Vivendi is a media, telecoms and Internet company still in the process of emerging from its origins as a state-owned water-and-waste utility.

ECONOMIST: Vodafone/Vivendi/Mannesmann

The outline that is emerging--a Frankenstein-like fusion of an enterprise software company and Internet media giant--isnt much prettier.

FORBES: Net confusion

New ways of dealing with micro-payments are emerging, such as by deduction from a prepaid account with a computer company, Internet-service provider or mobile-phone company.

ECONOMIST: A survey of online finance

Their early foray into a non-existent, still-emerging field (back when the Internet was still in dial-up mode) has made the company a two-fold super success.

FORBES: Finding Blue-Sky Success In The Cloud