[JayWilmont]

In the keynote they mentioned photos being kept updated on a Windows machine as well. iCloud subtracts zero functionality from any device (though it does change MobileMe, that doesn't seem to be your issue). Once a document is on your machine, you can turn off iCloud and that document will persist on your computer/iPhone/whatever unmolested just like it did pre-iCloud.

What about iCloud (which you can turn off if you want) that upsets you so?

[CJefferson]

Experience tells me that Apple will integrate iCloud deeply into all their Mac OS X applications, and many 3rd party apps will use iCloud by default, and not offer alternative options (such as Dropbox).

Will I be able to write apps for Android which can access data stored in the iCloud? I will be very, very surprised if we can. Similar to how it is very difficult, verging on impossible, to sync my Android phone with iTunes.

Apple clearly do not want their systems to integrate nicely with others, except where they feel they really have to. The iTunes / Blackberry problems from a few years ago proved to me that Apple will do anything it takes to stop interoperability, except where they want it.