(Symantec Corporation, Cupertino, CA, www.symantec.com) A software company founded in 1982 by Dr. Gary Hendrix. It was acquired by Gordon Eubanks in 1984 and released its Q&A file manager the following year. In 1990, it merged with Peter Norton Computing, Inc., developer of the well-known Norton Utilities and Norton Desktop programs, and became a specialist in consumer information security.

For several years following, Symantec acquired more than a dozen other software companies, including Central Point Software, maker of PC Tools, and Zortech, developer of C++ compilers. In December 2004, Symantec and software giant VERITAS Software Corporation, Mountain View, CA, announced a merger with the combined company to operate under the Symantec name.