Microsoft Settles Suit With Burst.com

Microsoft Corp. and Burst.com Inc. said they agreed to settle Burst’s 2002 lawsuit that accused Microsoft of stealing its technology for high-speed Internet broadcasting of sound and video.

Burst, a Santa Rosa, Calif.-based software provider, accused Microsoft of patent infringement, antitrust violations and destroying e-mail evidence in the case. Burst shares rose 88%, or $1.59, to $3.39, in over-the-counter trading.

The agreement tentatively “resolved all the issues between the two companies,” said Stacy Drake, spokeswoman for Microsoft. Eric Walters, a Burst vice president, said the company “reached agreement in principle” on the lawsuit. Both declined to give details of the settlement, saying it hadn’t been completed.

Shares of Microsoft rose 12 cents to $25.43 on Nasdaq.