Microsoft Delivers ActiveX on the Macintosh

Beta Release of ActiveX SDK for Macintosh Enhances Cross-Platform
Support for ActiveX

REDMOND, Wash. – Oct. 17, 1996 – Microsoft Corp. today announced
worldwide availability of the beta release of the Microsoft ActiveX
Software Development Kit (SDK) for the Macintosh. The move is an
important step toward making ActiveX interoperability technology
available across all popular computing platforms. With the new SDK,
Macintosh developers can create native ActiveX Controls and interactive
content that will be immediately viewable by users of Microsoft Internet
Explorer version 2.1 for the Macintosh. The SDK beta release is
available now for free download from http://www.microsoft.com
/intdev/sdk/mac/ (connect-time charges may apply), and the final release
will be available by the end of the year.

Over 2,000 ActiveX Controls are already available to content developers
and users of the Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT operating
systems. Using ActiveX Controls, developers have already given users of
Windows hundreds of exciting, interactive applications and Web sites
that leverage all of the functionality of the Windows operating system.
Now, with the ActiveX SDK for the Mac, the following activities are
possible:

*Developers can create ActiveX Controls for the Mac that integrate with
other components and leverage the full functionality of the Mac
operating system, taking advantage of features such as Apple QuickTime.

*Developers of Netscape Navigator-specific plug-ins on the Macintosh
can migrate their plug-ins easily to open, standards-based ActiveX
technology.

*Netscape Navigator users on the Macintosh can also run ActiveX
Controls inside Navigator.

*Macintosh developers can create ActiveX-based applications for Mac
users that deliver the latest interactive experience, complete with
features such as 3-D graphics, audio and video.

“With the ActiveX SDK for the Macintosh, Mac developers now have the
power to be the best in creating applications for the Internet,” said
John Ludwig, vice president of the Internet platform and tools division
at Microsoft. “For the first time, developers can combine the best of
the Mac, including features such as QuickTime, Apple Events and other
great Macintosh operating system extensions, with the best of the Web.”

“We’re happy to see Microsoft devoting resources to bring robust and
functioning ActiveX to the Macintosh platform,” said Heidi Roizen,
Apple’s vice president of developer relations. “Cross-platform
development tools are important to Macintosh developers, and we’re very
supportive of Microsoft’s efforts to tie the key components of Macintosh
native ActiveX to the rich multimedia services of the Macintosh.”

LEADING TOOL SET FOR NATIVE ACTIVEX CONTROLS ON MAC
The new ActiveX SDK for Macintosh offers Macintosh developers tools for
developing native ActiveX Controls viewable by users of the popular
Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browser version 2.1 for the Macintosh as
well as Netscape Navigator. These ActiveX Controls will also run
seamlessly in the upcoming Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.0 for
the Macintosh, which will be available by the end of the year. The SDK
includes the following:
*The implementation of the Component Object Model (COM) for the
Macintosh

*A plug-in adapter that enables Netscape Navigator users on the
Macintosh to run ActiveX Controls

*Programming interfaces and utilities for creating ActiveX Controls on
the Macintosh and for migrating from Netscape Navigator-specific
plug-ins to the open cross-platform ActiveX architecture

*Sample ActiveX Controls source code that makes it easy for developers
to create ActiveX Controls

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced an agreement with Metrowerks
Inc., the leading Macintosh development tool vendor, under which
Metrowerks is providing integrated support for ActiveX and COM as well
as the integration of ActiveX with Java in its industry-leading
CodeWarrior application development products for the Macintosh. The
ActiveX SDK for the Mac gives developers the programming interfaces and
utilities they need, while the CodeWarrior products offer easy-to-use
graphical tools for creating applications.

MACINTOSH DEVELOPERS AND TOOL VENDORS LOOK FORWARD TO DELIVERY OF SDK
Today’s announcement builds on the momentum for Microsoft Internet
products and technologies in the Macintosh marketplace. Leading
Macintosh developers including Adobe Systems Inc., Metrowerks and
NetManage Inc. are supporting ActiveX to make it easier for Macintosh
users to take advantage of a World Wide Web alive with active content
including animation, 3-D virtual reality, video and CD-quality audio.

“Metrowerks is pleased to make the Microsoft ActiveX SDK for Macintosh
accessible to our CodeWarrior customers,” said Greg Galanos, president
and chief technology officer of Metrowerks. “These tools complement the
support for ActiveX technologies we are currently integrating into our
CodeWarrior development environment and further extend our commitment to
providing Mac OS developers with the richest, most versatile tools
available for Net-centric development.”

“The beta release of the Microsoft ActiveX SDK for the Macintosh marks
an important step toward delivering cross-platform software development
tools,” said Jerry Barber, director of technology integration at Adobe
Systems. “Adobe Systems welcomes the high-quality implementation of the
ActiveX technology on multiple platforms.”

“We are excited about extending our work with Microsoft to create the
NetManage Internet Control Pack and bring our ActiveX-based applications
and components to the MAC OS using this new SDK,” said Bob Williams,
vice president, marketing and business development at NetManage. “This
SDK complements our cross-platform offering of ChameleonNFS/X for MAC OS
and Windows perfectly.”

“With the delivery of the ActiveX SDK for Macintosh, we’ll be able to
take our support for ActiveX in Globetrotter Web Publisher to the next
level, making it much easier for our users to create active content for
their Web sites,” said Roy Leban, chief technologist at Akimbo Systems
Inc.

ActiveX is a set of technologies that integrate software components in a
networked environment, regardless of the language in which they were
created. This integration of components enables content and software
developers to create interactive applications and Web sites easily.
ActiveX is currently available on Windows; Microsoft plans to deliver
native ActiveX support on both the Macintosh and Unix operating systems
by the end of the year with the final availability of Microsoft Internet
Explorer 3.0 for these platforms. Microsoft and The Open Group have
announced an open standards process for the future evolution of ActiveX
core technologies. For more information on how companies can
participate in this process, visit http://www.activex.org/.

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.

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Microsoft, ActiveX, Windows and Windows NT are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or
other countries. Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems Inc.