It's True

So, what is your opinion on this matter?

Honestly, my first reaction is fear.

... but we don't really have anywhere near the amount of detail necessary to really figure this one out yet.

My first reaction was similar. However, maybe this a positive step towards more Macs in more homes. If, and this is a big IF, people see that Macs run on the same hardware their home Windows PC does, and there is a marketing campaign designed to exploit that, then the lay user will sub-consciously remember 'Intel Inside' thus eliminating the irrational "MACS ARE WEIRD AND FOREIGN" hurdle.

On the other hand, is it dangerous for Apple to blur the PC, Mac line? Do they risk losing their uniqueness appeal?

I don't know that the normal end user cares that much.

I'm really mostly interested in how the OS is locked to the new hardware (how easy it will be for people to bypass this lock, and how much Apple will care).

But, I guess if it means I get faster Macs in the future, then that's good :)

I just worry about change when I don't have enough information to really understand what is going on... I don't want anything bad to happen to Apple ;)

The normal end user cares about this much: GAMES! PORN! COOL WEB SEARCH! SPAM!

The need to get some more information out soon. I want to see an 'Intel' tab on the main site. And I also do not want anything bad to happen to Apple.

This doesn't do anything to really change any of the above.

Increased performance may allow new cool applications, though.

Right, I didn't mean to imply that Apple moving to Intel would affect PORN, GAMES or anything else. However, I can imagine more types of applications that large audiences of normal end users already use yet don't know Apple has an equal.

I don't see how a processor change makes more applications or gets more 'normal' users involved (other than the tech. buzz that Apple is generating right now because of this, of course).

I keep reading that "Apple decided to switch to Intel." It makes me wonder if Apple wanted to move to Intel, or if Apple needed to get away from the previous supplier.

I think probably both. (It was determined that Apple needed a new supplier, and upon reviewing alternatives, Intel ended up being the best choice).