computerworlduk.com: The European Commission confirmed it has received a complaint about Microsoft's business practices from a British government agency Tuesday, but isn't following it up as it normally would with an antitrust complaint, according to a press officer.

opendotdotdot.blogspot: To my shame, Peter Murray-Rust put up a reply to my post below in just a few hours. It shows that even such a key defender of openness as Peter finds he "needs an MS OS on my machine because it makes it easier to use tools such as LiveMeeting.

idg.no: Microsoft is launching a program to promote the use of its Windows OS in ultra low-cost PCs. Microsoft plans to offer PC makers steep discounts on Windows XP Home Edition to encourage them to use that OS instead of Linux on ultra low-cost PCs (ULPCs).

apcmag.com: Is ASUS in bed with Microsoft? The new XP-based EeePC 900 will actually be cheaper than the Linux-based version.

• Microsoft doesn't need open source

• Microsoft Joins Open Source Business Foundation
• Yahoo! leaves door open for Microsoft comeback

bbc.co.uk: Software giant Microsoft has dropped its three-month-old bid to buy internet firm Yahoo because the two sides cannot agree on an acceptable sale price.

Matt Asay: Ever wonder why Brazil and other BRIC countries are so hot on open source, including Linux? Gustavo Duarte gives several reasons, not the least of which is the punitive pricing that Microsoft inflicts on these developing markets.

• Why Microsoft will dump their anti-Linux rhetoric

• Stop hating Microsoft?
• Microsoft mulls proxy fight for Yahoo
• Mozilla warns of Flash and Silverlight 'agenda'
• Microsoft Gives Backdoor to Law Enforcement -- Well, Not Really

linuxjournal.com: I want to discuss something quite different: whether the open source community should be boycotting Microsoft, and if that is even possible. In part, the trigger for this is Microsoft's recent behaviour during the approval process for its OOXML document format. Now, it seems, Microsoft just can't snuggle up close enough to those cute little open sourcies.

itwire.com: Microsoft PR threw down the gauntlet; “see how Windows Server 2008 stacks up versus Linux,” they say. There’s a “Get the Facts” URL being promoted with claims of direct comparisons between the two operating systems. Anyone reading the headlines alone could be fooled into thinking there’s substance to be found.

the inquirer: THE EUROPEAN Commission has started investigating Microsoft's OOXML standard under procurement rules instead of the old competition statute with which they usually bash the software giant.

liquidat.wordpress: The microsoft eco system is often mentioned to be long term reliable and therefore be a good option for companies with long term plans or needs. However, recently some parts of Microsoft’s eco system fall apart and became incompatible, which is not what you expect from a reliable system.

groklaw.net: This takes the cake. Alex Brown has just admitted on his Griffin Brown blog and further to ZDNET UK's Peter Judge that Microsoft Office 2007 has failed two OOXML conformance tests he ran. Color me surprised.

openlogic.com/blogs: Over at Microsoft, they've just celebrated their first Open Source Day. I think Jamie Cannon was right when he (she?) joked that "Hell has frozen over". All along, I've been expecting the standard response and outcome: first they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. It looks like we're on the right track.

linuxjournal.com: There are many ways of peering into the future. Me, I prefer to stick with the tried-and-trusted method of reading between the lines of Microsoft press releases.