REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 17, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. today announced worldwide availability of the beta release of the Microsoft® ActiveX
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Software Development Kit (SDK) for the Macintosh. The move is an important step toward making ActiveX interoperability technology available across all popular computing platforms. With the new SDK, Macintosh developers can create native ActiveX Controls and interactive content that will be immediately viewable by users of Microsoft Internet Explorer version 2.1 for the Macintosh. The SDK beta release is available now for free download from http://www.microsoft.com/intdev/sdk/mac/ (connect-time charges may apply), and the final release will be available by the end of the year.
Over 2,000 ActiveX Controls are already available to content developers and users of theMicrosoft Windows 95 andWindows NT operating systems. Using ActiveX Controls, developers have already given users of Windows hundreds of exciting, interactive applications and Web sites that leverage all of the functionality of the Windows operating system. Now, with the ActiveX SDK for the Mac, the following activities are possible:
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Developers can create ActiveX Controls for the Mac that integrate with other components and leverage the full functionality of the Mac operating system, taking advantage of features such as Apple QuickTime.
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Developers of Netscape Navigator-specific plug-ins on the Macintosh can migrate their plug-ins easily to open, standards-based ActiveX technology.
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Netscape Navigator users on the Macintosh can also run ActiveX Controls inside Navigator.
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Macintosh developers can create ActiveX-based applications for Mac users that deliver the latest interactive experience, complete with features such as 3-D graphics, audio and video.
“With the ActiveX SDK for the Macintosh, Mac developers now have the power to be the best in creating applications for the Internet,”
said John Ludwig, vice president of the Internet platform and tools division at Microsoft.
“For the first time, developers can combine the best of the Mac, including features such as QuickTime, Apple Events and other great Macintosh operating system extensions, with the best of the Web.”
“We’re happy to see Microsoft devoting resources to bring robust and functioning ActiveX to the Macintosh platform,”
said Heidi Roizen, Apple’s vice president of developer relations.
“Cross-platform development tools are important to Macintosh developers, and we’re very supportive of Microsoft’s efforts to tie the key components of Macintosh native ActiveX to the rich multimedia services of the Macintosh.”
Leading Tool Set for Native ActiveX Controls on Mac
The new ActiveX SDK for Macintosh offers Macintosh developers tools for developing native ActiveX Controls viewable by users of the popular Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browser version 2.1 for the Macintosh as well as Netscape Navigator. These ActiveX Controls will also run seamlessly in the upcoming Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.0 for the Macintosh, which will be available by the end of the year. The SDK includes the following:
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The implementation of the Component Object Model (COM) for the Macintosh
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A plug-in adapter that enables Netscape Navigator users on the Macintosh to run ActiveX Controls
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Programming interfaces and utilities for creating ActiveX Controls on the Macintosh and for migrating from Netscape Navigator-specific plug-ins to the open cross-platform ActiveX architecture
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Sample ActiveX Controls source code that makes it easy for developers to create ActiveX Controls
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced an agreement with Metrowerks Inc., the leading Macintosh development tool vendor, under which Metrowerks is providing integrated support for ActiveX and COM as well as the integration of ActiveX with Java
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in its industry-leading CodeWarrior application development products for the Macintosh. The ActiveX SDK for the Mac gives developers the programming interfaces and utilities they need, while the CodeWarrior products offer easy-to-use graphical tools for creating applications.
Macintosh Developers and Tool Vendors Look Forward to Delivery of SDK
Today’s announcement builds on the momentum for Microsoft Internet products and technologies in the Macintosh marketplace. Leading Macintosh developers including Adobe Systems Inc., Metrowerks and NetManage Inc. are supporting ActiveX to make it easier for Macintosh users to take advantage of a World Wide Web alive with active content including animation, 3-D virtual reality, video and CD-quality audio.
“Metrowerks is pleased to make the Microsoft ActiveX SDK for Macintosh accessible to our CodeWarrior customers,”
said Greg Galanos, president and chief technology officer of Metrowerks.
“These tools complement the support for ActiveX technologies we are currently integrating into our CodeWarrior development environment and further extend our commitment to providing Mac OS developers with the richest, most versatile tools available for Net-centric development.”
“The beta release of the Microsoft ActiveX SDK for the Macintosh marks an important step toward delivering cross-platform software development tools,”
said Jerry Barber, director of technology integration at Adobe Systems.
“Adobe Systems welcomes the high-quality implementation of the ActiveX technology on multiple platforms.”
“We are excited about extending our work with Microsoft to create the NetManage Internet Control Pack and bring our ActiveX-based applications and components to the MAC OS using this new SDK,”
said Bob Williams, vice president, marketing and business development at NetManage.
“This SDK complements our cross-platform offering of ChameleonNFS/X for MAC OS and Windows perfectly.”
“With the delivery of the ActiveX SDK for Macintosh, we’ll be able to take our support for ActiveX in Globetrotter Web Publisher to the next level, making it much easier for our users to create active content for their Web sites,”
said Roy Leban, chief technologist at Akimbo Systems Inc.
ActiveX is a set of technologies that integrate software components in a networked environment, regardless of the language in which they were created. This integration of components enables content and software developers to create interactive applications and Web sites easily. ActiveX is currently available on Windows; Microsoft plans to deliver native ActiveX support on both the Macintosh and Unix operating systems by the end of the year with the final availability of Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 for these platforms. Microsoft and The Open Group have announced an open standards process for the future evolution of ActiveX core technologies. For more information on how companies can participate in this process, visit (http://www.activex.org/) .
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 and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems Inc.
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