Microsoft Announces Visual SourceSafe 5.0,An Intuitive, Project-Oriented Version Control System

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 7, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. today announced Microsoft® Visual SourceSafe
™
version 5.0, an enhanced version control and configuration management system for software development and, now, for Web site development. Visual SourceSafe 5.0 includes new Internet features to facilitate Web site management as well as new and enhanced version control features to aid in the management of software development. In addition, Visual SourceSafe now integrates with a host of Microsoft tools and applications, including Microsoft Access 97, the Visual FoxPro
™
database management system version 5.0, the FrontPage
™
Web authoring and management tool version 2.0, and the Visual J++
™
development tool.

“As Web sites become more complex, they often require the collaboration of many people to develop, enhance and maintain the site,”
said Bob Muglia, vice president, developer tools at Microsoft.
“Microsoft Visual SourceSafe ensures the integrity of the Web content and smooth collaborative development.”

New Features in Visual SourceSafe 5.0

The new Web features in Visual SourceSafe 5.0 are designed to further facilitate Web site management. Check Hyperlinks allows webmasters to check Web pages for broken links before publishing them. The Deploy command allows users to publish Web content to a live Internet server after the content has been updated. In addition, the Sitemap command generates a table of contents based on a collection of Web pages, aiding in navigation and reducing search time.

New version control features include Visual Merge for point-and-click conflict resolution, an enhanced Project Difference, which keeps team members in sync by comparing project versions, and an Archive utility to move projects between separate Visual SourceSafe databases or to archive unnecessary projects.

Visual SourceSafe works with any file produced by any existing tool or application, from source code to ActiveX
™components or Microsoft Word documents. Enhanced integration with the Visual Basic® programming system, the Visual C++® development system, and now Microsoft Access 97, Visual J++, Visual FoxPro 5.0 and FrontPage 97, allows developers to execute version control commands from their host environment without added complexity.

“Product development for Visio applications involving numerous components requires that our version control be able to do more than just version files,”
said Matt Towers, application engineering manager of the solutions unit at Visio Corp.
“Visual SourceSafe was developed with the understanding that we don’t develop files; we develop solutions. It tracks the reusable modules that we share between different projects.As a result, we can devote more time to developing and testing Visio software applications than to concerning ourselves with the management of the development environment.”

Visual SourceSafe Project-Oriented Version Control

Visual SourceSafe works on both the file and project level, offering a unique project-oriented approach to version control that promotes component reuse while reducing the complexity of the development environment. Visual SourceSafe versions files and projects efficiently while preventing accidental loss or alteration of content. These features make it an ideal product for professional software and Web site development teams that require the tools necessary to manage change in a team environment.

Visual SourceSafe protects the integrity of Web sites and complex development projects by storing content in a secure, project-oriented repository. Visual SourceSafe allows common Check In/Check Out version control functionality as well as advanced branching and merging features all from within the intuitive Visual SourceSafe Explorer interface that works like the Explorer in the Windows 95® operating system.

Visual SourceSafe Supports Cross-Platform UNIX and Macintosh Solutions

Microsoft Visual SourceSafe supports the Windows 95 and Windows NT® operating systems. Related products developed in cooperation with Microsoft – Visual SourceSafe for UNIX from Mainsoft Corp. and Visual SourceSafe for Macintosh from Metrowerks Inc. – extend the Visual SourceSafe solution to support cross-platform development for the UNIX and Macintosh operating systems.

Pricing and Availability

Visual SourceSafe is scheduled to be available in November from software resellers nationwide for approximately $499 per user. For more information on Visual SourceSafe for UNIX, contact Mainsoft directly at (800) MAIN-WIN (624-6946). Additional information is available at Mainsoft’s Web site ( (http://www.mainsoft.com) ). For more information on Visual SourceSafe for Macintosh, contact Metrowerks directly at [ 1-800-377-5416 ] or visit the company’s Web site at (http://www.metrowerks.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, Visual SourceSafe, Visual FoxPro, FrontPage, Visual J++, ActiveX, Visual Basic, Visual C++, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

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