Classified-advertising site Craigslist is countersuing eBay, accusing the online auction company of using its stake in Craigslist to misappropriate proprietary information and engage in false advertising, trademark infringement, and a host of other wrongdoings.

The suit, filed in a San Francisco court, is a response to eBay's suit filed April 22 against Craigslist, which charged that Craigslist's board of directors secretly plotted to dilute eBay's 28.4 percent investment in the site after eBay launched a competing online classified-advertising service called Kijiji. eBay launched Kijiji overseas in 2005 and in the U.S. last year.

Craigslist's countersuit, filed Tuesday with the Superior Court of the State of California, reveals a sea of bad blood between the companies and escalates the legal battle between them. It also sheds light on tensions between the two that began even before eBay purchased its stake in Craigslist in August 2004.

In its suit, Craigslist accuses eBay of calling Kijiji a "Craigslist killer" inside the company and using the Craigslist moniker to confuse the public and "illegally divert" Internet traffic from Craigslist to eBay and the Kijiji site. Craigslist also accuses eBay of treating it as a subsidiary and making repeated unreasonable demands for confidential information.

Craigslist is asking the court to order eBay to return to it all shares acquired "by means of, or for the purpose of, unfair competition." It is also asking that eBay pay damages and return the profits it made from its misuse of Craigslist's information and trademark.

Craigslist has posted a link to the lawsuit on its Web site in a blog posting by CEO Jim Buckmaster. In the posting, he briefly outlines the charges his company is making against eBay and the relief Craigslist is requesting from the court.

According to eBay's suit against Craigslist, filed on April 22 in Delaware's Court of Chancery, Buckmaster and Craigslist founder Craig Newmark breached "fiduciary duties" to the company. eBay has accused the pair of diluting its stake to 24.85 percent of Craigslist's outstanding shares so eBay would not have the 25 percent investment it needed to elect a director to Craiglist's board.

Sure, you may have scored more than 150 on the standardized IQ test, you may party hearty with Mensa Mommas -- but what's that actually worth in the real world? Diddly. If you truly want to know how smart you are when it counts, then InfoWorld's Geek IQ test is the puzzler for you. Answer the 20 questions below, and we'll add up your score and let you know how you measure up. Even a suit can follow those directions. And remember: Googling every question will not give you an accurate score. Got a beef or want to brag? Take it out on the comments section of the Answer Key page at the end of the test.

1. What's the first universal question of telephone help desk support?

a. Is the power cable plugged in? b. Have you tried turning it on and off again? c. Has it burst into flames? d. All of the above

Take the InfoWorld Geek IQ test

One of the joys of being a Web programmer is heading to a dinner party, a haircut, or a reunion and fielding the pitches for everyone's dream for a brilliant Web application. Everyone is always happy to cut you in for 5, 10, maybe even 15 percent of the equity if you just build out the Web site that's sort of like a combination of Twitter, AltaVista, Eliza, TurboTax, and the corner pharmacy, but cooler.

Google App Engine is meant for dreams like these. You write a bit of code in Python, customize some HTML, and bingo, you've got your database-backed dynamic Web site up and running in a few short minutes. The magic comes when the world starts flocking to your Web application, and Google's cloud of computers quickly adapts to the load, handling everything the public demands. There's no need for you to buy servers, load balancers, or special DNS tables. Google's application cloud handles all of the grungy deployment headaches.

[ See also " What cloud computing really means" and "Early experiments in cloud computing." ]

I played around with the App Engine SDK and, sure enough, developed and deployed applications on my desktop with just a few minutes of work. I didn't upload them to the cloud because I didn't make it into the beta program, but I was able to simulate the experience on my office server. The billions of hits haven't shown up yet, but it has only been a few hours now. It works and it is quite simple.

Google me this A trickier question is deciding whether this is really what a future Web application really needs. There is little doubt that App Engine makes it simple to get incoming data, make some decisions, store it in a database, and then move on. The more complicated questions are often political, technical, and almost aesthetic. There will be a number of programmers who look at App Engine and melt with excitement, and there will be many who tilt their head like a dog that can't understand his master.

Being a Python lover certainly helps, but it isn't necessary because the language isn't that much different from the other scripting languages. A good programmer should be able to shift gears quickly and easily. There are rumors that Google has a number of other languages waiting around the corner, but there are equally good arguments that this may not be happening as soon as some devotees would like.

Java programmers, in particular, are used to being known as providing the most scalable and flexible applications because the language and the API are some of the most sophisticated ensembles around. The J2EE standard nurtured tools that simplified some of these problems, even though it never really turned out to be as simple as the sales literature promised. Today, Java's sophistication is probably hurting the language as much as helping it. A quick survey of Web hosting services shows that shared hosting for JSP applications begins around $10 a month, while Python shared services can cost as little as $2 a month. The JVM may speed things up and provide better service, but it comes with a hefty memory footprint. If the brutally competitive Web hosting business can support five Python sites for every Java site, then perhaps Google is more interested in the long tail, the niche Web sites, than the big iron.

