Vista rejected by Intel

Vista rejected by Intel

World's biggest chipmaker Intel and decades-long business partner of Microsoft Corp , has no immediate plans to roll out the software giant's Windows Vista operating system to all its employees.

"We're in a refresh cycle now and there are a number of factors considered before we select software," an Intel spokesman explained without elaborating. The Inquirer, a London-based technology website, and the New York Times earlier reported Intel's decision not to roll out Vista across the entire company.

Microsoft to stop selling Windows XP on Monday

Microsoft to stop selling Windows XP on Monday

Microsoft Corp. is scheduled to stop selling its Windows XP operating system to retailers and major computer makers Monday, despite protests from a slice of PC users who don't want to be forced into using XP's successor, Vista.

Once computers loaded with XP have been cleared from the inventory of PC makers such as Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co., consumers who can't live without the old operating system on their new machine will have to buy Vista Ultimate or Vista Business and then legally "downgrade" to XP.

Microsoft will still allow smaller mom-and-pop PC builder shops to buy XP for resale through the end of January. A version of XP will also remain available for ultra-low-cost PCs such as the Asus Eee PC.

A group of vocal computer users who rallied around a "Save XP" petition posted on the industry news site InfoWorld had been clamoring for Microsoft to keep selling XP until its next operating system, Windows 7, is available. The software maker has said it expects to release Windows 7 sometime in 2009.

Last week, Microsoft said it would provide full technical support for six-year-old Windows XP through 2009, and limited support through 2014.


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eBay Fined

eBay Fined A Paris court has ordered the online auctioneer eBay to pay 40 million euro ($A65.8 million) in damages to Louis Vuitton for selling fake luxury goods online.
The commercial court ruled in favour of six LVMH brands which accused eBay of putting on sale fake handbags, clothes and other luxury goods and of illicit sales of perfumes in a case that began a year and a half ago.

EBay, the world's biggest online auctioneer, was ordered to pay E19.28 million ($A31.72 million) to LVMH and E17.3 million ($A28.46 million) to its sister company Christian Dior Couture for damage to their brand images and causing moral harm.

It must also pay E3.25 million ($A5.35 million) to four perfume brands - Christian Dior, Kenzo, Givenchy and Guerlain - for sales in violation of its authorised network. The court barred eBay, which said it will appeal against the ruling, from advertising the cosmetic or perfume brands on its website.

LVMH had argued that eBay had failed to do enough to prevent the sale of counterfeit copies of their goods and that it did not have legal permission to sell its authentic products.
The ruling came amid a flurry of legal action against the online giant, which claims to have some 84 million active users in 39 markets worldwide.

Earlier this month, eBay was convicted by a French court of selling counterfeit goods and ordered to pay 20,000 euro ($A32,900) in damages to French luxury group Hermes. The court ruling, which marked a first in France, found eBay directly responsible for the sale on its website of three Hermes bags including two fakes, for a total of E3,000 ($A4,935). Frnce's traditional auctioneers took legal action against the online auctioneer in December, accusing it of encouraging trade in pirated and stolen goods.

A council representing the auction industry also accuses the Internet trader of breaking a French 2000 law that requires all auctioneers to be approved by the state.
According to eBay the total value of items sold on its trading platforms in 2007 was nearly $US60 billion ($A62.5 billion).