Ubuntu and window controls

Personally, this is the sort of change that makes me enjoy upgrading Ubuntu - noticable
enough to freshen things up, but harmless enough not to affect productivity (at least for
me). It's not as if I haven't seen different window decoration styles over the years I have
used Linux-based systems. And although I don't really agree about design decisions
needing to be done behind closed doors (you can justify anything by saying "but this is
different and needs to follow different rules!"), so far Mark S.'s way of managing his
distribution seems to be getting the blessing of the silent majority of users. No one is
forced to use Ubuntu at the moment, as currently only Microsoft commands that sort of
lock-in on the desktop, so while it certainly isn't properly grassroots democratic, the "take
it or leave it" vote that its users can cast is still a genuine one.

What saddens me a bit though is my suspicion, which I just can't lay to rest, that Ubuntu
is running after OS X's makeup. From the new look of the wireless connection icon, to the
purple background, to the new button position, it seems to be copying all the superficial
design decisions. While I would love to see Linux distributions take inspiration from Mac
OS in general, especially from its attention to detail and to usability (e.g. when I select and
delete a word in a GUI text field, Mac OS will correct the spacing, Ubuntu/Gnome will not),
this seems to me more like cargo culting (anyone know a nicer term for that?) - particularly
as from a usablility design point of view, OS X is by no means the clear leader of the Mac
OS line.

Sorry if that was a bit long, just more water under the bridge...