REDMOND, Wash., March 12, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the acquisition of Colusa Software Inc. the execution of a merger agreement with Aspect Software Engineering Inc. to provide a full range of tools and technologies that support and strengthen the company’s vision of the active Internet. Colusa’s Omniware product enables developers to create memory-protected, high-performance Internet components in popular programming languages, including C and C++. Aspect is a provider of leading-edge database technology that enables database connectivity over the Internet.
Microsoft also announced the ActiveX
™
Plug-in for NetScape
™Navigator, co-developed with nCompass Labs Inc., which enables Navigator users to view the rich, dynamic Internet content created using the ActiveX Technologies. Additionally, Microsoft announced it has signed a letter of intent with Citrix Systems Inc. to include the Citrix ICA® (Intelligent Console Architecture) client with Microsoft® Internet Explorer 3.0 for the Windows® 95 and Windows NT®
operating systems.
“These agreements demonstrate Microsoft’s strong commitment to providing state-of-the-art technology and products for the Internet,”
said Paul Maritz, group vice president of the platforms group at Microsoft.
Microsoft Licenses ActiveX Plug-in and Citrix ICA Client
The ActiveX Plug-in for NetScape Navigator allows users of NetScape’s Internet browser to experience the full impact of Microsoft ActiveX Technologies. The ActiveX Plug-in enables Web content developers to easily target browsers from multiple vendors when creating Internet content. The ActiveX Plug-in was developed jointly by Microsoft and nCompass Labs, and will be available for download at no cost from the Microsoft Web site.
Microsoft has signed a letter of intent with Citrix Systems Inc. to include the Citrix ICA client with Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 for Windows 95 and Windows NT. Users of Microsoft Internet Explorer will be able to use the ICA software to activate and run remote server-based Win32® -based applications simply by clicking on a link embedded in a Web page. Because of Citrix’s innovative ICA technology, the ICA client requires low network bandwidth, allowing an application’s user interface to execute with minimal resource consumption on the client machine. By deploying Microsoft Internet Explorer in conjunction with Citrix® WinFrame®
server products, corporate IS managers can provide a secure, reliable and manageable way to serve Win32-based applications to their users.
Microsoft Acquires Aspect Software Engineering and Colusa Software
Aspect Software Engineering was founded in July 1991 as a database software development firm. Aspect’s first product, dbWeb
™
, is a high-performance
“middleware”
product that gives World Wide Web servers access to information stored in databases, without programming. Using dbWeb, Webmasters can provide real-time access to open database connectivity (ODBC) data sources through Microsoft Internet Explorer. Database records can be viewed in the browser as tabular, detail or custom forms and can optionally contain SmartLinks that allow hypertext-style navigation within a data source. Microsoft plans to include the dbWeb technology in a variety of its Internet tools to enhance their real-time database query capabilities.
Colusa Software Inc. was founded in March 1994. Its principal product, Omniware, enables software developers to take code components written in existing programming languages such as C and C++ and create highly efficient, processor-independent client-side components for the Internet and intranet environments. Colusa’s unique method for memory protection, known as Software Fault Isolation, allows users to download programs safely from the Internet and run the programs in a fully protected memory space (even when pointers are used). Microsoft will incorporate the Colusa technologies in future versions of its Internet and development tools products.
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, Windows, Windows NT and Win32 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
NetScape is a trademark of NetScape Communications Corp.
Citrix, Citrix ICA and WinFrame are registered trademarks of Citrix Systems Inc.
dbWeb is a trademark of Aspect Software Engineering Inc.
