Part of this is the "Look and Feel" Supreme Court decision from Apple v Microsoft (IIRC). Apple sued MS for copying the way their OS looked, and the Supreme Co

Part of this is the "Look and Feel" Supreme Court decision from Apple v Microsoft (IIRC). Apple sued MS for copying the way their OS looked, and the Supreme Court said the entire thing wasn't able to be protected. But that only settled the "whole thing", not parts of pieces. Where that line is is the Grey area.