The company that got busted for spying on reporters, Hewlett-Packard, forks over an undisclosed sum to settle lawsuits waged by The New York Times and BusinessWeek. Ongoing coverage: HP in hot seat over spying allegations. Researchers discover three bugs in the Linux Kernel capable of enabling a number of exploits, but security experts disagree on just how dangerous they are to IT. In what appears to be preparation for acquiring Yahoo, Microsoft shakes up a number of executives, all of whom are taking on responsibilities in running its online services, including Windows Live, Search, and MSN. Microsoft typically credits hackers who responsibly disclose their findings but the one going by ‘Chujwamwdupe’ didn’t pass muster. Not because of the flaw, which lies in the Works File Converter, but the name. It’s too offensive, at least in Poland, the software giant insists, and so the bug-finder gets no credit from Microsoft. Four U.S. newspaper chains form an online partnership, under which advertisers can book national campaigns via a single point of contact and reach some 50 million readers. And at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, it has become clear that GPS is evolving into a social tool, as many services put emphasis on finding friends rather than plotting your way to a certain locale. Software Development