are so cosmetically similar nowadays that an icon-sized representation of one would be indistinguishable from the other. The BSOD, on the other hand, is "iconically" Windows.
Plus I think it's pretty funny. Take a joke, fellas.
Although it would cause quite a bit of backlash, it'd be funny for Microsoft to strike back with an announcement like the following:
"It comes with great disdain to announce that Microsoft Inc. will no longer supported the following software:
Quicktime (All Versions)
iTunes (All Versions)
and all associated drivers.
After recent events enacted by Apple Computer Corporation, we have decided that the necessity to support these softwares is simply not there. Also, all hardware support for the Apple iPod (All Versions) will cease tonight at midnight.
Those who feel wronged by this announcement can take their iPods to their local Apple store for a complete refund."
um....MS doensn't need to support iTunes etc. Apple "supports" MS by writing their software to work on MS machines...
Either way, this is a pretty funny thing- if I ever had a need for Windows on my Mac I would totally leave the icon. The BSOD is exactly what caused me to switch to a Mac in the first place- I was running graphic presentation software like MediaShout on a pretty screamin PC and got the BSOD all too often. Just my experience...
Not to mention discontinuing any future versions of Office for Macs. But Microsoft products are so inferior that I'm sure Mac owners would not mind right?
"um....MS doensn't need to support iTunes etc. Apple "supports" MS by writing their software to work on MS machines..."
True. I suspect he meant that (much like Leopard can't be installed on my PC without a hack) that MS will stop ALLOWING those products to run at all on Windows machines. I suspect that is illegal, yet I am then led to wonder why Apple gets to do it (by disabling installation to non-Apple HW) and MS does not.
As an aside, the iPod would not be successful if they hadn't written SW for windows. There just weren't enough mac users to support the product to the levels it has attained. Like it or not, the iPod is successful as much due to the widespread ubiquity of the Windows PC as it was due to its useful interface.
If Apple took the protectionist, elitist stance they do with most of their products with the iPod, there would never have been an iPod Gen 2.
Don understands what I was implying in the post. While Apple developed the software, it wouldn't be too difficult to prevent Apple software from being installed on a Windows pc.
I have a feeling that if Microsoft were to go ahead and make an announcement like this, (which would never happen, but I digress) it would cause Apple to have a lot more PC's running Leopard or Tiger (hacked of course), because we know Windows users are the biggest pirates of them all. :P
Any mac file my computer sees comes up as a ball of flame, representing the oven Cupertino lovers call a MacBook
And Windows files show up as a thick block of plastic glowing from hundreds of LED lights, representing what Redmond-lovers call style.
I'm still waiting for a Dell XPS with chromed spinners, to go along with that gold toof.
...and any linux files have a penguin.
I think it's pretty ingenious! Love it! Why not poke fun at an older operating system. Of course Vista could put the sad apple mac for their mac networking icons. Is it me, or is Jobsie getting a bit cocky riding his iPod wave. I love them, but am getting tired of the same old Stevo doin the same old thing at the launches.
The worst part is they use this icon to represent Linx machines as well when they are generally regarded as the most stable operating sytems available. While I do like both apple and microsofts operating systems, this really just feels tacky. Im sure they could have come up with something far more appealing.
Maybe it's the old BSOD X screensaver, in that case. Just wiggle the mouse and your system comes back.
A "joke" but not a very good one..unless you're a MSFT-hater of course! As I use both regularly I'd rather not have a BSOD for my laptop..or conversely a grayed-out see-thru kernelpanic icon in future windows OSes... I can see it in the betas but should've been taken out for the GM release.
I guess I'm an a**hole, because I think it's great to sprinkly a normally bland operating system with a bit of verve. (And yes, I use Windows and Linux every single day.)
I'm neither a Mac fanboy, nor a MS hater... but I still had to chuckle at this. And if anyone didn't giggle just a little bit at first, you may need to loosen the stick from your butt and lighten up.
Should it have been included? Probably not... but come on, that's kinda funny - if anything b/c they had the balls to leave it in there.
