1. "Microsoft Hit With E.U. Antitrust Suit by Opera Software,"
CIO.com, December 13

The small Norwegian browser company Opera Software filed an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft with the European Commission, alleging that Microsoft is abusing its dominant position in PC desktops, offering Internet Explorer as standard in the Windows operating system. Microsoft also is not following accepted standards when it comes to IE and that hinders interoperability, Opera charges. Opera wants the Commission to make Microsoft unbundle IE from Windows or include other browsers with its OS.

2. "Botnet Controlled Trojan Robbing Online Bank Customers,"
Network World, December 13

Disturbing security news this week revealed that a new variant of the Prg Banking Trojan has been making off with funds from commercial bank accounts in the U.S., the U.K., Spain and Italy. Using a botnet called Zbot, the Trojan has hit about a dozen banks. In some cases, phishing e-mail has led victims to click on what they think is a site for a real certificate, security code or soft token. Security firm SecureWorks in Atlanta says it has discovered caches of stolen data as it researched the botnet. Criminals that succeed in placing the Trojan onto a computer can access an online banking session without needing the customer's name or password.

3. "AMD Gives Up on '07, Aims Barcelona, Profitability at 08,"
Computerworld, December 13

First came word that AMD is delaying general availability of some of its main products until early 2008, when it believes it will also return to making money. That includes its quad-core microprocessor, code-named Barcelona, which has been expected to pose competition for Intel. That microprocessor and AMD's desktop platform, called Phenom, were supped to ship in volume by the end of this year, which means pretty much now. But AMD told analysts this week that the products won't be generally available until the first quarter of 2008. AMD Chairman and CEO Hector Ruiz admitted that 2007 was a rotten year for the company. "We blew it and we're very humbled by it and we learned from it and we're not going to do it again," he declared to financial analysts.

4. "Microsoft Releases Beta of Hyper-V Virtualization Technology,"
PC World, December 13

Well, this is different -- Microsoft released a beta for its Hyper-V Windows Server 2008 virtualization technology ahead of schedule. Previously code-named Viridian, Hyper-V is available for download at the company's Web site and can be used with the current x64 beta of Windows Server 2008.