In a move that insiders saw coming but blindsided most consumers, Apple computer has just released "Boot Camp," software that allows Microsoft Windows to run natively on the new, Intel-based Macs.

It's official then, the Windows Mac -- or technically, Apple is now supporting the use of the Windows operating system on Apple computers, not actually shipping them with Windows, so call it what you will. The Windows-Ready Grannysmith, maybe.

For years, PC owners have flaunted software diversity as a key reason to own a Windows based system, whereas Mac users rebutted with a raspberry, pointing at Apple's innately superior graphics and multimedia design capabilities. Not to mention the cuddly aesthetics and stark-raving default whiteness of most Mac products.

Regardless, the Windows PC has always had a huge edge in software variety, both in productivity -- Microsoft Office alone is responsible for 90% of all business software sold at retail -- and, of course, games.

In fact, PC gamers have flaunted the quality and selection of games for Windows for decades, laughing at the shameful support of games on Apple's native OS, which are not only rare, but mostly consist of ports (same game converted to a new platform) of Windows PC games two or three years after fact.

But now Mac owners who need business or productivity applications designed to run on Windows no longer need to own two computers, as has often been the case until now, one for creative output, the Mac, and one for business and/or gaming, the obligatory Windows PC.

How this might impact the Mac-centric software sector remains to be seen. Up until now, game-loving Mac owners have relied on third party emulators of the freeware or shareware sort to play Windows-based games on a Mac -- not terribly common at any rate --, or on companies like Aspyr Media who's sole calling is to port PC games to the Mac, a business made somewhat redundant by Boot Camp.

Boot Camp is now in beta (read: "throw it out there for free and let the masses debug it for us") and available for download at apple.com/macosx/bootcamp. Thus far, internet acolytes are mostly describing it as flawless.

Apple has announced plans to include the software as a part of its next OSX version, dubbed Leopard, which is due out later this year.

This is a landmark development in Apple's history and/or an unapologetic attempt to grab a larger share of the PC market. Apple's hardware business is already a hugely profitable one (thank you, iPod) and Boot Camp will invariably open up the Mac to a larger and more lucrative group of consumer folk, i.e., the Unbelievers, aka everyone else.