POWERSOFT LAUNCHES POWERBUILDER 5.0

Distributed Objects, Multiplatform Support, Compiled Code and Internet
Capabilities Strengthen Market-Leading Application Development Tool

CONCORD, MASS., MAY 6, 1996 -- Powersoft today unveiled PowerBuilder for
Windows, a new version of its market-leading application development tool
that enables developers to deploy high-performance, distributed
applications throughout their organizations. PowerBuilder 5.0 for Windows
features distributed objects, increased multiplatform support, compiled
code and new Internet capabilities that enable users to add Internet
functionality to their existing client/server applications and to create
new Internet-specific applications. PowerBuilder 5.0 for Windows is
available in three editions: Desktop, Professional and Enterprise.

Version 5.0 is Powersoft's second release of a full, 32-bit PowerBuilder
development environment. PowerBuilder 5.0 is Windows 95 logo-compliant,
providing all the richness of the Windows 95 graphical user interface,
including tab controls and list and tree views. Using PowerBuilder 5.0,
developers can build their applications on Windows 95, for example, and
deploy them on the range of platforms found across the enterprise,
including Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, Alpha NT, Macintosh and
UNIX.

"PowerBuilder 5.0's powerful combination of object-oriented development
features, multi-tier capabilities and multiplatform support make it the
most significant release of PowerBuilder since 1.0," said David Litwack,
president of the Powersoft Business Group of Sybase, Inc. "PowerBuilder
5.0 also provides new Internet capabilities that will enable developers to
deploy robust business applications on the Internet. We believe
PowerBuilder 5.0 will launch the next generation of distributed business
applications." Release-defining features of PowerBuilder 5.0 include:

* Practical application partitioning that enables developers to distribute
compiled PowerBuilder objects on servers and clients across the network
for improved application performance and management;

* Multiplatform support for Windows 3.x, Windows 95, Windows NT (Intel),
Windows NT (Alpha), UNIX, Macintosh and the Internet that enables the
development and deployment of applications anywhere;

* Extended OLE 2.0 support that allows "plug and play" of any OCX object
for productive, component-based development.

* PowerBuilder 5.0's support of OLE 2.0 includes OLE automation clients and
the ability to create OLE automation servers for access by products that
support OLE automation interfaces;

* Compiled code for improved script execution performance, built upon the
state-of-the-art Watcom compiler technology;

* ObjectCycle, a powerful server-based object management facility that
provides versioning, labeling and reporting functions to assist
development teams doing rapid application development in a workgroup
setting.

According to Peter Pollack, vice president, New Technologies and
Architecture, at Showtime Networks, Inc., "PowerBuilder 5.0's support for
distributed applications comes at a time when we're ready to evaluate
which of our applications could benefit from this approach to computing.
We also appreciate the ability PowerBuilder 5.0 gives us to develop
applications in Windows NT and deliver them on the machines running
Windows 95, Windows 3.1 and Macintosh we have throughout our
organization."

Distributed Applications

PowerBuilder 5.0 continues to provide a rich object-oriented architecture,
with full support for encapsulation, polymorphism and inheritance, plus
new capabilities such as function overloading and parameterized events. A
new object browser in PowerBuilder 5.0 is accessible from all painters to
provide quick access to object properties, functions and variables with an
easy-to-use graphical tabbed interface.

PowerBuilder 5.0 provides the ability to distribute PowerBuilder objects
across a network for increased scalability and centralized application
management. Version 5.0 of PowerBuilder enables the creation of
distributed objects using standard PowerBuilder non-visual user objects
that are executed remotely. This "practical partitioning" is a flexible,
easy-to-use method for creating multi-tier applications that allows the
developer to decide which parts of the code reside on the server(s) and on
the clients, based on specific performance, maintenance or security
requirements. Fast Applications

High-performance, complex business applications require fast data access,
fast data display and fast script execution. PowerBuilder 5.0 provides
data access through improved ODBC APIs and through native database drivers
that have been tuned over five years of refinement to exploit each
database's unique performance characteristics. PowerBuilder's
patent-pending DataWindow is an intelligent object designed to provide
quick, smooth data presentation in complex applications with multiple
windows each containing multiple objects. PowerBuilder 5.0 adds compiled
code, based on the award-winning Watcom optimizing compiler technology, to
speed script execution through the delivery of machine-level executables.

