Microsoft Activates the Internet With Prerelease Version Of Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0

SAN FRANCISCO, March 12, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. today unveiled the next major version of Microsoft®
Internet Explorer. Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 is the first Internet client ever to integrate ActiveXTM Technologies, which enable developers to create highly interactive applications and content for the Internet. For example, these technologies will allow a Web site to be as rich and interactive as an action game, a multimedia encyclopedia, or a productivity application. For the first time, a Web site will be limited only by its author’s imagination, not by the limitations of the technology. With Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0, developers, content authors, IS professionals and end users will benefit from the following:

  • Support for current Internet technologies such as Frames, the Java language, style sheets and JavaScript, with extensions for new ActiveX Technologies

  • An open framework supported by more than 100 companies

  • Cross-platform support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 functionality and ActiveX Technologies

  • A component architecture providing flexibility for users and developers

Continuing to embrace Internet standards, Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 supports the latest World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) hypertext markup language (HTML) specifications for tables, objects, scripts and style sheets, along with other popular specifications provided by technologies including the Java language, JavaScript, the Visual Basic®
programming system and Visual Basic, Scripting Edition. In addition, 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 ActiveVRML
™
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.

With more than 100 companies supporting ActiveX Technologies, the 3.0 release is a critical element in delivering next-generation content to end users. A prerelease version of Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0, intended for developers only, is being distributed to participants at the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference here as part of the Microsoft ActiveX Developers Kit.

“Delivering this prerelease version of Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0, with support for state-of-the-art ActiveX Technologies, is a major milestone in progressing from a static to dynamic World Wide Web,”
said Paul Maritz, group vice president of the platforms group at Microsoft.

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. Microsoft and Macromedia Inc. today announced they are working together to provide cross-platform support for ActiveX Technologies, taking advantage of the Microsoft component object model (COM) architecture and the Macromedia open architecture (MOA).

“ActiveX Technologies and Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 provide a new set of tools that will enable developers to elevate the quality of any Web site, completely redefining the concept of an entertaining online experience,”
said Adam Curry, CEO of On Ramp Inc. (http://metaverse.com/). This is not a Microsoft web site. Please read this disclaimer.

For IS professionals, the ActiveX Technologies supported in Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 allow organizations to create and deploy their applications consistently on the desktop, the LAN, the Internet and on intranets without requiring redundant development efforts for each. Support for ActiveX Documents in Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 will allow organizations to publish once, without converting their internal documents to and from a separate set of Internet formats. And improvements to hands-free installation and proxy support will improve migration to the Internet for large organizations. Microsoft will release versions for both the Windows® 95 and Windows NT®
operating systems to help ensure common functionality across organizations running or migrating to 32-bit desktops.

“At U.S. Bancorp, we have invested heavily in OLE technology,”
said Linda Parker, senior vice president of emerging delivery services at U.S. Bancorp.
“We are very excited about the ability to bring that investment onto the Internet via Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0.”

For users, Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 will deliver a new level of 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 and more will help ensure that Microsoft Internet Explorer remains the safest, easiest and most exciting way to access the Internet.

Industry Support Builds

Closely following the release of version 1.0 in August 1995 and version 2.0 in November 1995, today’s prerelease is the latest example of Microsoft Internet Explorer’s rapid development. Version 3.0 is expected to go to broad beta in April.

Today, more than 5,000 developers are creating Web sites best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer and more than 80 of the leading PC manufacturers ship Microsoft Internet Explorer preinstalled in their new Windows 95-based PCs. In addition, more than 400 Internet Service Providers have licensed Microsoft Internet Explorer for bundling or redistribution. Microsoft Internet Explorer is available in 22 languages, providing the broadest global support of any Internet client on the market. Versions for the Apple® Macintosh® and Windows®
3.1 are available on the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/.

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, ActiveX, Visual Basic, ActiveVRML, ActiveMovie, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Apple, TrueType and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer Inc.

For Online Product Information:

Microsoft Internet Explorer Web Page: http://www.microsoft.com/ie/

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