Microsoft and Industry Partners Offer Complete Solution For Internet Commerce Based on Microsoft Merchant Server 1.0

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 30, 1996 — Leading Internet-related companies and financial institutions today endorsed Microsoft Corp.’s new software for doing business on the World Wide Web, saying they would add products and services to make it a complete, customizable, end-to-end solution.

Major Microsoft Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Web developers, financial institutions and software vendors are supporting Microsoft® Merchant Server version 1.0 for Internet commerce. Merchant Server lowers the cost of developing selling sites on the Web, makes those sites more attractive and secure, and allows sellers to create dynamic promotions that boost sales.

The industry support for Merchant Server adds all of the components – from site design, installation and administration to site operation and secure transaction processing – that businesses require to meet their changing needs.

Many of the industry partners are participating through the new Microsoft Internet Service Provider Program announced earlier this week or through Microsoft’s newly expanded Site Builder Network. In addition, leading financial institutions and payment processors are working with Microsoft and VeriFone Inc. to provide payment processing for Merchant Server transactions (see related release).

“Microsoft’s enabling technology, together with its industry partnerships, will make Internet commerce more achievable for both large and small companies,”
said Kathey Hale, principal analyst at Dataquest.
“Microsoft offers the online merchant more flexibility in merchandising – and better merchandising is exactly what’s needed to drive demand for buying on the Internet.”

Microsoft Internet Service Provider Program Extended to Include Merchant Server

Microsoft is working with leading Microsoft Internet Service Providers to ensure that customers who do not want to invest in their own Internet hosting operations have seven-day-a-week, 24-hour-a-day access to Merchant Server-based Web sites. Building on the Microsoft Internet Service Provider Program, Microsoft is extending the training, certification and cooperative marketing programs to include Merchant Server. Charter members of the Microsoft Internet Service Provider Program that offer Merchant Server hosting services include Digital Equipment Corp., Digex Inc., USWeb Worldport and UUNET Technologies Inc.

“Merchant Server makes it much faster and easier for companies to set up and manage their Web-based commerce applications,”
said Dave Foster, general manager of UUNET’s Web business.
“By providing hosting of Merchant Server, UUNET takes this speed and simplicity one step further. We expect a whole new universe of Internet commerce applications to be enabled by this combination of Merchant Server and UUNET hosting. And we expect the combination to be attractive to companies of all sizes.”

Site Builder Network Expands to Offer Support for Merchant Server

Microsoft is expanding the Site Builder Network to include in-depth technical information regarding Merchant Server. Several leading Site Builders have developed Web commerce sites based on Merchant Server that have gone live today.

The Site Builder Network is a multilevel program that supports the efforts of Web developers to create eye-catching, high-traffic, revenue-generating Web sites. It’s a direct way for Web developers and customers to obtain information, products and support that make it easy to optimize their Web sites using Microsoft’s Internet technologies including Microsoft Merchant Server. With the expansion of this program, Level 2 and Level 3 Site Builder Network members will have access to up-to-date news, discounted training programs and moderated discussions regarding Merchant Server.

Major ISVs Offer Extensions Based on Merchant Server APIs

Merchant Server is fully extensible, based on the open Merchant Server Order Processing Component API. More than 12 major independent software vendors worldwide are offering such extensions to enhance online ordering, fulfillment, transaction processing and integration into existing business systems. They include EveNTs Software Products Inc., Intactix International Inc., SAP AG, Sterling Commerce Inc., TanData Corp., TAXWARE International and Vertex Inc.

“The open APIs for Merchant Server allow us to easily link Merchant Server storefronts to complex order-fulfillment systems running across the supply chain,”
said Brad Sharp, president of Sterling Commerce’s Interchange Software Group.
“Merchant customers can now benefit from Sterling’s commercial-grade message management to route, track and translate both EDI and non-EDI messages.”

