Symantec sues Microsoft

Symantec filed the lawsuit in a federal court in Seattle, claiming the software giant had misappropriated intellectual property and alleging breach of contract over a licensing deal with Veritas, which Symantec bought last year.

The company wants an injunction to block the sale of Vista until the Vole is contrite.

In the suit, Symantec claims that Microsoft's "pervasive and continuing disregard of Symantec's intellectual property and contract rights has irreparably harmed Symantec and constitutes trade secret misappropriation" .

Microsoft said the claim, "will be shown to be without merit."

Symantec reckons Veritas storage management software, licensed by Microsoft, has been used in the development of a number of Windows products, including Vista.

It also claims Microsoft duped the US Government to grant patents, which were based on Veritas intellectual property.

Microsoft, says Symantec, has built Vista on a "house of cards" of Symantec-owned technology. µ