At least half of the Mac community is currently discussing more or less vividly if and how Apple ripped of [Konfabulator][] with it’s new [Dashboard][] that can be found in the upcoming Mac OS X [Tiger][]. There are certainly some valid points to the argumentation of the **[copycat][]** partisans out there, but in my opinion, they run short of some insight. Let me illustrate why and add my grain of salt to the discussion. ## Others have done this before [Jason Kottke][] puts it [quite clear][re], so I’ll cite him directly:
Haven’t there been several Konfabulator-type apps on various OSes before Konf. came along? Anyone remember any of them?
Readers of his blog unanimously cite “Desk Accessories”, introduced in 1984 — 20 years ago! — and described as Little programs that go anywhere on the desktop and can be run in parallel to other applications as something very similar to [Dashboard][] and [Konfabulator][]. I think it is safe to say that the basic idea is definitely **not new**. Of course, the guys working on [Konfabulator][] did a great job, bringing the idea to the mainstream, and doing it beautifully and in elegant ways. But I think they must pay attention to not call Apple *copycats* while they probably copied parts of it themselves. ## Really innovative software is respected Contrary to what [Thomas Jogin][] claims in his [copycat][] post, Apple **did not** rip-off [LaunchBar][] (and maybe even not QuickSilver, but I can’t comment on that one) with it’s [Spotlight][] technology. LaunchBar is a very elegant concept of accessing well-known things — documents, websites, applications, search engines and the like — through a very intuitive and intelligent method, while Spotlight is about a search in the unknown, based on file-system and document metadata, a search engine that delivers **Information at your fingertips**. I think the two items are *really* different and for me, it looks more like Apple values — and respects — real innovation from independent developers: They didn’t implement a feature that even remotely resembles LaunchBar. If the guys behind LaunchBar are clever — and they surely are — then we will see a Spotlight augmented version of LaunchBar anytime soon. ## What about Watson? Of course, there’s the [Sherlock][] vs. [Watson][] case. Obviously, Sherlock was first (As was Desk Accessories … ). Karelia took an idea showcased by Apple and improved it right-away. That’s their right, but don’t forget that Apple had laid a foundation with Sherlock in OS 9 days, years before Watson saw its first sunbeams. Bluntly speaking of a rip-off seems at least disproportionate. Google, btw, paints a similar picture if you search for “[Sherlock 3 Watson rip-of][rip]“. ## Bottom-line Maybe I am wrong here, but I would rather stick with the idea outlined in Watson’s [FAQ][]:
Unfortunately for Apple, Sherlock 3 is not quite up to par with Watson in terms of speed or capability, so we’re not that worried.
If, after all, Apple ripped-of Konfabulator, we can rest assured that the developers behind this great tool have the opportunity to deliver a *better* and more often updated version than Apple’s Dashboard. [Jason Kottke]: http://www.kottke.org [re]: http://www.kottke.org/remainder/04/06/5905.html [Konfabulator]: http://www.konnfabulator.com [Dashboard]: http://www.apple.com/macosx/tiger/dashboard.html [Spotlight]: http://www.apple.com/macosx/tiger/spotlight.html [Tiger]: http://www.apple.com/macosx/tiger/ [WWDC Keynote]: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/wwdc04/ [copycat]: http://jogin.com/weblog/archives/2004/06/28/copycat [Thomas Jogin]: http://jogin.com [LaunchBar]: http://www.obdev.at/products/launchbar/ [Watson]: http://www.karelia.com/watson/ [Sherlock]: http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/sherlock/ [rip]: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=Sherlock+3+Watson+rip-off&spell=1 [FAQ]: http://www.karelia.com/watson/watsonFAQ.html