Why Intel 577
Except that I mentioned it over a year ago: -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keep in mind, Apple will be moving its low-end systems over first. They'll probably move them to Yonah Pentium-M chips initially, due in Q1 2006. That's a 32-bit chip, but so is Apple's current low-end chip. Yonah will be quite a step up from the G4 -- it's dual-core, made on a 65nm process.
During 2H 2006 and 2007, Intel plans to replace the Xeon-P4 (NetBurst) architecture which Mac folks have been (rightly) making fun of for the last few years with a much more efficient architecture that will stem from today's Pentium-M chips. That looks like it will happen before Apple gets around to moving its high-end systems off the PPC, so there's a good chance the current developer box might be the only NetBurst system Apple ever ships. -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apple's announcement prompted them to do some research.
Sometimes, by pointing out other factors, such as the fact that Intel was probably in a better position to avoid supply problems, that Intel was ahead on process technology, or that Intel's higher R&D budget made Intel a better bet in the long run.
All of which are true, and were probably seriously considerations Apple made in selecting a chip vendor.
You're not too far off the mark about Oxford, and I've called him on it in the past... but I disagree with your buttessment that most Mac users are similar.
Go Google a few of the following threads:
bless us with the following wisdom: Ok, one said it. That's still a far cry from the majority who just jumped on the bandwagon because it had a spiffy Apple...
iGouge Insanely Great? Not anymore. Apple to Users: "Eat It"
Together they've got over 1200 posts, many of them by Mac users flipping out about Apple's decision to charge -- and of course there were also such posts in other Usenet groups, web forums, e-mail lists, etc. I haven't seen anything like that reaction to the Intel announcement. So, either Apple has gotten much better at mind control in the last couple of years... or most Mac users have considered the Intel switch on the merits and decided it's not such a bad idea.
-- "Those who enter the country illegally violate the law." -- George W. Bush in Tucson, Ariz., Nov. 28, 2005