For more information contact:

Microsoft Corporation			For Release 1:30 p.m. PST
Liz Sidnam or Julie Briselden		November 16, 1992
(206) 882-8080

Waggener Edstrom
Cindy McKendry or Martin Middlewood
(503) 245-0905

		Microsoft Ships the New Microsoft Access
	Relational Database Management System for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Access Defines a New Standard for Usability and Access to Data

	LAS VEGAS * Nov. 16, 1992 * Microsoft Corporation announced today at
the COMDEX/Fall '92 conference immediate availability of its long-awaited
database management system (DBMS), called Microsoft Access*.  Designed to
empower interactive users and developers alike, the new, full-featured and
fully relational DBMS provides easy, transparent access to data; powerful,
usability-tested tools; and a robust development environment.

	"We've spent a great deal of time over the last six years listening to
our customers and to the database community," said Bill Gates, chairman and
CEO at Microsoft.  "We created Microsoft Access in response to their requests
for a usable database that respects their investment in data.

	"By taking our experience in designing great applications for the
Windows operating system and applying it to solving the problems of the
database world," Gates continued, "we have created a product that will change
the way people think about databases.  With Microsoft Access, users no longer
have to choose between ease of use and power; developers and everyday users
alike now have access to the full power of a relational database."

	Microsoft Access database is designed to take full advantage of the
Microsoft* Windows operating system.  Direct manipulation is fully supported:
users can simply drag and drop to create data-entry forms or complex reports.
A dynamic toolbar changes functions and icons as appropriate to the task at
hand, making the most useful tools available at all times.  Furthermore, users
can create and edit richer, more informative databases easily with the built-in
object linking and embedding (OLE) capability.  This ability allows users to
insert into databases fully editable, bit mapped images, sounds, video clips,
Microsoft Word for Windows documents or other binary objects created by OLE
servers.

	Microsoft Access includes the following key components: a forms
package, report writer, query tool, macro tool, integrated charting package,
comprehensive development environment and a multiuser relational database
engine.

Data Access Preserves User's Investment in Data

	"Users and corporations have large investments in existing data,"
said Charles Stevens, general manager for database products at Microsoft. 
"It was imperative that we build a database that could operate directly against
existing data through an open interface, making it easy for end users to access
that data and for MIS and developers to control and manage the way they get at
the data."

	Microsoft Access reads and updates local and remote data and indexes
by directly attaching to dBASE III* and dBASE III PLUS*, dBASE IV*, Paradox*
3.0 and 3.5, and Btrieve* formats, as well as data from Microsoft SQL Server
through Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) technology, with connectivity to
ORACLE7 soon to follow.  This capability allows users with different products
within a workgroup or corporation to share data easily, both on individual 
workstations, across a network or in a client-server configuration.  

	In addition to directly attaching to data files, Microsoft Access
imports data to and exports from Microsoft FoxPro* database, Microsoft Excel,
Lotus* 1-2-3, and fixed-length and delimited ASCII formats.  Additional ODBC
drivers for directly attaching to Microsoft FoxPro, Sybase SQL Server, DEC* Rdb
and other databases are scheduled to be available in 1993.  

Usability Is a Key Design Goal

	Microsoft Access has undergone more than 700 hours of usability
testing, much of it in The Usability Laboratory at Microsoft.  This state-
of-the-art facility allowed designers to study how people work with databases
to help ensure that Microsoft Access would make their jobs easier.  For
instance, the query tool in Microsoft Access was developed by working with
users in the lab.  With graphical query by example (GQBE), users can utilize a
mouse to drag and drop tables, join fields and specify criteria, enabling them
to create complex queries visually rather than having to memorize complicated
syntax. 

	Users can build forms, reports and graphs in minutes with FormWizards,
Report Wizards and GraphWizards.  Wizards ask questions about format, content
and style and then automatically create the form, report or graph according to
the user's specifications.  The most frequently used types of forms, reports
and graphs are supported, such as single-column, tabular and main-subform for
forms, as well as single-column, groups/totals and mailing labels for reports.
Furthermore, because Wizards are written in Access Basic code with an open
architecture, developers can create their own custom Wizards.

	Finally, to help users learn and use the product, Microsoft Access
offers an innovative new teaching aid called Cue Cards.  The first software
product to contain this new technology, Microsoft Access provides task-
sensitive instructions on the screen while users work with their own data.
Cue Cards contain brief explanations, step-by-step instructions and self-
running demonstrations on how to complete tasks.  In addition, the context-
sensitive Help in Microsoft Access contains more than 2,000 topics ranging 
from simple definitions to the full text of the Access Basic Language 
Reference.
 
Powerful Tools Empower Users and Developers

	The graphical tools in the Microsoft Access database empower users to
complete complicated database tasks without programming.  These tools can
reduce applications backlog within MIS because users can now perform many 
database tasks that traditionally have required the expertise of a full-time
database programmer.

	Using visual form-generation tools, users can create complex, custom
forms.  With the ability of Windows to support graphics and bit map images,
forms can resemble their paper counterparts.  Users simply drag and drop fields
and then specify fonts and colors.  They can design forms with list boxes, 
option groups, buttons, picture boxes and text.  Furthermore, form filters
allow users to sort and limit data while using a form * no temporary tables 
are necessary.

	Complex reports are created easily with the banded report writer of 
Microsoft Access. The fully programmable report writer features a simple user
interface, yet it supports two-pass reporting and complex formatting like 
snaking columns.

