Best of the blogs: With the momentum firmly shifted in favor of open source proprietary software is running scared, Matt Asay writes. Part of the reason is risk. Proprietary vendors, he argues, hold back all value until customers risk time and money buying their software. “This is hardly the best basis to create a partnership, which is really what open source leads to,” Asay writes. “I’m not saying open source is perfect.” Columnist’s corner: Taking a position at Microsoft put Roger Grimes in a contemplative sort of mood. “I think the rescue person in me wanted to help save the world in computers. I fell in love with the fight against electronic evildoers,” he pens in Reflections of a 20-year IT security veteran. “But the truth is, I wish all computer security problems would just go away.” GripeLine: One reader found that, contrary to expectations, prepaying for a year’s worth of EarthLink service garnered him a much higher rate than promised. It’s a case of false advertising, plain and simple. Calls to EarthLink drew a “sorry you were misinformed” response, rather than an apology for practicing bait-and-switch tactics. In the end, our reader explains, “I have gone from buying almost everything online to buying nothing online.” Technology Industry