Buford firm faces lawsuit

Microsoft alleges copyright infringement and seeks damages.

Microsoft Corp. filed a copyright and trademark infringement lawsuit against VertexPC, a Buford company that sells PCs and other computer equipment and software, according to documents filed recently in U.S. District Court in Atlanta.

Microsoft, which is seeking unspecified damages, said VertexPC and owner Peter Dapice “advertised, marketed, installed and offered and distributed unauthorized copies” of the company’s software.

Dapice could not be reached for comment.

On its website, VertexPC says it was founded in 1999 in New York and relocated to metro Atlanta in 2004. In addition to providing computer equipment, the hardware and software merchant says it provides consulting services to several stock trading and financial institutions, and its clients have included Coca-Cola, NASA, and governmental, educational and medical institutions across the country

In May, Microsoft sued another metro Atlanta software company, Ebix, claiming copyright infringement and breach of contract in licensing Microsoft products.

In the case of VertexPC, Microsoft said it warned the Gwinnett County company in December about the “consequences of making and distributing infringing copies” of its software.

In April of this year, however, Microsoft said VertexPC distributed to an “investigator” computer systems with installed unauthorized copies of its Windows XP software.

In addition to damages, Microsoft is seeking profits that it says VertexPC made off its software.