Apples and Intel

So, Apple is switching to Intel - and the x86 architecture at that (well, I guess their alpha derived 64 bit chips are not working out). I guess it will be the x86 64 bit lineage - this will probably help the laptops, which are gorgeous and can use the performance boost and power savings.

I am a little bit worried about the desktops though - the G5 is nice for scientific computing in ways that no other CPU other than the new (and effectively unobtainable) alpha EV7 is; I don't see the current Intel 64 bit chips being competitive, maybe the AMD chips but not Intel. Hopefully by 2007 they'll have made a functional competitive 64 bit chip, or scientific desktop buyers will have to transition yet again (and I don't see people going back to Sun).