D Squared Software thought it had the ultimate scam. The San Diego based software company used Windows Messenger Service pop-ups to sell a software product that blocked, you guessed it, Messenger Service pop-ups. The company thought that this was a legitimate sales tool. The FTC thought that it was extortion and a Federal Court judge agreed. Messenger Service (not to be confused with Windows Messenger Instant Messaging program) is a little used feature in Windows. Designed to allow Network...

RealNetworks, developer of the RealPlayer technology, has announced that it will offer songs from its on-line music store for half the price of Apple and that the songs will be playable on Apple's iPod devices. Real will use a new technology called Harmony to make the songs playable on the iPod, eliminating one of Apple's advantages. And that technology has raised serious issues. Real has not licensed Apple's technology. A spokesman for Apple said Real had "adopted the tactics and ethics o...