Intel and Skype Join Forces to Kill Skype

Intel's mantra: Let's make a deal | CNET News.com:

Last week, Intel cut a deal with voice over Internet Protocol provider Skype that calls for the VoIP company to provide advanced conference-calling features exclusively on PCs that run Intel chips. As long as the deal is in place, it could effectively keep customers who want to take advantage of multiperson conference calls from going with AMD-based machines.

So. Given that

1. Skype is in danger of becoming useless when Google Talk gets video and GAIM gets Voice and Video. The Gizmo SIP-based Voice Chat App is already stealing its lunch.
   
2. Skype, therefore, needs to reach as many people as they can if they want to stay in the market.
   
3. Skype, therefore, should always try not to cut out the people who have bought and paid for the CPUs made by the #1 CPU manufacturer.

Skype has decided not so much to give Intel Micro a boost but to cut back features when it's on AMD Microprocessors. I mean, c'mon, it's nothing to allow 5, 10, even 20 conferences at a time, as long as the current machine is fast enough. AMD machines are fast enough, definitely as fast as Intel machines, so the reason for cutting back on stuff has nothing to do with some idea that Intel's chips - copied from last year's AMDs - are more equipped for anything.

Nice. I'll bet Olympic sprinters are winning races because they've cut off half their toes, too. Less drag, you know.