[Michael Fournier]

OK If you are right here is why I think it is a huge mistake buy Apple to kill the Mac Pro
As well as a mistake they already have made of not keeping it on the cutting edge and the fastest workstation you can get on any platform (including the cost/performance comparison to other high end workstations)

It is Bad PR for the Apple brand the most valuable thing Apple has is the Apple brand. And even though most Mac Users and Apple customers will never buy a Mac Pro or ever need the power it offers the fact it is there and is the choice of those that demand the most power money can buy is good for the Apple brand. EVEN if it takes selling the Mac Pro at a loss it would still be a gain for Apple’s brand. And in turn drive sales of all Apple products.
It is like a Auto company spending on racing team or a Lexus LF (they claim in spite of being very expensive every one is still sold at a loss to the company)

But in order for the Mac Pro to be good for the Apple image it must be kept ahead of the competition (which it has not been for some time) it must offer Price/performance gains so companies will choose Apple over other platforms because when it comes to high end users the Mac OS GUI does not add anything as most would use UNIX with a command line if it speeds the work flow. (and many do) Even Pixar with Steve Jobs at the helm used Unix workstations and Linux PC workstations for their high end needs (yes they had macs too ) but if the Mac pro offers advantages they would use it.

BUT the PR of a power user choosing Apple (and actually buying them not Apple giving them away) is good PR for all sales of Apple products the same user choosing HP or Dell workstations over Apple has the opposite effect, And the other issue is when Apple’s hardware is not the choice of the power users nether is Apple’s OS and that is a problem with sales at all levels

A Example is the collage student that is very tech savvy is considering if they could buy a PC or a Mac and they do not need the highest end yet but they think they may someday but since they will have to learn Windows in the future anyway since that is the choice of those that want the fastest system so why should they buy a mac? the image is that Apple is not for this tat demand power and he wants to stick with the platform that is the choice of power users even if he is not buying a workstation.

SO unless apple is planing getting out of making Macs all together and killing Mac OS X they can not kill the Mac Pro. as doing so is the beginning of the end. for Mac OS X.