I use linux, and sometimes windows in a virtual machine, but I laughed hard... it's cool, just the monitors is rather unfitting... nice joke, still.. outdated, but funny...
as for using the icon for linux too... it'd been too hard to make all of the productivity and eye-candy of compiz-fusion fit in such a small icon, so they did nothing... though, a little tux on the screen would've been a nice move
Right? Windows box at work, MBP at home. Do I prefer my MBP? Yes. Is my XP station at work an unusable piece of malware? Not really... This is a joke people, maybe in a bit of poor taste, but a joke none the less. I think any (rational) person can see that we're a bit beyond the "OMG, M$ BSOD is teh suck" or "Apple's just for artistic types that never played football." Get over it already, if the multi-billion dollar companies can't make fun of each other, who can?
01, you say that its a joke, maybe in "poor taste", but Jobs is the one that goes around talking about how Gates and Microsoft "have no taste" implying that he himself does. Then he does something that even Mac fanboys admit is tasteless (even if they enjoy the "joke"). This will appeal to Jobs worshippers, but to normal folk, Jobs went down a few pegs on the respectability meter.
I think it's funny as hell. Not every company has to be completely professional and boring, it's good to have a sense of humor. It's not like PC users are going to be offended at it. And Microsoft has definitely taken friendly jabs at Apple before, too.
I don't expect anything less from a company with a perpetual Napoleon complex.
"Pompous and galling" in your humble opinion, correct? Why is this a problem that needs fixing?
Since when is Engadget (or any tech blog for that matter) the sole proprietor of good taste?
:rolls eyes:
Who said we were? We certainly didn't!
Seriously?
The obligatory "blog snark factor" is cranked to 11 on this one!
Engadget - The Andy Rooney of Tech Blogs. ;)
Yet, i'll be back throughout the day for my tech news *sigh*
This is hilarious... yet still pretty lame on Apple's part. I have to wonder if Micrsoft wanted some insane amount of cash for Apple to include a Windows logo so they used this out of spite. :-)
"This is hilarious... yet still pretty lame on Apple's part."
Heh way to sit on the fence there.
I was thinking the same thing. Either that or Apple just plain didnt want the windows logo on their system at all.
Yeah I know I'm sitting on the fence. But honestly.... it's a trivial icon. I just don't feel the need to take a moral stance on the issue. ;-)
This is the sort of thing I expect of an end user to do, not to come as the default behavior. I would find it funny if a friend changed the image to be a crt showing the BSOD, but I expect better of a large corporation. If you want to be taken seriously, act serious. You're running a business, not a joke of the day calendar.
I don't care what everybody else thinks, I just like to watch big companies make fun of each other.
This is funny.
I don't care what everybody else thinks, I just like to watch big companies make fun of each other.
This is funny, I want to see what Microsoft does next.
Oh please, Engadget, etc, need to get over themselves and off their high horse on this subject. It's FUNNY, hilarious even, that Apple would stick this innocuous icon into the system. Subtle, maybe yes, maybe no, but a funny little dig and a joke in the end.
And the blue screen problem being exhibited on upgrades to Leopard is being caused by a THIRD PARTY piece of software that was placed in a folder that is supposed to be off-limits to developers, and that piece of software was, in many cases, installed without the knowledge of the consumer involved. It can some from Unsanity directly, or be installed along with Logitec mouse drivers. Either way, no third party software is supposed to be installed into the System Folder on a Mac, as stated in the Apple Developer Tools agreement.
Yes like most problems microsoft have, they are THIRD PARTY drivers pssss
Yeah, I have to say this is a little ridiculous. I'm a rabid mac fanboy, but recently Apple has been sort of exploiting the rivalry. Without some hacks you can't install Leopard on a PC, so it isn't like the two are even really competing. Recently with this little jab and the "Redmond start your photocopiers," Apple is obviously pandering to the fanboys. It is kind of tongue and cheek funny, but when it applies to something that some people will see everyday, it gets old.
It also doesn't help hat so many Leopard users are being plagued with their own BSOD during Archive and Installs.