	Both forms and reports allow the embedding of objects such as charts, 
documents or even other forms and reports.

	Macros help users automate routine DBMS tasks, such as printing out a
series of monthly reports, without programming.  They provide an easy, fill-
in-the-blank programming model with a list of actions displayed in the upper
part of the Macro window and the arguments for a selected action in the lower
part.  Actions and action argument values are displayed in drop-down lists, so
users don't need to memorize complex syntax to write a macro.

	"With Microsoft Access, MIS departments can get out from under the
burden of designing hundreds of custom data-entry forms and reports," said
Mary Engstrom, group product manager, Microsoft Access at Microsoft.  "Now 
users can have the power of corporate data in their own hands."
 
Microsoft Access Offers A Robust Environment for Serious Database Development

	Microsoft Access contains its own state-of-the-art database engine.
This data storage facility contains full support for referential integrity,
transactions, nulls and fully updatable views across multiple tables and 
formats.

	Although most routine tasks can be automated without coding, Microsoft
Access offers a robust development environment with a full-featured programming
language to enable quick, productive application development.

	Users can write sophisticated database applications using Access 
Basic * a powerful, extensible, structured programming language.  Based on the
language in the award-winning Microsoft Visual Basic* programming system,
Access Basic adds enhancements such as database objects and optional explicit 
variable declarations.  For additional power, Access Basic can call routines
in any Windows dynamic link library (DLL).

	With a Windows-based integrated development environment (IDE),
Microsoft Access provides multiple windows for code editing and debugging, as
well as a debugging window for testing procedures, variables and expressions.
The full set of debugging tools enables users to set breakpoints and single-
step-by-step procedures and user-defined functions.

	With the addition of the Microsoft Access Developer Kit (scheduled to
be available separately in the first quarter of 1993), developers can create 
stand alone applications and distribute them royalty-free.

High-end Database Companies Speak Out on Microsoft Access

	"Sybase and Microsoft have worked together to deliver superior database
technology for client-server computing for more than five years," said Dr. 
Robert Epstein, executive vice president, Sybase, Inc.  "Microsoft Access, as a
database front end, will fully complement the high-performance functionality of
SQL Server, available from Sybase and Microsoft.  We have worked extensively
with Microsoft to ensure that Microsoft Access is fully optimized to work with
SQL Server."

	"Microsoft and Oracle have been working jointly in the database area
for some time, specifically, on the design of ODBC and the testing of the ODBC
driver for ORACLE, and on a full 32-bit, high-performance port of ORACLE7 for
Windows NT," said Lawrence J. Ellison, president and chief executive officer,
Oracle Corporation.  "Microsoft Access, through the ODBC driver for ORACLE, 
will provide Oracle users a powerful tool for accessing Oracle data."

	"As announced today, Digital is happy to be extending its relationship
with Microsoft by agreeing to resell Microsoft Access as our Windows-based
database front end to DEC Rdb and by porting Rdb to the Microsoft Windows NT
operating system," said Chuck Rozwat, database manager at Digital.  "Microsoft
Access provides the end user and development tools to take full advantage of
the DEC Rdb strategic relational database."

Pricing, Availability and System Requirements

	After getting extensive feedback from developers, corporate customers
and resellers that database pricing is confusing and difficult to implement,
Microsoft is simplifying database pricing and product configurations by
offering Microsoft Access and Microsoft FoxPro version 2.5 for a suggested 
retail price of $495 for the first user and additional users at $425 each. 
Microsoft FoxPro 2.5 and Microsoft Access have full multiuser capability right
out of the box, so customers do not have to buy LAN packs or upgrades.  This
pricing and configuration, which is consistent with other application 
categories like word processing and spreadsheets, makes purchasing easy to 
understand and manage for end users, as well as developers and MIS managers who
distribute and install databases.  The Microsoft Access Developer Kit, 
available in the first quarter of 1993, will carry a suggested retail price 
of $495. 

	Microsoft Access is available today.  In addition to the English 
language version, Microsoft Access is available immediately in French, German
and Portuguese.  Italian, Spanish and Swedish versions are scheduled to ship
by the end of 1992. 

	In order to promote evaluation of its new database for Windows,
Microsoft also will be offering special introductory pricing for Microsoft
Access.  Designed to make it easy and inexpensive for users to evaluate the 
new database, Microsoft Access will be available for a suggested retail price
of only $99.  The offer expires on January 31, 1993.

	To run Microsoft Access, users need the Microsoft Windows graphical
environment version 3.0 or higher, an 80386SX or higher microprocessor, 4MB of
RAM (2MB minimum), 8MB of free hard disk space (14MB for a full installation of
all drivers, sample databases and online help), an EGA or higher-resolution 
monitor, and a Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device.  Microsoft Access
supports all Windows-compatible networks including Microsoft Windows* for 
Workgroups, Microsoft LAN Manager, Novell* NetWare* and Banyan* VINES*.

	Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software
for personal computers.  The company offers a wide range of products and 
services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of 
making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full
power of personal computing every day.

					#########

Microsoft and FoxPro are registered trademarks and Microsoft Access, Windows,
Visual Basic and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
dBASE III, dBASE III PLUS and dBASE IV are registered trademarks of 
Borland International.
Paradox is a registered trademark of Ansa Software, a Borland company.
Btrieve is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc.
Lotus is a registered trademark of Lotus Development Corporation.
Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation.
DEC is a registered trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation.
Novell and NetWare are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc.
Banyan and VINES are registered trademarks of Banyan Systems, Inc.

