Among existing desktop security software, Symantec’s Norton AntiVirus 2007 suite is the best at detecting and removing stealth rootkits, according to a study done by Thompson Cyber Security Labs. In the study, which was commissioned by Symantec and conducted by veteran anti-virus expert Roger Thompson, 20 randomly chosen pieces of rootkit-laden malware files were pitted against the major antivirus and anti-spyware vendors to rate detection and removal capabilities. The application that performed the poorest, according to Thompson, was Microsoft’s Microsoft Windows Defender (Beta 2), which is being built into the Windows Vista operating system.

In the largest such survey ever conducted, 86 percent of a group of more than 1,000 experts on the next-generation Internet say they worry that the head start of other nations will hurt the United States. They fear that China, India, and many European and Asian countries are moving faster to implement the addressing scheme known as Internet Protocol version 6, or IPv6. The new protocol will enable much longer numerical Web addresses, the underlying data which tells URLs where to go.

Windows Vista brings with it a new era of DRM and restrictive license agreements that aren’t going to sit well with even your basic power user, and some are looking for an escape route. These changes are making some users question their commitment to Microsoft. The obvious step is to make the leap to Linux. But what’s holding people back from escaping Microsoft’s shackles and moving to a free and easy platform? The platform isn’t everything. In fact, it’s only a small part of the equation. The problem with Linux is that as an operating system, it’s great, but as a platform for your average desktop PC, it leaves a lot to be desired.

IT certifications are worth less than ever, and the value of non-certified technology skills has surged, according to the third-quarter edition of the "Hot Technical Skills and Certifications Pay Index" from Foote Partners, an IT workforce research firm. "Certified skills pay has not just flat lined, it’s in the negative. This is big news if you’re certified and you’re thinking about getting recertified," said Foote. "This trend is in the fourth quarter, that pay for certifications is on the wane, while non-certified skills are growing in pay."

Adware manufacturer Zango has reached an agreement with the Federal Trade Commission in response to charges that it breached federal law by deceptively installing advertising software on consumers’ PCs without a clear means of removal. According to the terms of the settlement announced Friday, Zango’s principals–co-founders Keith Smith and Daniel Todd–must pay $3 million to cover illegally obtained profits. Additionally, the company must adhere to FTC regulations that bar it from loading programs onto customers’ computers and monitoring them without their consent. The programs also must include a feature that allows customers to uninstall the software easily.

Hewlett-Packard Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mark Hurd has an incomplete recollection of details of a crucial internal meeting on the HP board scandal. The company released Hurd’s answers to questions from a US House of Representatives subcommittee investigating HP’s potentially illegal use of false pretenses to get access to phone records of HP employees, board members and journalists.

IBM is introducing a new tool to manage virtualized data centers even if the center is running different types of virtualization software. IBM’s Virtualization Manager uses a Web-based dashboard for managing different portions of a data center as one whole system, the company said. Virtualization Manager will simultaneously run virtualization software from vendors such as VMware, Microsoft, and XenSource, as well as for IBM’s System p and System i servers and storage devices.

Sony said it plans to start selling the world’s lightest notebook computer in December in Japan, in a bid to boost its presence among business users. Weighing 898 grams, Sony’s "type G" Vaio computer will be the lightest laptop PC, and comes with a 12.1-inch liquid crystal display screen.

Google launched a version of Gmail for mobile devices that lets US users do in two clicks what previously took them ten or more. Gmail for Mobile Devices is a free, downloadable Java application. It will work on the nearly 300 types of Java mobile phones in the United States, said Tony Hsieh, product manager for Google Mobile. The software improves on a version of Gmail released nearly a year ago that lets people access their email through a mobile Web browser.

In an unusual partnership, old foes Microsoft and Novell have joined forces to work on harmonizing their products. The companies said Thursday they will collaborate on development of specific technologies, for example to help Microsoft’s Windows, a proprietary operating system, work with Novell’s Suse Linux, which is based on open-source code. On the business side, they will promote each other’s products. In addition, the software makers have struck a deal on patents designed to give customers peace of mind about using Novell’s open-source products.