REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 24, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of the Personal Web Server (PWS) for the Windows® 95 operating system, giving users ofMicrosoft Windows 95 the ability to share information as well as publish for the Web across corporate intranets or the Internet.
The Personal Web Server, available for no charge on the Web and designed for easy installation and management by corporate IS managers and individual users, is the latest member of the Microsoft scalable family of Web server software, supporting Web use from the desktop to the enterprise and beyond. It is designed primarily for small workgroups in corporations as well as small businesses, homes and schools. The Personal Web Server software is now available to download free (other than the cost of connect time, if applicable) from the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/ie/download/ieadd.htm. It is also available in the Microsoft Internet Explorer Starter Kit for sale in stores today.
The Personal Web Server offers the following benefits:
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Integration. The Personal Web Server turns a Windows 95-based personal computer into a low-volume Web server, making it as easy to share HTML and FTP files over intranets and the Internet as it is to share and print document files over a network. The software is fully integrated into the Windows 95 taskbar and Control Panel, allowing users to start and stop HTTP and FTP services whenever they want, administer the server or change general options. Microsoft also designed the Personal Web Server to complement its larger and fully compatible Web server products, such as Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS). The Personal Web Server is also fully complementary to Peer Web Services included with the Windows NT® Workstation operating system version 4.0.
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Easy to install, use and manage. The Personal Web Server is designed to install easily in minutes and includes an intuitive HTML-based administration utility that also supports full remote administration. It supports both user-level and local security, ensuring flexible and effective protection of sensitive corporate information. Users can set up the PWS to support Windows
NT Challenge/Response encrypted-password transmission.
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Standards-based technology. PWS fully supports existing standards such as CGI and includes the open Internet Server API (ISAPI) extension to the Win32® API that is up to five times faster than CGI-based applications. This enables any user to take advantage of ISAPI scripts and CGI scripts.
“Now, anyone can turn into a Web publisher on an intranet or the Internet,”
said John Ludwig, vice president, Internet platforms and tools division at Microsoft.
”
The ability to share HTML files easily will help revolutionize the way corporations exploit their intranets to boost productivity and profits. Together with our award-winning Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 browser and FrontPage
™Web creation software, Microsoft offers the best tools for members of the Internet revolution.”
The Personal Web Server is ideal for intranets, homes, schools, small business workgroups and anyone who wants to set up a personal Web server. In corporations, any department or individual can post HTML documents and share information with anyone else in the company via the corporate intranet. Users of Windows 95 can now share Web content as easily as they share folders on a network. It is also a great cost-saving solution for small businesses and schools because they no longer need to dedicate a PC to a Web server. Instead, they can leverage their existing PCs simply by enhancing them with the Personal Web Server software. Finally, home users who want to experiment with Web publishing can set up their personal computer as a Web server and easily publish information on the Internet.
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, Windows, Windows NT , Win32 and FrontPage are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
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