Microsoft Corp. has answered Apple Computer Inc.’s...

Microsoft Corp. has answered Apple Computer Inc.’s copyright lawsuit by filing a suit seeking unspecified damages from Apple for alleged breach of contract, slander and interfering with Microsoft’s relationships with its customers. Microsoft also asked for punitive damages against Apple plus payment of lawyers’ fees in its suit, which was filed in federal court in San Jose. The Microsoft action was in response to a March 17 suit filed in the same court against it and Hewlett-Packard Corp. by Apple, which charged them with infringing upon copyright audio and visual display technology for Macintosh personal computers.