Building the Infrastructure for Secure Internet Payments

Microsoft is working with leading payment-application developers and financial institutions to provide consumers with convenient and safe choices for purchasing over the Internet. Microsoft Merchant Server 1.0 is designed to support multiple types of payment applications. An embedded version of VeriFone® vPOS
™
software comes with Merchant Server, allowing Merchant Server to set up and test Internet payment functionality. VeriFone vPOS enables businesses to easily integrate real-time credit-card payment into their Web sites.

CyberCash Inc. and CyberCharge have also announced that their Internet payment applications will integrate with Merchant Server. TrinTech Inc. has integrated its secure Internet payment solution with Merchant Server to support European and Asian merchants building businesses on the Internet.

Leading financial institutions and payment processors, including American Express Co., BankAmerica Corp., Citibank Card Acceptance Europe, First Data Corp., First USA Paymentech Inc., JCB Co. Ltd., NOVUS Services, Royal Bank of Canada and Wells Fargo Bank, have endorsed Microsoft Merchant Server as a selling solution for their online merchants.

“VeriFone has relationships with leading financial institutions and provides merchants around the world with payment software,”
said Roger Bertman, vice president and general manager of VeriFone Internet Commerce Division.
“Microsoft, VeriFone and leading financial institutions plan to provide Internet merchants with a complete, secure, easy-to-use and flexible solution for conducting commerce over the Internet.”

About Merchant Server

Merchant Server is the only software for selling over the Internet that can enable companies to establish selling sites with minimal development cost, to help attract and retain customers through a compelling and secure buying experience, and to help generate higher sales and profits through targeted, dynamic sales promotions. Merchant Server is a member of the Microsoft BackOffice
™
family.

Channel companies interested in participating in any of Microsoft’s industry infrastructure programs for Merchant Server – as well as corporate customers interested in contacting channel providers through any of those infrastructure programs – should contact Microsoft at its Merchant Server Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/siteserver/commerce/ .

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 and BackOffice are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

VeriFone is a registered trademark and vPOS is a trademark of VeriFone Inc.

For online product information:

Microsoft Merchant Server Web page: http://www.microsoft.com/siteserver/commerce/

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

Press Contact List

Site Builders for Merchant Server Customers

4th Generation Services, Tony Vasquez, (810) 649-3700, http://www.4-serv.com

American Intelligent Systems, Dan Lundahl, (847) 882-0493, (http://www.aisnetwork.com/)

Asia Connect (Planet Asia), Gavin Bong or Chun Jin, 60-3-230-8818, (http://www.planetasia.com.my/)

BC TEL Interactive, Debra Hamilton, (604) 482-2820, (http://www.bctel.ca/)

CBI, Jerome Watts, (604) 945-0459, (http://www.cbi-net.com/)

C-Systems, Barry Wadman, (508) 371-0557, (http://www.c-systems.com/)

Competitive Computing, Melissa Dever, (802) 655-0757, (http://www.competitive.com/)

Corporate Micros, Kenneth Friedman, (212) 447-6100, (http://cmi-inc.com/)

CyberMarketing LLC, Bernd Lutz, (303) 673-9374, (http://www.cybermktg.com/)

Datatek, Brent Curtis, (615) 377-6029, (http://www.datatek.com/)

Digitools, John Miaso, (512) 453-0697, (http://www.digitools.com/)

Fry Multimedia, Greg Croasdill, (313) 741-0640, (http://www.frymulti.com/)

Greer Consulting Services, Diane Greer, (718) 638-9310, (http://www.gorp.com/)

ICN, Juan Silvera, (800) 353-7111 ext. 205, (http://www.superstation.net/)

Intermaxx, Bob Gibson, (602) 992-3356, (http://www.intermaxx.com/)

Judds Inc., Richard Warren, (540) 465-6623, (http://www.judds.com/)

MediaLinx Interactive Inc., Mariellen Ward, (416) 369-6747, (http://www.sympatico.com/)

