A recent study of Web browser installations showed that far too few are up to date with the latest security patches. And browsers aren't alone; as my dear old mum can attest, it can be hard to keep up with OS and application patches when all you want to do is use your computer for work. It should come as no surprise that many PCs are vulnerable to security exploits that could otherwise be prevented.

Firefox got top marks in the browser study because of its automatic update feature, which notifies users of the latest patches as soon as they're available. A growing number of vendors are using a similar approach, automatically checking for updates whenever you use their software. But now it turns out that automatic updates aren't always all they're cracked up to be. A new exploit called Evilgrade can take advantage of automatic updaters to install malicious code on unsuspecting systems, and your computers could be more vulnerable than you think.

Earlier I mentioned SourceForge.net's annual Community Choice Awards, designed to honor open source software projects in a variety of categories. This year's awards were open to any open source projects, not just ones that were hosted on SourceForge.net, so they promised to be an accurate representation of the entire field.

Now it's done. Your input was received and the votes were tallied. The winners were announced on Thursday during a ceremony at the O'Reilly Group's OSCON open source convention. And in the end -- though it was a worthwhile exercise -- the roster of honorees offered few surprises.

Web-based e-mail has come a long way since the early days. At first it was just a convenient way for home users to check their mail through a familiar, Web-based interface. Today, Webmail providers have evolved into full-service messaging centers, offering gigabytes of storage and a host of integrated features, such as calendaring, spam blocking, and malware filters. No wonder Webmail is the preferred e-mail tool for a growing number of business users, too.

There's just one problem: To access the Web, you need to be online. When you're not connected, your entire inbox goes missing -- even the messages you received last week. Fortunately, a number of vendors are working on solutions to this very problem. One of the most interesting, Yahoo's Zimbra Desktop, released its third beta test release today.

The open source MySQL database began life as a lightweight alternative to big, resource-hungry database management systems, such as Oracle or Sybase. Over the years, however, users have clamored for more and more features, causing MySQL's codebase to swell with capabilities that had previously only been found on its commercial cousins.

But not every MySQL developer agrees with this direction. Some feel that it's high time not just to apply the brakes, but to take a U-turn. In particular, some customers in the Web application development community have been calling for a lean, mean database that doesn't waste time with higher-end features that aren't necessary for Web apps. This week, their call was answered.

Sometimes, it's hard for my right hand to know what the left is doing. I do half of my computing at my primary desktop PC at my office, and the other half on either of two different laptops. It can be hard to keep track of my work with my files scattered around all those different hard drives.

What I need is some way to keep my files synchronized between all these different machines. Nothing I've tried in the past has really worked for me -- until now. Windows Live Mesh, which Microsoft made available to the general public as a "technology preview" on Tuesday, is the best synchronization system for Windows PCs that I've seen so far. And best of all, it's completely free.

Blogging is increasingly popular, both for individuals and businesses alike. That's because blogging software is one of the easiest ways to publicize information about your company. The best packages offer near-infinite customizability while still making it easy for new users to get up and running with a bare minimum of installation and configuration.

My own favorite among the long list of available packages is WordPress. To me, it offers just the right balance of configurability and ease of use. What's more, it seems to consistently be on the cusp of the latest Web technologies. Case in point: WordPress 2.6 arrived today, and it brings a host of new options that make posting and editing your blogs easier than ever -- even when you're offline.

Anti-malware software is a given for any Windows PC today. Studies have shown that even Windows Vista, with its new security measures, remains vulnerable to many networked attacks. But while security software may be ubiquitous, it's hardly universally loved. Slow scanning, intrusive alerts, and endless database updates can sometimes make antivirus apps seem like just as much of a burden as the malware they aim to thwart.

Fortunately, Symantec seems to have taken such user complaints to heart. The security vendor reports that new versions of Norton Internet Security and Norton Anti-Virus are in the works, and this time, a faster, more streamlined user experience is top priority.

The release of Firefox 3.0 has been a resounding success, but for some the upgrade path has been less than painless. The latest version of the open source browser differed enough from previous versions that many add-ons had to be substantially rewritten before they would work with the new release. And just when the dust appeared to be clearing, Firefox 3.1 is on the horizon.

Don't worry. If you weathered the transition to Firefox 3.0 (possibly with the help of some clever hacks along the way), you needn't expect a repeat performance when Firefox 3.1 arrives in late 2008 or early 2009. "In fact," says Mozilla developer Mark Finkle, "I'd go out on a limb and say updating to Firefox 3.1 will be easy."

For most of us, the Web is primarily a visual medium. The downside is that accessing the benefits of the Internet can be a challenge for the visually-impaired. Fortunately, electronic documents are much more versatile than printed ones. Screen-reading software has come a long way, and today it can make online information accessible even to the completely blind.

But even modern screen readers aren't perfect. Particularly, they are of no help when there's nothing to read. Too often, graphically rich Web sites are designed without sufficient text cues that would allow visually impaired users to navigate them. Now help is on the way, thanks to a new project from IBM's AlphaWorks that aims to improve Web accessibility through collaborative techniques borrowed from the world of open source software.

Given skyrocketing fuel prices, international travel is a lot more expensive than it used to be. But many business travelers are concerned about another problem: What to do when U.S. border officials want to search the contents of your laptop hard drive? The potential risk of revealing confidential data is significant. In fact, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives has cautioned business travelers to leave their data at home.

Despite questions raised by privacy advocates and U.S. senators alike, the Homeland Security policy seems unlikely to change soon. Fortunately, there are ways to protect your data without leaving your laptop at the office. For example, the latest version of TrueCrypt, released last Friday, can create a protected pocket of your hard drive that's virtually invisible to prying eyes.

As the Age of Ozzie begins at Microsoft, the pundits are already abuzz about how the Redmond-based behemoth might retool its business to more effectively compete with the likes of Google. The leading view is that Microsoft will move steadily toward a model based on "software plus services," bolstering its packaged software with value-added online services and selling the whole shebang at subscription rates.

Microsoft today announced the official name for its first such offering: Microsoft Equipt. As discussed earlier, this new package bundles Microsoft Office Home and Student Edition with Windows Live OneCare and some other Microsoft applications, including Windows Live Mail and Windows Live Messenger, all for a single monthly fee. And the fee ain't bad.