5. "Users Blast Microsoft Over Vista SP1 Schedule"
Computerworld, Feb. 7

"Beta Testers Got Vista SP1 RTM Early"
Computerworld, Feb. 8

A Microsoft blog was flooded with posts from users complaining about the company's decision to postpone delivering Windows Vista Service Pack 1 for six weeks, with many of those expressing their strong dismay identifying themselves as IT administrators, developers and Microsoft partners. "Do you even run this past one person outside of Microsoft for input?" asked one. "[This] must be the stupidest announcement I have ever read," said another. Messages started pouring in within minutes after Vice President of Windows Product Management Mike Nash announced that Vista SP1 had been released to manufacturing. By week's end, Microsoft confirmed that an invitation-only group of some 15,000 beta testers has had the Vista SP1 final version for a couple of weeks. That news was sure to spread the unhappiness among those not on the invitation list.

6. "Remote Worker Security Still Lax"
InfoWorld, Feb. 5

File this one under confirmation of what we already knew, but it's still worrisome. Remote workers should be clued in that careless computing habits, including where and how they surf the Internet, raise the risk of security breaches on company laptops. However, many of them keep right on doing all of the things they shouldn't be doing, placing in peril the safety of their personal data and that of the companies, a new Cisco study has found. Researchers from InsightExpress interviewed 2,000 telecommuters for the annual Cisco-sponsored survey and discovered that remote workers seem to have a false sense of security when they are using company laptops and other corporate IT assets. Incredibly, 56 percent of those surveyed think that the Internet is "getting safer," compared to 48 percent a year ago, despite the number of high-profile breaches that have occurred in that time span. Increased awareness of security threats has led companies to lock down network perimeters, but risky behavior is still going on within networks, Gartner said.

7. IT Accounts for 6 Percent of U.S. Electricity Consumption"
Techworld, Feb. 7

IT equipment burns 6 percent of the electricity consumption in the U.S., according to a new report. But there's a "however" in there: Technology also can help companies trim that, according to the Technology CEO Council. Instead of jetting off to meetings and conferences, video conferencing can be used as an alternative. Instead of printing out reports, business documents and the like, data can be sent by e-mail and downloaded onto computers and read that way. Not much has been done to study how IT can help with increased energy efficiency, the group said at a news briefing bout green technologies. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy analysis found that IT electricity consumption in the U.S. hit the 6 percent figure, up from 2 percent to 3 percent in 2000. IT companies are increasingly focused on that sort of statistic and figuring out ways to curb energy use, especially given that they have been criticized for their environmental footprints.