The secret's out.

Intel is re-interpreting Moore's Law. Not repealing it. Not rejecting it.

They're reinterpreting it. That's the significance of the change incoming CEO Paul Otellini (right) is making.

Before Moore's Law was like Samuel Gomper's famous quote about what labor wanted. More. More circuits, more speed, more cycles, more bits. More.

This led to mistakes like the Itanium, which Intel is still living down.

As of today Intel's new direction is better. Better doesn't always mean more. In the case of microprocessors it can mean putting more computers on each chip (multi-core) or running with lower power. In terms of communications it can mean a host of attributes, from security to coverage to throughput.

Much is being made of the fact that incoming Paul Otellini was not originally an engineer. Much should be. Because better is a subjective ideal, whereas more is objective. Better can be understood by the businessmen and the market. More can be understood by engineers.

This doesn't mean, and can't mean, that Intel is no longer run by engineers. Engineers must still do all the heavy lifting, and the heavy thinking. But it does mean that there are more people at Intel interested in defining, and explaining, better -- to OEMs, to customers, to consumers.

It's a balancing act. But business always is. And Intel remains a very profitable business.

But it also means that things from here on out will be a lot more complicated. That's cool. Complexity is good.

Think of it as Moore's Law in action.