Internet Applications

As a key element of the Sybase web.works Internet architecture,
PowerBuilder 5.0 enables users to both leverage their existing
client/server applications with new Internet capabilities and to create
new Internet-specific applications. PowerBuilder 5.0 enables the creation
of OLE servers and browser plug-ins. In addition, Powersoft will make
available the PowerBuilder DataWindow as an ActiveX control and a plug-in,
enabling users to add sophisticated data access, analysis and presentation
technology to their browser-based Internet applications. PowerBuilder 5.0
will soon enable the creation of distributed objects accessible from
Web-based clients via the Microsoft Internet Server Application
Programming Interface (ISAPI), Common Gateway Interface (CGI) and Netscape
Application Programming Interface (NSAPI). Subsequent updates of
PowerBuilder will enable the creation of ActiveX controls.

PowerBuilder Desktop

PowerBuilder Desktop enables new and experienced client/server developers
to create powerful and efficient standalone and workgroup client/server
applications. PowerBuilder Desktop delivers the full power of
PowerBuilder's 32-bit development environment, including compiled code, an
enhanced script editor, a new install disk builder and a single-user
version of the Sybase SQL Anywhere relational database. PowerBuilder
Desktop includes the Data Pipeline data translation utility and ODBC
drivers for SQL Anywhere and most popular desktop databases.

PowerBuilder Professional

PowerBuilder Professional delivers the high-performance features required
to develop workgroup to departmental applications, including full ODBC
support for all major relational databases and check-in/check-out
functionality to facilitate team programming. PowerBuilder Professional
adds the PowerBuilder Foundation Class Library, a set of reusable
PowerBuilder objects designed to accelerate the development process.

PowerBuilder Professional is CODE-enabled, providing built-in interfaces to
the hundreds of complementary third-party CODE (Client/server Open
Development Environment) products available for PowerBuilder, including
testing tools, system management software and version control products.
PowerBuilder Professional also includes an interface to Object Cycle,
Powersoft's powerful server-based object management repository that
provides versioning, labeling and reporting functions.

PowerBuilder Enterprise

PowerBuilder Enterprise 5.0 maximizes the productivity of development teams
creating departmental to enterprise-wide client/server applications.
PowerBuilder Enterprise adds high-performance native drivers for Sybase
SQL Server, Oracle, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server and IBM DB2. Also
included are distributed object capabilities, Powersoft's Object Cycle
object management repository, a C++ class builder, a copy of Powersoft's
InfoMaker query and reporting tool and the PowerBuilder Library for Lotus
Notes.

Effective with today's PowerBuilder 5.0 announcement, Powersoft Education
is now offering a new 5.0 curriculum. Titled "Preparing for Distributed
Computing," this course is included in the PowerBuilder Enterprise edition
as "education in the box," and is one module in the PowerBuilder 5.0
QuickStart multi-media series. This series was jointly developed by
Powersoft Education and the Computer Channel, Inc., and is one of the
first true multi-media training products in the industry.

Pricing and Availability

Version 5.0 of PowerBuilder Desktop, Professional and Enterprise for
Windows will be available at suggested North American retail list prices
of $295, $1,295 and $2,995, respectively (U.S. dollars). ObjectCycle will
be available separately for PowerBuilder Professional and be priced at
$495. InfoMaker for Windows will be available separately for PowerBuilder
Desktop and PowerBuilder Professional and be priced at $195. All of the
above products are currently scheduled to ship within 30 days.
PowerBuilder Enterprise 5.0 for Alpha NT, PowerBuilder Enterprise 5.0 for
Macintosh and PowerBuilder Enterprise 5.0 for UNIX are all currently
expected to ship in the second half of 1996.

Planet Powersoft

Powersoft also announced today Planet Powersoft, a worldwide series of
free, full-day seminars being held in 25 countries on six continents
during May and June that will showcase the full range of Powersoft's
application development tools family (see companion news release,
"Powersoft Announces Planet Powersoft Seminar Series").

Headquartered in Emeryville, Calif., Sybase, Inc. is a worldwide leader in
client/server software. The company's two major product units -- the
Enterprise Business Group and the Powersoft Business Group -- are focused
on the core market segments of on-line transaction processing, data
warehousing, mass deployment and electronic commerce. Sybase's software
products -- databases, middleware and tools -- provide customers with
enterprise-to-desktop solutions.

The company's mission is to provide its customers with an open, adaptable
information systems architecture that enables them to develop and deliver
complete information systems solutions to facilitate rapid business
change. With record revenues in 1995 of $957 million, Sybase is the sixth
largest independent software company in the world. The company's Internet
addresses are http://www.sybase.com and http://www.powersoft.com.
 
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