News: Microsoft spying? Linux is looking better

China thinks Microsoft software contains secretly embedded code that the United States government can manipulate at will. So, in case of war between the two countries, a Pentagon official can hit a switch and–presto!–cripple China’s computing infrastructure.

This might seem absurd, why, after all, would Microsoft consent to such a thing, especially if it hurts them in a market with a billion nubile young consumers they lust for?

Its hard to imagine, but as a little exercise for the imagination, try and imagine what leverage the US government might have over them.