[theGeatZhopa]

It's not copying. It's extending.

I am not standing a word for Microsoft. But I don't like bashing on something without taking the big picture into account.

This kind of bars could have been added to Windows 20y ago. There were all flavors and use cases for this. From management information of running a fleet of printing machines (the big industrial printing presses), to laser cutters, ..., to the current CPU usage and PC's components temperature. Everything imaginable could be added on screen. In all possible shapes and colors. This was the case with windows, Linux and most of the other operating systems and will also ever be. It's fundamental!

So who invented the bar at the top?? It's not apple, it's not Microsoft, it's not Linux "who ever this might be" - it's the every day guys and programmers needing a always on top information displayed.

Apple copied it, because it makes sense. Now Microsoft integrates it too, because it makes sense. Google do it on mobiles too, like Apple and even Nokia and Sony Ericsson and literally all of them use(d) this kind of UI pattern.

The question from the perspective of UI:

How else do you want to solve "where to show information constantly without cluttering the user's screen?" If you find an answer please write the concept here.

If you want to bash Microsoft, then do it in the way "better late, than never. All others are using the concept already. In windows you have to use one of the millions available status bar programs or widgets, while other OS integrate it.."

But please don't act like Apple is the developer and the writer and the engineer the Bible spoke of ...

Keep it real and show that you understand the world.