The Mac Observer

Skip navigational links

You're viewing an article in TMO's historic archive vault. Here, we've preserved the comments and how the site looked along with the article. Use this link to view the article on our current site:
Apple Awarded Patent for Mac OS X Dock

Apple Awarded Patent for Mac OS X Dock

by , 5:35 PM EDT, October 8th, 2008

It took almost nine years, but Apple Inc. was awarded a patent for the Mac OS X Dock Tuesday. Apple applied for the patent on December 20, 1999, and focused on the magnification feature in its abstract. The patent lists Bas Ording, Steve Jobs, and Donald Lindsay as the inventors.

From the patent's Abstract description: "To provide greater access and consolidation to frequently used items in the graphical user interface, a userbar is established which includes a plurality of item representations. To permit a greater number of items to reside in the userbar, a magnification function can be provided which magnifies items within the userbar when they are proximate the cursor associated with the graphical user interface."

It's that focus on the magnification feature that is likely key to Apple being granted a patent. Mac OS X's Dock was itself based on the NeXTSTEP Dock, which AppleInsider noted in its coverage of the patent was first introduced in 1989, well ahead of either the Taskbar of Windows and other docking metaphors used in various flavors of Unix and Linux.

The current dock in Mac OS X "Leopard" 10.5.5 includes a 3Dish perspective, a translucent tray, and other features that are different from the original Dock introduced with Mac OS X. It does, however, still include the magnification feature as demonstrated in the screenshot below.


The current Dock in Mac OS X "Leopard" 10.5.5.


Warning: include(/usr/local/etc/httpd/sites/macobserver.com/htdocs/forums/extension.inc) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 108

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/local/etc/httpd/sites/macobserver.com/htdocs/forums/extension.inc' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/share/php5:/usr/share/php') in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 108

Warning: include(/usr/local/etc/httpd/sites/macobserver.com/htdocs/forums/common.) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 110

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/local/etc/httpd/sites/macobserver.com/htdocs/forums/common.' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/share/php5:/usr/share/php') in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 110

Warning: include(/usr/local/etc/httpd/sites/macobserver.com/htdocs/forums/includes/bbcode.) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 112

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/local/etc/httpd/sites/macobserver.com/htdocs/forums/includes/bbcode.' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/share/php5:/usr/share/php') in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 112

Fatal error: Call to a member function sql_query() on a non-object in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 532

Recent Headlines - Updated May 22nd

Tue, 8:16 PM
Analysis - Apple to Senate: We Comply with the Law - Change the Law
5:10 PM
The Back Page - Samsung’s Delusions of Relevance
2:11 PM
Native Instrument Releases Abbey Road 50s Drummer
12:47 PM
News - Senator Paul: Stop Bullying Apple
10:01 AM
News - AT&T Opening FaceTime Over Cellular to All
9:27 AM
TMO Appearances - Jeff Gamet Talks Apple Taxes on The Mac Show
8:44 AM
News - Google to Merchants: We’re Killing Google Checkout
Mon, 10:50 PM
Mac Geek Gab Podcast - MGG 450: Don’t Play Ding Dong Ditch on an Airplane
7:48 PM
News - Apple Hits Another Record in Retail Dollars Per Visitor
6:50 PM
Analysis - Bipartisan Senators Accuse Apple of Avoiding Billions in U.S. Taxes
5:58 PM
TMO Appearances - Bryan Chaffin Talks About Apple Monday at SVMUG
5:13 PM
Analysis - Apple Asks Congress to Eliminate Tax Loopholes, Lower Corporate Rates

The Mac Observer Reader Specials

  • Support TMO, Buy from Amazon, MacMall and The Apple Store

  • __________
  • Buy Stuff, Support TMO!
  • Podcast: Mac Geek Gab
  • Podcast: Apple Weekly Report
  • TMO on Twitter!