Netscape Communications, a division of AOL Time Warner, filed suit against Microsoft on Tuesday, claiming that the software giant's business practices have harmed it. The lawsuit is based on court findings that Microsoft's business practices amid the infamous browser wars of the 1990s violated two sections of the 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act. In April 2000 a federal judge ruled that Microsoft used anticompetitive means to thwart browser Netscape. In June 2001, a panel of seven appellate judges upheld eight separate antitrust violations by Microsoft. AOL acquired Netscape in 1999. The media titan is asking for a jury trial and is seeking damages but did not specify an amount in the suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. AOL Time Warner also asked for an injunction against Microsoft's alleged antitrust violations, both current and future. The judge in the case ultimately would decide the nature of the injunctive relief, which AOL Time Warner suggested could be derived from a remedy proposal filed last year by nine states and the District of Columbia. One option: forcing Microsoft to release a version of Windows without its own middleware products, such as a Web browser, media player or instant messenger.