Read on: First look: Google App Engine

Related articles Analysis: Do new Web tools spell doom for the browser? The Web is evolving into a full-fledged app-delivery platform, calling into question the browser's ability to fulfill the needs of today's rich Internet apps Special report: Rich Web development tools bring bling to the browser The Test Center guide to rich Web app dev tools Frameworks for rich Internet applications can be lightweight or heavyweight, open or closed, and almost anything in between Analysis: AIR gets rich apps right Adobe's AIR is safe, fast, versatile, and open, and it will be the standard platform for rich Internet applications Hands on: Adventures in lightweight Internet app development Follow InfoWorld's first steps in lightweight app development for emerging mobile devices and desktop widgets Review: Adobe breathes fresh AIR into RIA Adobe's rich Internet application toolkit lifts Flash and AJAX out of the browser and onto the desktop Review: Microsoft Silverlight rivals Flash, AJAX Redmond's new rich Internet application boasts strong development tools, a small browser footprint, and cross-platform support Review: Curl 6.0 enrichens the rich Internet toolkit Latest release is highlighted by easier customization, more sophisticated effects, AJAX interoperability, and a native-looking Mac port Review: WaveMaker?s point-and-click Java WaveMaker Visual Ajax Studio and Rapid Deployment Framework make a fast and simple facade for Hibernate and Tomcat Review: Refining the art of enterprise Web apps JackBe Presto and Nexaweb Enterprise Web 2.0 Suite converge on a powerful and productive model for server-side mashups supporting AJAX clients Review: Top AJAX tools deliver rich GUI goodness Backbase, Bindows, JackBe, and Tibco General Interface bring fat features to enterprise Web clients Review: Inside open source AJAX toolkits Dojo, Ext, Google Web Toolkit, jQuery, MooTools, Prototype, and Yahoo User Interface perform amazing tricks with JavaScript; we explore what makes each tick to help you determine which one to pick Blog: Neil McAllister | Fatal Exception Blog: Martin Heller | Strategic Developer Blog: Tom Yager | Ahead of the Curve

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Microsoft's having a tough year with reboots. First it was a reboot ad infinitum in February, brought on by a flawed update to Windows Vista . Now the same thing's happening to some users who have updated to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3).

What gives?

We don't have the answer to that -- at the moment, no one seems to have the definitive answer to that. But we do have answers to the most pressing questions about the latest Windows snafu, including a developing game of blame.

What's happening? After some users update to Windows XP SP3, their PCs reboot -- which is normal -- but then fail to start up, and then reboot again and again, which is decidedly not normal.

The "endless reboot" cropped up immediately after Microsoft made XP SP3 available to the general Windows-using public by posting the service pack to Windows Update last week. Within a day, users were reporting problems in messages on Microsoft's XP SP3 support forum.

Why are some PCs rebooting endlessly? Microsoft hasn't given any official explanation, but users on the support forum sharing accounts have identified several possible causes. Some seem to affect only systems running processors made by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), while others have also hit users with Intel-based PCs.

Although it's possible to get a feel for the theories by reading multiple support forum message threads, the best source of information has been a frequently updated blog post by Jesper Johansson, a former program manager for security policy at Microsoft and currently an MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Professional). Johansson, who had one of his own PCs slip into a reboot coma, has neatly summarized the several possible causes put forward by himself and other users.

Are only AMD-powered machines sold by HP rebooting over and over? No, although they've gotten the most press.

According to Johansson and others, Hewlett-Packard used the same Windows XP disk image to factory install the OS on AMD-based systems as they used for PCs running Intel processors. That's a mistake, Microsoft contends.

"Under this configuration, after the computer is upgraded to Windows XP SP2 or SP3, the Intel processor driver (intelppm.sys) may try to load because an orphaned registry key remains," Microsoft said in a support document first released in 2004, after the company issued XP SP2.

The presence of the unnecessary driver, said Microsoft, may crash the machine, causing it to reboot. If the PC is set to automatically reboot on a start failure -- as most are by default -- it reboots endlessly, often so quickly that the user can't interrupt the process and enter what's called "Safe Mode" in Windows, a last-ditch way to sidestep the normal boot process for troubleshooting purposes.

So Microsoft's blaming HP? It sure sounds like it. Yesterday, a Microsoft spokeswoman confirmed that the company was aware of the reboot problem, and pinned responsibility on the computer maker, but didn't name names. "Microsoft issued guidance to OEMs [computer manufacturers] advising them to only load Windows XP images onto like hardware in 2004," she said.

What's HP said? Nothing and a lot, if that makes sense.

Although Computerworld asked for comment on Monday and an HP spokeswoman said Tuesday that the company was investigating, no one from HP had followed up as of end-of-day on Wednesday.

However, HP has posted a document to its support site that shifts the blame right back to Microsoft. "After installing the initial release of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP an error condition can occur," the HP document reads. "The Service Pack 3 update copies an Intel power management driver to the computer that was not on the computer before the update [emphasis added]. During Windows startup, computers with AMD processors may experience a blue screen error."