Melnick Consulting, David Melnick, (818) 593-2219, (http://www.melnick.com/)

Omac, Roger Lai, (713) 777-6622, (http://www.omac.com/)

Ram Consulting, Barry Luther, (972) 713-4651, (http://www.ramcs.com/)

Sterling Ledet & Assoc., Sterling Ledet, (404) 325-3338, (http://www.ledet.com/)

TechKnowQuest, Christine Kemp, (407) 248-0400, (http://www.tkq.com/)

The Lande Group, Jeffrey Benson, (212) 497-4933, (http://www.lande.com/)

ISVs Offering Extensions Based on Merchant Server APIs

CyberCash Inc., Denis Yaro, (415) 413-0127, (http://www.cybercash.com/)

CyberCharge, Mark Guagliardo, (805) 676-9490, (http://www.cybercharge.com/)

EveNTs Software Products Inc., Carolyn Ann Walgren, (817) 685-5626, (http://www.eventssoftware.com/)

Graphical Technologies Corp., Franklin Woodland, (312) 857-1166, (http://www.graphtech.com/)

Intactix International Inc., Debbie Hocking, (972) 580-1733, (http://www.intactix.com/)

SAP AG, Claudia Toth, (206) 637-9097, (http://www.sap.com/)

Sterling Commerce Inc., Zach Zettler, (614) 793-5004, (http://www.stercomm.com/)

TanData Corp., A.R. Tandy, (918) 499-2803 ext. 203, (http://www.tandata.com/)

TAXWARE International Inc., Jean Nazarian, (508) 741-0101 ext. 156, (http://www.taxware.com/)

Technologies for Growth, Geoff Flood, (416) 462-6101, (http://www.t4g.com/)

Trintech Inc., Tim Wainwright, (408) 559-9534, (http://ireland.iol.ie/~trintech)

VeriFone Inc., Kimberly Kasper, (415) 463-2335 or Alissa Bushnell, (415) 975-2224, (http://www.verifone.com/)

Vertex Inc., Jack Ferraioli, (800) 355-3500, www.vertex.com/

Internet Service Providers and Systems Integrators

Deloitte & Touche Consulting Group, Felicia Rosenzweig, (212) 598-3615, (http://www.dttus.com/)

Digex Incorporated, Earl Galleher, (301) 847-6250, (http://www.digex.net/)

Digital Equipment Corp., Ethel Kaiden, (508) 486-2814, (http://www.digital.com/)

Hewlett Packard Co., Brian Johnson, (415) 923-1660 ext. 40, (http://www.hp.com/)

ICN, Juan Silvera, (800) 353-7111 ext. 205, (http://www.superstation.net/)

NCR, Jim Mazzola, (513) 445-6148, (http://www.ncr.com/)

USWeb Worldport, Albert Lopez, (408) 541-0295, (http://www.worldport.com/marketplace/)

UUNET Technologies Inc., Paul Hoffman, (703) 206-5672 (http://www.uu.net/)

Financial Institutions and Payment Processors

American Express, Greg Tarmin, (212) 640-4428, (http://www.americanexpress.com/)

BankAmerica Corp., Gail Cain, (415) 241-3346, (http://www.bankamerica.com/)

Citibank Card Acceptance Europe, Susan Weeks, (212) 559-0580, (http://www.citibank.com/)

First Data Corp., Chuck White, (415) 842-4037, (http://www.firstdata.com/)

First USA Paymentech Inc., Rodney D. Bell, (214) 849-3776, (http://www.paymentech.com/)

JCB Company Ltd., Jiroh Sugiyama, 81-3-5259-1241

NOVUS Services, Beth Metzler, (847) 405-2209, (http://www.novusnet.com/)

Royal Bank of Canada, Pat Grassi, (514) 874-7134, (http://www.royalbank.com/)

Wells Fargo Bank, Michelle Banaugh, (510) 746-7441, (http://www.wellsfargo.com/)

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