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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.03

                                                                   March 8, 2000

Ms. Gail Hamilton
512 River Hills Road
Austin, Texas 78733

Fax: (512) 327-7985

Dear Gail,

As per our earlier discussion with John Thompson, here is the promised letter.

On behalf of Symantec Corporation, I am pleased to offer you employment as
Senior Vice President of Symantec's Enterprise Solutions Division. In this
position you will report directly to John Thompson, CEO, President and Chairman
of the Board of Directors. This position will be located in our Cupertino
offices. Your starting base salary will be $400,000 annually, and you will be
eligible for an annual focal review, provided that this base salary may not be
reduced during your employment. At this rate of compensation, you would be
eligible, at 100% of company and individual performance, to an additional 60% of
annual base salary, which would bring your total target annual cash to $640,000.
You will be guaranteed one half of your first year's bonus ($120,000).

In addition, Symantec will pay to you a one-time hire-on bonus in the amount of
$100,000 (less withholding allowances) payable within thirty days after you
begin employment with us. If you voluntarily terminate employment with Symantec
prior to completing one year of service, you will be required to reimburse
Symantec a prorated share of the total hire-on bonus.

Symantec will also rent for you a furnished apartment within driving distance of
the Cupertino offices. This apartment will be of the same standard as was rented
for John Thompson when he relocated to the area, and will be provided to you
throughout the term of your employment. Symantec will also pay reasonable moving
expenses that you incur as a result of moving to this apartment.

Symantec will also lease for you a new automobile, of up to $75,000 in value, on
a three year lease. You will continue to participate in the Symantec Executive
Vehicle Policy to the same extent as all other Symantec Management Committee
Members.

Symantec will also provide for you $1,600,000 in life insurance coverage.

In the event that your employment is terminated without cause, then, subject to
the conditions of this letter, you will be paid severance in an amount equal to
twelve months of your base salary at that time, net of tax withholding. For the
purposes of this agreement, "Cause" shall mean (i) an intentional tort
(excluding any tort relating to a motor vehicle) which causes loss, damage or
injury to the property or reputation of Symantec or its subsidiaries; (ii) any
crime or act of fraud or dishonesty against Symantec or its subsidiaries; (iii)
the commission of a felony; (iv) habitual neglect of duties which is not cured
within ten (10) days after notice thereof by the President of Symantec to you,
(v) the disregard of the written policies of Symantec or its subsidiaries which
causes loss, damage or injury to the property or reputation of Symantec or its
subsidiaries which is not cured within ten (10) days after notice of such
neglect by the President of Symantec to you; (vi) or any material breach of your
ongoing obligation not to disclose confidential information, and not to assign
intellectual property developed during employment. The payment of the severance
amount specified above is conditioned upon your signing and returning a release
of claims against Symantec, and not withdrawing said release of claims within
the period specified therein. The offer of severance contained in this letter
supercedes all other severance arrangements and policies otherwise applicable.
Except as set forth herein, all other aspects

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of your compensation and employment, including the terms of your stock option
agreements, remain unchanged.

As a member of Symantec's Management Committee, you will be eligible to
participate in a wide variety of executive benefit plans including the Variable
Compensation Plan, 423 Stock Purchase Plan, matching 401(k) savings and
investment plan, health insurance and many other benefits. You also will be
entitled to investment and tax preparation service and a non-qualified deferred
compensation plan (NQDCP).

You will be granted an option to purchase 150,000 shares of Symantec's common
stock under our 1996 Stock Option Plan. Of such options, the maximum number
permitted under the Internal Revenue Code will be Incentive Stock Options (the
exact number of which will be a function of the stock price at the time of the
option grant) and the balance will be Non-qualified Stock Options. The price of
the stock will be the closing price of the Company's Common Stock on the Nasdaq
National Market on the last trading day prior to the option grant date, as
reported in The Wall Street Journal. The option grant date will be your first
date of employment. The option will vest over a four-year period starting from
your date of hire, at the rate of 25% of the option at the end of your first
year of employment and on a monthly basis thereafter.

