OLE 2.0 Applications Momentum Builds at Windows World '93

Wide Range of Applications and Tools Demonstrate Breadth of OLE 2.0
Features

ATLANTA--May 24, 1993--Twenty-five independent software vendors (ISVs) are
demonstrating the Microsoft object linking and embedding (OLE 2.0)
technology at Windows World this week by showing their OLE 2.0-compliant
applications in the Microsoft Corporation ISV booth, (#W8214).

These demonstrations follow on the heels of the OLE 2.0 Developers'
Conference, held May 3-5, where eight companies demonstrated OLE
2.0-compliant applications to more than 1,200 developers for the first
time. Since the conference, more than 3,800 OLE 2.0 SDKs have been shipped
to ISVs.

"The 25 companies demonstrating OLE 2.0 applications at Windows World are a
good example of the richness and creativity of products that OLE 2.0
enables," said Jonathan Lazarus, vice president of systems strategy at
Microsoft. "The technology is applicable across many segments of the
software marketplace."

Vendors Demonstrate Applicability of OLE 2.0

Represented in Microsoft's ISV booth are development and debugging tools,
database reporting programs, multimedia programs and tools, document
management programs, factory automation programs, fax management software,
and charting and drawing programs.

This selection of software vendors and their products illustrates the
powerful capabilities that the OLE 2.0 infrastructure enables: OLE 2.0
Automation, "visual editing", Drag-and-Drop and Compound Files.

OLE 2.0 Automation allows an object to expose its commands and data in an
open way, enabling cross-application programmability and common macro
languages. Both Shapeware's Visio product and Mosaic Technology's CURO
product expose their functionality through OLE Automation so that other
applications can drive these products remotely. Products from Chrisalan
Designs, Summit Software and Wilson Wonderware have been enhanced to be
able to drive OLE Automation-enabled programs remotely, making them ideal
front ends for custom vertical programs.

As an OLE 2.0 container, an application can contain embedded objects that
can be activated within the window of the container. This feature allows
for the editing of objects in a natural way for users, and is known as
"visual editing." Indigo Software's ReportSmith demonstrates the ability
to contain objects and edit them in place. Object applications that
support "visual editing" when activated within a container include
Straylight Razor and Visio.

With Drag and Drop, OLE 2.0 provides a uniform set of interfaces that allow
the user to conveniently transfer information to and from a variety of
applications with real-time data updates using a simple drag-and-drop
mouse action. Among the vendors demonstrating support for Drag and Drop
are Fourth Wave, Icons International, LABTECH, Lenel Systems and
Macromedia. OLE 2.0 also provides for real-time updates of linked objects
in the container while the object is being edited. CorelDRAW 4 from Corel
Systems Corporation demonstrates this new feature.

OLE 2.0 introduces Compound Files, which provide sophisticated storage
system interfaces for the containment of hierarchies of objects, such as
those required by rich compound documents. SoftSolutions' document
management application uses the Compound File feature for storing its
documents as well as supporting Drag and Drop.

"Our vision is to build OLE 2.0 objects that bring functionality into the
customer's existing environment," said Lee Friedman, multimedia
technologies manager at the NCR Human Interface Technology Center. "We
believe that OLE 2.0 objects provide the means to bring value-added
hardware and software functionality to the broad user community. The OLE
2.0 technology allows us to do this while hiding the complexity so that we
can provide intuitive tools that do not require extra user training. Right
now, we can bring Video for Windows, AutoDesk Animation, Animation Works
Interactive and images as OLE 2.0 objects into any container application
such as a word processor or database so that 'real' people can use
multimedia easily in the course of their work."

"We think that OLE 2.0 is one of the most important technologies to come
along since the graphical user interface (GUI) and will have as much
impact on the way people use computers as the switch to GUIs did," said
David R. Skok, president of Watermark Software, Inc. "In Watermark's case,
we're using OLE 2.0 to put paper-based information at your fingertips,
replacing arcane paper and fax handling methods."

OLE 2.0 allows developers to choose those features of OLE 2.0, like Drag
and Drop, "visual editing" and OLE Automation, that make the most sense
for their particular application. It is backward compatible with OLE 1.0
and is designed to take optimum advantage of future versions of the
Windows operating system.

OLE 2.0 is a productivity-enhancing object technology that allows users a
new level of integration among applications. The highly intuitive way in
which OLE allows applications to work together means that users can focus
on their work instead of thinking about how to apply technology to
accomplish various tasks.

"The potential of OLE 2.0 is very exciting to me," said Elizabeth Bailey,
graphic and fine artist at Studio Rudi in Houston. "It will be much more
convenient and will save time and frustration and alleviate stress. I am
looking forward to using OLE 2.0-enabled applications in my work."

OLE 2.0 Availability

The final version of OLE 2.0 is shipping, thereby allowing developers to
start creating applications using sophisticated object technology. The OLE
2.0 Software Development Kit, priced at $50, may be ordered by calling
Microsoft Developer Services at (800) 227-4679. The OLE 2.0 SDK is also
available by subscribing to the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN).

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 Corp, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399
206-882-8080,  fax: 206-93MSFAX

==========================================================
From the America Online -- New Product Information Service
==========================================================
This information was processed from data provided by the
above mentioned company. For additional details, contact 
the company at the address or telephone number indicated.
==========================================================
All submissions for this service should be addressed to:
BAKER ENTERPRISES, 20 Ferro Dr, Sewell, NJ 08080 U.S.A.
Email:  RBakerPC  (AOL),   rbakerpc@aol.com  (Internet)
==========================================================
