Of all the responses to last week's announcement that Apple will switch from using IBM-made PowerPC chips to Intel processors, the one from tech commentator Robert Cringely was certainly the most provocative. He thinks the deal is an attempt by Intel to fight Microsoft, ultimately by buying Apple.
Full marks to him for raising eyebrows, but the idea is really rather daft. Perhaps he will be proved right, but I doubt it.
Whatever these companies have in mind - and the only thing we can know for certain is that what they said publicly is not what they are really thinking - they have made quite a splash.
We are constantly reminded that Apple now has only about 3per cent of the entire PC market, even if the iPod phenomenon has been a great boon to the brand and the shareholders. IBM will put its PowerPC chips into servers and Xboxes, and Intel will own the desktop. So what has changed?
Despite the fact that a few rabid followers of Apple have said they will never buy another Mac, the truth is few users understand or care what is inside a computer, Intel or otherwise.
For years, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs has shown us demonstration after demonstration of Adobe Photoshop performing so much better on a PowerPC than on an Intel-based system. Now he must go back on his word.
