Or more like Vista world. Microsoft has just announced that it will stop selling licenses to put Windows XP on new computers, beginning January 31^st, 2008. This is in effort to push Windows Vista onto the world-wide computer market. While computer manufactures can still buy XP licenses until 2009 through third-party software suppliers, the majority of new computers will be sold with Windows Vista only.

Microsoft says it will continue to support Windows XP, as it has with its previous versions of Windows, but believes that limiting new licenses to Vista will insure “availability of brand new licenses for brand new machines.” In addition to this, all users who downloaded early versions of Windows Vista will be faced with a decision come June 1, 2008. The early testing versions of Windows Vista will stop working on this date, leaving users to decide to either return to Windows XP or upgrade to the expensive Ultimate edition of Windows Vista.

While Vista is my operating system of choice, I know many who hate the system. Microsoft is forcing new computer buyers into the Vista world, and one must wonder, what will the reaction be? Even though there will still be XP computers for sale for a while, it seems like pushing this product on a reluctant audience will just facilitate the switch from Microsoft to Apple.

In Spain, Thomas Delgado hit and killed a 17 year old bicyclist while speeding down the road. Delgado’s Audi A8 was going an excess of 45 miles per hour over the speed limit. The police investigation took place in 2004, when the incident first occurred, and ruled that both Delgado and his victim, Enaitz Iriondo, were at fault for the crash.

Iriondo was not wearing any safety gear and was bicycling across the road when he was hit by Delgado. Delgado’s insurance company paid the parents of the victim $48,000, but that was not enough for Delgado. According to Delgado, the only way he can recoup the money to pay for his damaged Audi and subsequent car rentals is to sue the victim’s parents for $29,400. Spain has one of the highest car related fatality rates in the European Union.

The only thing positive about this story is that for once it is not an American suing for a ludicrous reason. It is shocking that there was no jail time or other negative repercussion for Delgado beyond a higher insurance payment. How ridiculous will things get?

The World Economic Forum is gathering for its annual meeting this week, in an attempt to solve some of the vast problems in this world. Chronic hunger, climate change, energy challenges, global health, and west-Islamic dialogue are only some of the topics that these billionaires comes together to discuss. The most publicized move yet has been the announcement of Bill Gates’ newest project.

At the suggestion of U2’s Bono, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will donate $306 million in grants to help aide farming in developing countries. The motive behind this generosity is not purely press, but to garner support to creating Gates’ form of “creative capitalism”. “If we are serious about ending extreme hunger and poverty around the world, we must be serious about transforming agriculture for small farmers, most of whom are women,” Gates stated at the meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Gates’ opinion was mirrored by many at the convention, who are now trying to emphasize making a difference instead of simply talking about one. Namanga Ngongi, President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), agreed with Gates, stating “70% of Africans are employed in agriculture. If you really want to touch the lives of Africans and aid development, this is where you invest.”