MICROSOFT PREVIEWS INTERNET EXPLORER 3.0 WITH INNOVATIVE SUPPORT FOR
SHARING OF VOICE, APPLICATIONS OVER THE WORLD WIDE WEB

First Browser to Support ActiveX Technologies for Active Internet; Enables
True Multiuser Application Sharing, 3-D Virtual Environments

SAN JOSE, CALIF. - APRIL 30, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. today announced that
MicrosoftR Internet Explorer version 3.0, the next major upgrade to its
popular Web browser, will be the first to implement industry standards
that will make video, voice and data communications over the Internet as
easy and commonplace as an ordinary phone call. The browser will also be
the first to include ActiveX technologies that enable an active Internet
alive with 3-D virtual reality environments and other rich, interactive
multimedia.

Microsoft's Internet conferencing software is the first to implement the
communication standards announced by Intel Corp. and Microsoft and
endorsed by more than 100 leading companies. The Internet conferencing
software will allow users to communicate and collaborate over the Internet
in new ways, including attending classes with live audio and video of a
remote instructor, participating in real-time video teleconferencing with
distant colleagues, and making long-distance video phone calls to friends
and families for the cost of local phone access.

Microsoft is previewing the Internet conferencing and ActiveX technologies
in Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 today in its booth 727 here at Internet
World.

"Until now, the Internet has largely been about exchanging text messages or
downloading static information; we're now advising people to fasten their
seat belts, because that all changes with Microsoft Internet Explorer
3.0," said Brad Chase, general manager in the Internet platform and tools
division at Microsoft. "The new communications abilities will let users
talk with each other and share their applications in real time for the
first time, spurring a revolution in how we use the Internet. And with the
new ActiveX technologies, Web sites can come alive with the rich
interactivity of action games, multimedia encyclopedias and productivity
applications - they'll be limited only by their authors' imaginations."

Microsoft's Internet conferencing capabilities are open and
standards-based, complying with ITU/IETF international specifications.
This compliance allows independent hardware and software developers to
integrate, exploit and expand these features easily with their own
products. Microsoft's Internet conferencing supports the following
features:

* APPLICATION SHARING allows two or more users to share virtually any
existing Windows operating system-based application across the Internet or
corporate LAN, enabling business professionals and their clients around
the world to review and edit documents without leaving their office.

* WHITEBOARD AND CHAT allow groups of users conduct meetings with
illustrations, text and comments on a shared whiteboard or text window.

* MULTIPOINT COMMUNICATIONS allows multiple users to participate in
real-time interactive conferences by making use of international
standards.

* INTERNET AUDIO allows point-to-point telephone conversations over a
corporate intranet or the Internet.

"The IMTC is very pleased that Microsoft's Internet conferencing software
incorporates the international conferencing standards," said Neil Starkey,
president of the International Multimedia Teleconferencing Consortium
(IMTC). "Microsoft's commitment to standards will help ensure that both
person-to-person and multipoint data, audio and video calls will
interoperate across the Internet and the corporate intranet."

MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER 3.0 INTEGRATES ACTIVEX TECHNOLOGIES

Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 is the first Internet client software to
integrate ActiveX technologies, for an active Internet alive with rich,
interactive multimedia functionality. Independent developers, content
authors, IS professionals and end users will benefit from the following
advantages:

* The only Web browser to support current Internet technologies such as
Frames, the Java language, style sheets and JavaScript, as well as more
than 1,000 current ActiveX controls (formerly called OLE controls), plus
extensions for new ActiveX technologies

* An open ActiveX framework supported by more than 100 companies

* Cross-platform support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 and ActiveX
technologies on a range of Windows and Macintosh operating systems

* A component architecture providing flexibility for users and developers

* Support for state-of-the-art multimedia technologies such as video
streaming

* Built-in conferencing and Internet mail capabilities

* The only Web browser available in 21 languages in addition to English

In addition to embracing all popular Internet standards, Microsoft Internet
Explorer 3.0 will extend the tools available to authors and developers for
creating active content by integrating the family of ActiveX technologies,
including ActiveX controls, the ActiveX script API and the ActiveMovie
API. Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 also allows developers to extend
their current Web pages with rich font selection including TrueType fonts
and new HTML extensions for tables and frames, which Microsoft has
submitted to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) for approval.

ActiveX technologies supported in Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 will be
delivered on multiple platforms, giving users and developers a rich
framework for innovation while making optimal use of their current
expertise and investments in applications, tools and source code.

ActiveX technologies will allow IS professionals to create and deploy
applications consistently on the desktop, the LAN, the Internet and on
intranets without requiring redundant development efforts. Support for
ActiveX documents in Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 will allow
organizations to publish once, without converting internal documents to
and from a separate set of Internet formats.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 will give users new ease of use with an
enhanced and customizable toolbar, improved search and help capabilities,
and keyboard Web-page navigation. Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 will
also include the Content Advisor, which supports PICS-compatible
content-rating systems and enables parents to choose the type of content
accessible to their children. These new features will help ensure that
Microsoft Internet Explorer remains an easy and exciting way to access the
Internet.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 will be available in Chinese (Simple),
Chinese (Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German,
Greek, Hangeul (Korean), Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish,
Portuguese (Brazilian), Portuguese (Iberian), Russian, Spanish, Swedish
and Turkish.

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.

FOR ONLINE PRODUCT INFORMATION:

Microsoft Internet Explorer Web page: HTTP://WWW.MICROSOFT.COM/IE/
 
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