Embedded-software firm files antitrust suit

Green Hills Software filed an antitrust lawsuit Tuesday alleging that rival Wind River adopted a plan to monopolize the developer tool market for its VxWorks, a Wind River embedded operating system used to run computing devices such as radar systems or nerve gas detectors. Wind River stopped providing operating system software necessary for Green Hills to create its programming tools, according to the suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Wind River spokeswoman Kathleen Shanahan said the company is examining the claim but declined to comment on its particulars. It's not the opening salvo between the companies: Wind River sued Green Hills in June 2004 in Alameda County, Calif., Superior Court, alleging that Green Hills breached a cooperative agreement by becoming a direct competitor.