Apple isn’t generally the company you see exhibit overlapping qualities. Each product and service has a distinct purpose. This point could of course be argued for the rest of eternity, but for the sake of time and this article, we’ll assume Apple’s products are always unique. With that said, Apple announced tonight in an email sent to OS X developers that the Apple.com/downloads/osx web page will soon be no more. On the same day that the Mac App Store is set to go live — January 6th — the aforementioned link will go dark.

It’s really not all that surprising. If we take the previous statement about overlapping, Apple, and distinct to heart, we’d quickly come to the conclusion that Apple would never intend to have two store fronts open catering to the exact same market with the exact same product.

Still, it’s sad to see it go. As you wipe away the tears filled with memories of years past, hop inside and check out the official email from Apple themselves…

Apple Developer

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Dear [name],

Thank you for making the Mac OS X Download site a great destination with apps that offer users new ways to work, play, learn, and create on their Mac.

We recently announced that on January 6, 2011, the Mac App Store will open to users around the world, presenting you with an exciting, new opportunity to reach millions of customers. Since the introduction of the App Store in 2008, we’ve been thrilled with the incredible support from developers and the enthusiastic response from users. Now we’re bringing the revolutionary experience of the App Store to Mac OS X.

Because we believe the Mac App Store will be the best destination for users to discover, purchase, and download your apps, we will no longer offer apps on the Mac OS X Downloads site. Instead, beginning January 6, we will be directing users to explore the range of apps available on the Mac App Store.

We appreciate your support of the Mac platform and hope you’ll take advantage of this new opportunity to showcase your apps to even more users. To learn how you can offer your apps on the Mac App Store, visit the Apple Developer website at .

Best regards,

Ron Okamoto
Vice President, Worldwide Developer Relations
Apple Inc.

Via: TUAW, MacStories