I just love it when people start talking about how Microsoft stole everything from Apple. It helps me find all the idiotic fools in the world. I call them fools because they obviously don’t know the meaning of the word “stole” nor do they understand how innovation works.

To steal something is to take it without asking, and most often calling it your own. Stealing is breaking the law. If Microsoft really stole everything from Apple then they are breaking the law. All Apple has to do is charge them with theft and take them to court. If they did indeed steal from Apple, a judge or jury of peers would find Microsoft guilty and they would all go to jail.

However, this has not happened. I can’t recall one story about a person from Microsoft stealing anything from Apple and getting arrested, fined, jailed, or convicted of theft. Most people believe Microsoft stole Windows from Apple, when in fact Apple stole the windowed GUI from Xerox. Yet, still no one was arrested…

And that brings us to the nature of innovation. Invention is creating something new. Most often, invention involves making something which solves a problem. This is usually a new type of device, however, it can consist of parts of other devices. Innovation is taking something which has already been invented and changing it, altering it, or using it in new ways. Nowadays, big busisnesses don’t do too much inventing. The majority of R&D money goes towards innovating. There is still plenty of inventioning going on. It’s just not as important as it used to. Most of the big machines and types of electronics have already been invented. Now, we’re trying to make things less expensive, make machines more energy efficient, and make electronics more powerful.

Actually, there are three things these fools don’t understand. The third thing: businesses have money. I’m not talking about how that rich guy whose kid plays soccer with your kid buys treats and equipment for the team and takes everyone out for pizza after every game. I’m talking about real money. Enough money for Microsoft to say, “hey, Apple already has this patented. So, Let’s pay them to use the patent and then we will be able to mess with and innovate news things. We’ll just keep paying for the patent because we have lots of money. No prob!”

And that’s really what’s going on. Apple doesn’t have to license patents. They do it to make money. If they don’t want Microsoft to have a patent of theirs, they don’t have to license it to them. Microsoft doesn’t just go around stealing ideas and products. They buy ideas and products, pay licensing fees for patents, and purchase companies. As a matter of fact, Apple does the same thing. So does Google, 3M, and to some extent the US government.

Bottom line, if Microsoft was “stealing” everything from Apple, they would be taking legal action against Microsoft. Even if Microsoft began using Apple patents without asking, they could just throw the money Apple’s way and continue their research uninterrupted. Because they have that much money. So, Apple-lovers, stop you’re whining. Apple is letting Microsoft have the ideas. The Mother-Company is selling off it’s ideas directly to the company you accuse of stealing them.