What I'm reading

I plow through a fair bunch of MSFT-related articles every week. Some become the basis for posts, but most don't and end up in my favorites cache. Here's a sampling of what I'm reading currently in case it's of interest (plus, now I can clean up that cache!):

Positive

• Investor Soros more than doubles stake in Microsoft (sounded even better until I read the final "The overall value of Soros' fund, Soros Fund Management LLC, dropped 19 percent to $2.48 billion from the previous quarter.")
• SAP gets cozy with Microsoft
• Microsoft's Vista Sales Picking Up in Korea (I take the good news where I can get it)
• Gates: Vista sales match rivals' installed base (ok, that's a bit better)
• Microsoft Touts PerformancePoint, Next-Gen SQLServer at Inaugural BI Fete
• Microsoft lifts shroud off Halo 3 to mixed reviews (too bad initial reviews are a little underwhelming - but the game is not finished)
• Code2Fame Challenge (smart)
• Windows Server Is Coming Home (okay, it's Wilcox so the positive part may not come shining through, but it's a potentially good thing nonetheless)

Negative

• Microsoft Details Patent Breaches (that's a lose/lose unless they're prepared to sue and prove it - which apparently they aren't, and sounds a little desperate)
• Linus Torvalds Responds To Microsoft Patent Claims (ouch!)
• Microsoft: A law firm pretending to be an army pretending to be a software company (more ouch!)
• On Microsoft's feeble Fortune-based nastygram to Red Hat (still more ouch!)
• Vista's Lessons for Microsoft
• Microsoft cuts Windows virtualization features (after already delaying, in part at least, in order to include said features - can you say "create an achievable product spec to begin with?")
• Google Patents Video Game Advertising (Huh - maybe MSFT should be reviewing what prior art they got via Massive?)
• Computers bumped from top of online sales (not a good trend)
• Google admits gunning for Microsoft (I know, world's worst kept secret)
• Comcast Cable TV discontinues use of Microsoft Software

Unclear

• How satisfied are Microsoft customers? (remember what they say about lies, damn lies and statistics)
• Microsoft delves further into manufacturing with Zune plant (solution to the problem or even more money down the drain?)
• Gonzales proposes new crime: 'Attempted' copyright infringement (Yikes)
• A Monopoly on Desktop and Internet? Why Microsoft Can't Do Everything (some good insight - albeit from disgraced former analyst Blodget)
• WMS: PS3 to 'Win' Console War Because of Blu-ray (analyst sees PS3 ultimately winning this round but it being close)
• Microsoft and Yahoo: Match or Misery? (for those needing a renewed dose of YHOO/MSFT pontification)