For Release 12:30 p.m. PDT
June 1, 1993

Microsoft Ships Microsoft Access Version 1.1
Also Offers New Distribution Kit for Developers 

REDMOND, Wash. - June 1, 1993 - Microsoft Corporation today announced it is
shipping version 1.1 of the Microsoft Access(r) relational database management
system (DBMS) for the Microsoft(r) Windows(tm) operating system.  Version 1.1
brings expanded connectivity to corporate databases, improved interoperability
with other Microsoft applications as well as other enhancements to the popular
Microsoft Access DBMS.  Microsoft is also shipping today the Microsoft Access
Distribution Kit for Windows, a new kit that helps enable developers to create
and distribute applications and add-ons for Microsoft Access.  

Microsoft Access 1.1 Brings Enhanced Connectivity and Interoperability 

Available just six months after the initial shipment of Microsoft Access,
version 1.1 includes additional database drivers that Microsoft had committed
to providing in this update, as well as other enhancements designed in response
to customer requests and feedback.  Microsoft actively solicited feedback
through a variety of forums, including an open letter to customers using
Microsoft Access asking for feedback through the Microsoft WISH line.  The
Microsoft WISH line, (206) 936-WISH, enables callers to suggest enhancements
and improvements they would like made in the next versions of Microsoft Access.

"We developed Microsoft Access after listening intently to the needs of
customers, and version 1.1 continues that tradition," said Dawn Trudeau,
manager of the Microsoft Access business unit at Microsoft.  "With Microsoft
Access version 1.1 and the distribution kit, we are delivering on our
commitment to give users of Windows broad connectivity to enterprise data, 
and to providing better integration with our Office applications that customers
have requested."

Designed to empower interactive users and developers alike, Microsoft Access 
is an easy-to-use, full-featured and fully relational DBMS.  The product
provides easy, transparent access to data; powerful and usability-tested tools;
and a robust development environment.  "We are very pleased with the quality of
information we can track and use with Microsoft Access and how much more
productive the software has made our company," said Donald R. Payseur, regional
vice president of sales for Jevic Transportation Inc., a $100 million trucking
company.  "With Microsoft Access, we have developed an account information
management system for tracking our sales call activities and information about
our customers, which we previously tracked manually.  It is very flexible and
powerful and has provided our group of sales professionals with power, similar
to that found in a mainframe environment, without requiring them to become 
programmers."

Since its introduction in November 1992, more than 800,000 copies of Microsoft
Access have been sold worldwide, and more than 80 vendors are developing
applications and add-ons written for Microsoft Access.  Microsoft Access 
version 1.1 provides the following benefits: 

Expanded and Improved Database Connectivity 

- Expanded Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) support in Microsoft Access 1.1 
  allows direct connectivity to read and write to ORACLE(r) and SYBASE(r) SQL 
  Server databases from within Microsoft Access-based applications using ODBC,
  and also supports faster access to Microsoft SQL Server data with fewer
  connections.

- A direct or "live" connection to the Microsoft FoxPro(r) database versions 2.0
  and 2.5 data and indexes.  This connection allows users to access and update
  information in FoxPro databases in real time from within Microsoft Access 1.1
  concurrently with users working within FoxPro, rather than performing batch 
  importing and exporting of data.  Real-time database access and updating
  ensures that users are always working with the most current information in
  the database.

Improved Interoperability With Desktop Applications 

- Faster and more flexible fixed-width text importing, including support for
  variable lengths  
- Improved support for Btrieve(r) data - easier retrieval of Btrieve data files
- Easier importing of Microsoft Excel database named ranges 
- A new export option for moving data into Word for Windows mail-merge format 
- The ability to attach to Paradox(r) tables that are in use, or to dBASE(r)
  files on a CD

Additional Enhancements

- An increase in the maximum database file size from 128MB to one gigabyte
- Easier installation of third-party add-in Wizard products that enhance user 
  productivity
- Various other smaller enhancements requested by customers 

Microsoft Access version 1.1 will also be available as part of The Microsoft
Office, the best-selling set of desktop productivity applications.  Shipping
under the name The Microsoft Office Professional version 3.0 for Windows, the
software set will include Microsoft Access version 1.1 for Windows; Microsoft
Excel 4.0, the highest-rated spreadsheet program for Windows; Microsoft Word
2.0 for Windows, a leading member of the world's most popular word processing
family; Microsoft PowerPoint(r) presentation graphics program version 3.0, the
world's best-selling presentation graphics program; and a workstation license
for Microsoft Mail version 3.2, the company's robust electronic mail package.
Designed to be powerful and easy to use on their own, when used together the
programs provide the ability to integrate text, data and graphics to solve any
business computing need.

Distribution Kit Facilitates Application Development and Distribution

Microsoft also announced today a new kit to support developers using Microsoft
Access.  The Microsoft Access Distribution Kit for Windows assists developers 
of applications, utilities and add-ons in creating and distributing
applications for Microsoft Access and the Microsoft Windows operating system.
The kit includes a run-time version of Microsoft Access as well as a variety of
tools that help developers easily build and deliver applications for Microsoft
Access.