Attached is an Employment Agreement that must be signed and returned with your
signed offer letter. This Agreement must be signed before you start work at
Symantec. It requires that you hold in confidence any proprietary information
received as an employee of Symantec and to assign to us any inventions that you
make while employed by Symantec. We wish to impress upon you that we do not wish
you to bring with you any confidential or proprietary material of any former
employer or to violate any other obligation to your former employers, and that
the Agreement that you will be asked to sign contains a representation by you
that you have not brought nor will you use any such material at Symantec.

This letter does not constitute a contract of employment for any specific period
of time but will create an "employment at will" relationship. This means that
the employment relationship may be terminated by either party for any reason at
any time. Any statements or representations to the contrary (and, indeed any
statements contradicting any provisions of this letter) should be regarded by
you as ineffective. Participation in any of Symantec's stock option or benefit
programs is not to be regarded as assurance of continued employment for any
particular period of time.

Please note that to comply with regulations adopted in the Immigration Reform
and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA), we require that you present documentation
demonstrating that you have the authorization to work in the United States on
your first working day. If you have any questions about this requirement, which
applies to U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens alike, please contact me.

Please confirm your acceptance of this offer by signing this letter in the space
indicated and returning it to my attention in the enclosed envelope and faxing
your acceptance to fax no. (408) 864-2485 no later than close of business, March
10, 2000.

Gail, I sincerely hope that you will accept this offer and join us in building
the future here at Symantec. I really look forward to working with you!

Sincerely,

Rebecca A. Ranninger
Senior Vice President, Human Resources

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I accept the offer of employment stated in this letter, and expect to commence
employment on _______________, 2000.

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Signature                               Date<PAGE>   1

                               File #200015210047

                                     FILED
                    in the Office of the Secretary of State
                           of the State of California

                                  MAY 26, 2000

                                 /s/ BILL JONES
                         ------------------------------
                         BILL JONES, Secretary of State

                         This Space For Filing Use Only

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                       [SEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA]

                              State of California
                                   Bill Jones
                               Secretary of State

                           LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
                            ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION

                 A $70.00 FILING FEE MUST ACCOMPANY THIS FORM.
           IMPORTANT - READ INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE COMPLETING THIS FORM.

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1.  Name of the limited liability company (end the name with the words "Limited
    Liability Company," "Ltd. Liability Co.," or the abbreviations "LLC" or
    "L.L.C.")

                                ARV COVELL, LLC
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2.  The purpose of the limited liability company is to engage in any lawful act
    or activity for which a limited liability company may be organized under
    the Beverly-Killea limited liability company act.

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3.  Name the agent for service of process and check the appropriate provision
    below:

                               DOUGLAS ARMSTRONG                       which is
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    [X] an individual residing in California. Proceed to item 4.

    [ ] a corporation which has filed a certificate pursuant to section 1505.
        Proceed to item 5.

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4.  If an individual, California address of the agent for service of process:

    Address:   245 FISCHER AVENUE, D-1

    City:  COSTA MESA              State:  CA               Zip Code:  92626

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5.  The limited liability company will be managed by:  (check one)

    [ ] one manager  [X] more than one manager  [ ] limited liability company
                                                    members

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6.  Other matters to be included in this certificate may be set forth on
    separate attached pages and are made a part of this certificate. Other
    matters may include the latest date on which the limited liability company
    is to dissolve.

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7.  Number of pages attached, if any:
                                      NONE

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    Type of business of the limited liability company.

    OWNERSHIP, OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT OF REAL PROPERTY.

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    DECLARATION: It is hereby declared that I am the person who executed this
    instrument, which execution is my act and deed.

    /s/ DOUGLAS ARMSTRONG                       DOUGLAS ARMSTRONG
    -----------------------------               -----------------------------
    Signature of Organizer                      Type or Print Name of Organizer

    5/23/00
    -----------------------------
    Date

                        [SEAL OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE]

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SEC/STATE (REV. 1/99)                             FORM LLC-1 - FILING FEE $70.00
                                                  Approved by Secretary of State

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