Ralph Nader, famed consumer rights advocate, is taking on the software giant Microsoft. Salon magazine reports that he has organized a conference in D.C. next month to explore Microsoft's attempt to "extend its near-monopolistic control of the software business into other industries, including banking, insurance, car dealerships, travel services, real estate, and television." The interview is definitely worth a read. Go, Ralph, go!

Car dealerships? We didn't realize Bill's apparent deep psychological need to own everything had extended so far. Sounds doomed to failure, though, seeing as we all know what things would be like if Microsoft built cars.

Meanwhile, the Sun-Microsoft lawsuit is heating up admirably. The Chronicle reports that Sun is now suing for an additional $35 million in legal damages. Sun has amended their suit, which originally claimed breach of contract for shipping an incompatible version of Java, to include the charge that Microsoft made Java source code available to developers over their web site. Apparently one of Microsoft's contracts with Sun included a clause which specifically listed a penalty of $35 million for revealing the source code to outside parties.

Microsoft continues to deny all allegations, going so far as to call the suit "high drama public relations." (Our favorite kind!) Unfortunately, that statement may be totally true, as no one seems to think sun can prove that Microsoft gave away the source code. We'll have to wait and see if Sun calls a surprise witness to the stand.

While it's not yet being covered on Court TV, you can tune into Sun's Java web site, where they have posted both the contracts and the lawsuit. Of course, this lawsuit would be much more entertaining if it weren't for the fact that $35 million to Microsoft is financially equivalent to, say, a small ball of lint to you and me. C'est la vie.

Another one down, in the covert conspiracy to eliminate Mac-type news and rumors websites... MacInsider, one of the best-known sources of Apple-related information, today announced that they are "retiring" after four months of active duty. They give no reason for their decision. Suspicious? Perhaps.

Meanwhile, though it's Thursday, MacOS Rumors is still offline. Macintouch reports that the Rumors' staff is experiencing some "technical difficulties" in switching to their new ISP. The ETA for Rumors' return has been amended to Sunday. Hmm...

To those who are responsible for this obvious campaign: We have stationed armed guards around our server, and all of them are seasoned Marathon Vidmasters. Be afraid. Be very afraid.