The distribution kit includes a license that allows developers to distribute
the run-time royalty-free in conjunction with their applications for Microsoft
Access 1.1.  Developers can distribute unlimited copies of their applications
and as many different applications as they like without requiring their end
users to obtain a full version of Microsoft Access and pay run-time royalties
to Microsoft.  

"With the distribution kit, we are making it very easy for developers to build
and distribute applications based on Microsoft Access," said Roger Heinen, 
senior vice president of the database and development tools division at
Microsoft.  "Developers can build applications for Microsoft Access with a
custom look and distribute them royalty free.  In addition, the development
effort is greatly simplified by the set-up tools and support for Wizard
technology included in the kit."

The kit contains the following benefits and features:

- The run-time version of Microsoft Access.  The run-time version helps
  developers create a custom look for their Microsoft Access-based
  applications.  It automatically removes the Microsoft Access database
  container, Microsoft-specific "splash" screens and the toolbar.  Developers 
  can now customize the title bar, specify a minimized icon and integrate 
  custom Help.  As a result, developers can create custom applications that
  have their own look. 

- The Microsoft Access Custom Set-up program.  This program allows developers 
  to provide a custom set-up program so that end users can easily install the 
  application, program group, program items and icons.      

- The Set-up Wizard.  The Set-up Wizard guides developers through the Custom 
  Set-up program and expedites the process of building application disks.  For 
  developers who have common set-up needs, the Set-up Wizard eases the task of 
  building the set-up program - reducing a task that might otherwise take hours
  or days to perform, to simply answering a series of questions. 

- The ODBC Set-up Kit for Microsoft Access.  The kit facilitates application
  access to a variety of data sources through ODBC, including ORACLE and Sybase
  SQL Server, as well as Microsoft SQL Server.  Developers can distribute the
  set-up kit royalty-free along with their applications for Microsoft Access.
  
- The Secrets of AccessWizards."  This book provides essential information
  about developing, debugging, testing, installing and using AccessWizards.
  Improvements in the installation of Wizards, together with information in 
  "The Secrets of AccessWizards" assist developers in incorporating their own 
  Wizards into the applications they develop, thereby simplifying complex tasks
  for their end users.  For example, developers can create their own Report
  Wizards to generate reports that are consistent with their customers' style.
  
- The Microsoft Graph Run-time.  This run-time assists developers in 
  incorporating graphs and charts into their database applications.  

- The Windows Help Compiler.  The compiler assists developers in creating their
  own Help files for their applications.

- Documentation about how to create and distribute applications.

The Microsoft Access Distribution Kit is one of a family of tools provided by
Microsoft that enables programmers to create components and solutions for
solving corporate business problems.  Development tools in this family include
Microsoft FoxPro 2.5, the Microsoft Visual Basic(tm) programming system, the
Microsoft Visual C++(tm) development system and others.

Product Support Services

Product support for Microsoft Access is available through Microsoft Product 
Support Services (PSS).  PSS offers a wide range of telephone and electronic
services, including Microsoft FastTips for Microsoft Access, an automated 
response system accessed by touch-tone phones that provides fast answers to
commonly asked product questions.  The FastTips service is available 24-hours
a day, seven days a week by calling (206) 635-7051.  Users of Microsoft Access
can also contact technical support staff through a CompuServe(r) forum,
MSACCESS.  In addition, the Microsoft Download Service allows users direct
access by modem to the latest technical notes by calling (206) 936-6735.

Pricing and Availability

Because of Microsoft's commitment to customer satisfaction, the Microsoft 
Access version 1.1 upgrade is available at a minimum cost.  Microsoft Access 
version 1.1 is available now to registered users of version 1.0 through 
resellers or directly from Microsoft at a suggested retail price (SRP) of 
$14.95 (add $5.00 when purchased directly from Microsoft).  The Microsoft
Access 1.1 license and software allow customers to copy the Microsoft Access
version 1.1 upgrade onto any machine that has version 1.0 installed, at no
additional cost.  For new customers wishing to purchase Microsoft Access 1.1,
the SRP is $495.

The Microsoft Access Distribution Kit is available now through resellers or
directly from Microsoft at a SRP of $495 (plus freight and applicable sales
tax when ordered directly from Microsoft).  Microsoft Access version 1.1 is
required to create run-time applications using the Distribution Kit.

The SRP for The Microsoft Office Professional version 3.0 is $949.  It is
scheduled to ship in early June.  

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (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, Microsoft Access and FoxPro are registered trademarks and
  Windows, Visual Basic and Visual C++ are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
- ORACLE is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation.
- SYBASE is a registered trademark of Sybase, Inc.
- Btrieve is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc. 
- Paradox and dBASE are registered trademarks of Borland International, Inc.
- CompuServe is a registered trademark of CompuServe, Inc.

Prices listed are U.S. suggested retail prices.  Reseller price may vary.



