As Microsoft moves to open source it is still holding Linux at arms length.

In the wake of the Windows Update fiasco, LinuxInsider quoted Stephen O'Grady's explanation of why users trust GNU/Linux more than Windows where the auto-update features are concerned. His explanation really hits the nail on the head - it all comes down to trust.

Microsoft, which will on Monday learn whether a top European Union court has annulled the landmark 2004 antitrust ruling against the US software developer, is warning technology rivals they should be careful what they wish for.

A European Union court on Monday dismissed Microsoft's appeal against the 2004 ruling which found the company had abused its dominant market position to score over rivals. Microsoft's lawyers failed to impress the European Court of First Instance, which not only dismissed the case but also rejected the appeal against the €497 million ($690 million) fine imposed on the company.

Right there in the middle of the article was the Microsoft ad you see below. Now, I normally block ads on my other Firefox installs, but this time I was running with 'naked' Firefox, and because nothing was blocked I got a surprising eyeful. A big fat anti-Linux Microsoft ad placed right in the middle of an article about Fedora 8. Wow. Incredible placement.

A Beijing university student is suing Microsoft for infringing upon his privacy, demanding 1,350 yuan (180 U.S. dollars) in compensation and an apology printed in a national newspaper.

Microsoft Corp. has started updating files on computers running Windows XP and Vista, even when users have explicitly disabled the operating systems’ automatic update feature, researchers said today.