Xbox Eve: Big Changes Afoot

One of the big cheeses in this effort is on his way out, sources say. No. Not Robbie Bach. You're just gonna have to stay tuned.

Meanwhile, other Microsoft types are leaving for new opportunities, including Gord Mangione one of the top security guys and formerly the big SQL Server honcho.

Not enough dirt for you? Well, hold on!

Insiders say none other than Time Warner Chairman Richard Parsons made an appearance early one morning last week in the vicinities of Microsoft buildings 32 and 34. As has been widely reported, Microsoft would dearly like to get its paws on America Online's online franchise and thereby boot AOL search fave Google off premises. Maybe that will, indeed, happen. Combining the huge AIM base with Microsoft Instant Messenger and the till-now arch-competitive AOL network with MSN could indeed be an interesting conglomeration.

For those who scream antitrust, Microsoft will have one word, or rather exclamation: Yahoo!