Computerworld has not been able to confirm that the errant driver is, as HP claims, added by XP SP3 to AMD-based PCs. If that is, in fact, the case, the endless rebooting is Microsoft's fault, not HP's.

Is the intelppm.sys driver problem the only AMD-specific reboot issue? Not according to Johansson and other users, who have also reported shutdown error messages claiming that the PC's BIOS is "not fully ACPI compliant."

Users who have seen this message say that their PCs are running one specific motherboard -- an ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe -- equipped with an AMD processor. Those same users claim that inserting a USB flash drive or connecting another USB-based storage device before booting solves the problem.

Are some Intel-powered PCs experiencing endless reboots? Yes, say users.

Johansson noted that some users had seen error messages that indicate their crashes are video driver-related. Both ATI and nVidia drivers may be involved, Johansson said.

How can I stop the endless reboots? To break the chain, you may first need to halt the automatic restarts. Press the F8 key when you see the black Windows XP screen and then select "Disable automatic restart on system failure"

Now, try to get into Safe Mode by pressing F8 at the next reboot. You may need to press F8 repeatedly. Once in Safe Mode, follow the steps Microsoft lists in this support document to disable the intelppm.sys driver if you suspect that's the problem.

If that doesn't work, Johansson suggests trying the more advanced Recovery Console, which can be run from the XP install CD if it hasn't previously been added to the PC. For detailed directions on installing and using the Recovery Console, check out this Microsoft support document. Again, disable the intelppm.sys driver.

If your PC is not an HP or Compaq with an AMD processor, your best bet -- in lieu of anything official from Microsoft -- is to read through Johansson's post for possible solutions.

Isn't there an easier way? We're not sure, but you can try to offload the heavy lifting to Microsoft by using the free tech support it's offering for any install or upgrade problems related to XP SP3.

Although Microsoft normally refers users who obtained XP as part of a new PC to the computer manufacturer or reseller when problems pop up, it will provide free-of-charge XP SP3 install support until April 14, 2009. You can contact Microsoft by phone, e-mail or online chat. (E-mail and chat are available only in the U.S. and Canada.) Details can be found here.

What if I just want to give up on XP SP3 and revert to something that works? No problem, as long as you can regain control of the PC.

Assuming you can stop the endless reboot spiral, you can ditch SP3 and return to (presumably) SP2 by opening "Add or Remove Programs" from Control Panel, checking the "Show Updates" box, then scrolling to the bottom of the listing. Select "Windows XP Service Pack 3" and click the Remove button.

The PC will reboot (again!), but after that, the machine should return to its pre-SP3 state.

Microsoft spells that out for you in this recently updated support document, which also walks you through winding back to SP2 using System Restore or the Recovery Console.

Computerworld is an InfoWorld affiliate.

According to an internal company memo received by CIO.com, Ron Rittenmeyer says he will remain chairman, CEO, and president of EDS even after it is subsumed as a business group by Hewlett-Packard .

He'll report to HP CEO Mark Hurd.

One assumes the rest of the EDS's 137,000 employees are feeling slightly less secure about their own positions in the new company, as the memo indicates, "there are many questions to be answered and decisions to be made in the coming months."

[ For complete coverage of the EDS acquisition and its ramifications for HP, see InfoWorld's special report. ]

(For more on HP's plan to purchase EDS for $13.9 billion dollars and what it means, see my previous post.)

The full text of Rittenmeyer's note to employees follows.

To the EDS Worldwide Team:

Today is a historic day for the future of all of us at EDS, our valued clients, our shareholders and the entire IT industry. EDS and HP have reached a definitive agreement for HP to purchase EDS.

This transaction would be the largest ever in the IT services market and would create a formidable global competitor. EDS would join the world's largest technology company. HP enjoys a well-respected global brand and broad worldwide resources -- along with a strong operational background.

When the transaction is completed, which is expected in the second half of the year, HP will establish a new business group and brand it EDS -- an HP company.

Importantly, EDS would retain the brand all of you have worked so hard to build over the last 45 years. EDS headquarters will remain in Plano and I plan to continue as chairman, president and CEO of this new business group.

Obviously, this news means major changes for everyone involved. There are many questions to be answered and decisions to be made in the coming months. Ensuring a successful integration is our top priority.

What doesn't change, however, is EDS' commitment to provide excellent service for our clients. And, we will relentlessly pursue new business while continuing to build the best delivery process in our industry. The core values of EDS are shared by HP, which makes this even more of a winning combination.

In the weeks ahead, I promise to communicate often with you about milestones and decisions affecting our company and our careers. We will thoughtfully manage this entire transition process -- just as EDS and HP have done for many other companies we have each acquired.

To begin the dialogue, I invite you to watch a broadcast tomorrow to discuss the transaction. It will air live at 1 p.m. Central time on our EDS Global Broadcast Network, and will be re-broadcast often over the next several days. You will receive more information on the broadcast shortly.

As we complete this agreement, I ask each of you to stay committed to your work, performing at the high levels of service we expect for our clients and from ourselves. I know I can count on you to deliver.

We are -- and will remain -- EDS.

Ron Rittenmeyer

CIO is an InfoWorld affiliate.