REDMOND, WASH, May 14, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. today announced a pact with Metrowerks Inc. in which Metrowerks will integrate Microsoft® ActiveX
™technologies with Java in its industry-leading CodeWarrior line of application development products for the Apple® Macintosh® operating system. The agreement enables developers to create rich, powerful Internet applications for the Macintosh platform while taking advantage of their existing investments and favorite development tools.
Best of the Desktop, Best of the Internet
Metrowerks will enable the creation of both Java applets and ActiveX controls based on the Component Object Model (COM) in CodeWarrior products. Macintosh developers will be able to use CodeWarrior products to write Java applets that work with ActiveX controls on the Macintosh platform. Because Metrowerks and Microsoft are working together, Macintosh developers can feel confident that the Java applications they write will run seamlessly on both the Windows® operating system and the Macintosh.
“Working with Microsoft to provide enriched interoperability between Java and ActiveX through CodeWarrior and Microsoft Internet Explorer will provide Macintosh developers with more options to build great Internet applications,”
said Greg Galanos, president and CEO of Metrowerks.
“Through the integration of the CodeWarrior Java Virtual Machine in Microsoft Internet Explorer for the Macintosh, developers will be able to live-test their applications running directly in a production environment. With the integration of Java and ActiveX, Macintosh users’ experience of the Internet will be fundamentally enhanced.”
The Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browser version 3.0 for the Macintosh, due to be released later this year, will include Java integration with ActiveX. Metrowerks will ship Microsoft Internet Explorer for the Macintosh with all its CodeWarrior products for use by developers.
Macintosh developers will be able to build ActiveX-based applications using the same Metrowerks tools already familiar to them. More than 80 percent of Macintosh developers use Metrowerks application development tools today.
“ActiveX integrated with Java on the Macintosh gives us a tremendous opportunity to build exciting Internet applications,”
said Amanda Walker at InterCon Systems Corp.
”
InterCon’s business is built on products that deliver seamless functional equivalence across Windows and Macintosh platforms. By supporting ActiveX on the Mac
™, Microsoft and Metrowerks are multiplying the developer leverage provided by both companies’ development tools. This will reduce the cost of delivering high-quality Internet applications across multiple hardware platforms.”
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Microsoft Internet Explorer to Bring Active Content to Mac Users
Microsoft in turn will use CodeWarrior technology to develop future versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer for the Macintosh and will use the Java Virtual Machine technology from Metrowerks in Microsoft Internet Explorer for the Macintosh.
“Our engineers are experiencing the power of Metrowerks’ CodeWarrior and the Power Plant applications framework firsthand,”
said John Ludwig, vice president of the Internet platforms and tools division at Microsoft.
“Integrating these great, high-productivity tools with Java and ActiveX is a huge win for developers. This announcement means that Macintosh users will now have the richest Java implementation with Microsoft Internet Explorer for the Macintosh.”
Security for Internet Applications
Metrowerks will also provide Macintosh developers with World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) code-signing technology, supported by many companies including Microsoft, VeriSign Inc. and GTE Corp. Digital signature support in CodeWarrior will enable Macintosh developers to sign their code, allowing users to download Internet applications with greater confidence.
Momentum Builds for ActiveX
This announcement with Metrowerks builds on Microsoft’s earlier announcements with Macromedia Inc. and Adobe Systems Inc. to bring ActiveX to the Macintosh platform. Microsoft introduced ActiveX technologies in March to thousands of developers attending the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference – Building Internet Applications. ActiveX technologies make it easy for the broadest range of software developers and Web designers to build dynamic content for the Internet and the PC. More than 100 ISVs already ship products that support ActiveX today, and many more are developing such products.
Through ActiveX technologies, static Web pages come alive with a new generation of active content, including animation, 3-D virtual reality, video and other multimedia content. ActiveX technologies embrace Internet standards and are being delivered on multiple platforms, giving users a rich, open framework for innovation while taking full advantage of their investment in applications, tools and source code.
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 and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks and Mac is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc.
