REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 20, 1996 — Internet users everywhere can now easily search the Internet to locate long-lost relatives, old college roommates and friends they haven’t spoken to in years thanks to an innovative alliance between Microsoft Corp. and leading Internet white pages providers Bigfoot, Four11 Corp., WhoWhere? Inc. and Switchboard.
Microsoft today released an update of Internet Mail and News for Microsoft® Internet Explorer 3.0 (for the Windows® 95 and Windows NT® 4.0 operating systems), making it the first major mail client with support for the Internet standard Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) specification for Internet directory services. By using open, standards-based protocols, Microsoft is helping make searches on any LDAP directory service provider easy and accessible. Using the new LDAP-enabled address book, users can search popular Internet white pages directory services using first name, last name or e-mail name. Once the information is found, it’s simple to send mail to that person immediately or store the address for later use. Sending mail has never been easier – users simply type the person’s name on the TO: line in any message, and Internet Mail and News can automatically search the selected white pages directories to fill in the e-mail name.
“Finding people on the Internet just got a whole lot easier,”
said Yusuf Mehdi, group product manager in the Internet client and collaboration group at Microsoft.
“Our LDAP support, combined with our relationships with the leading Internet white pages vendors, puts Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 users ahead by providing standards-based directory access today.”
As part of the relationship, links to the Four11 and Bigfoot services are already included in the product. WhoWhere? will provide an LDAP server by the end of the year, with Switchboard joining in the first quarter of 1997.
“LDAP is an exciting enabling technology that will provide new benefits to our worldwide base of users,”
said Jim Hoffman, Bigfoot’s co-founder and president.
“I am convinced that having an open standard such as LDAP in Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 will provide far broader access to this new technology. We are so certain of LDAP’s new benefits that we have worked with Microsoft to provide direct access to the millions of names in Bigfoot’s global e-mail directory within the new version of Microsoft Internet Explorer.”
“We are pleased to work with Microsoft in offering transparent access to our global communications directory to Microsoft Internet Explorer users,”
said Ashutosh Roy, president of WhoWhere? Inc.
“The integration of global directory content with industry-leading e-mail clients using LDAP marks the beginning of a new phase of content-enhanced software solutions.”
“This new functionality in Microsoft Internet Explorer will make it easier for Internet users to access the world’s largest and most comprehensive e-mail directory,”
said Michael Santullo, president of Four11.
“As an increasing number of people use the Internet for business and personal communication, Four11 continues to build its leadership position as the leading Internet white pages by working with industry leaders such as Microsoft to facilitate these people-to-people connections around the world.”
“We’re pleased to be in the vanguard with Microsoft in supporting LDAP,”
said Eugene Lee, vice president of marketing for Banyan Systems Inc. and Coordinate.com.
“Switchboard, the premier Internet directory for reuniting people, is a natural global address book for anyone using LDAP-compatible e-mail packages.”
The delivery of LDAP support in Internet Mail and News demonstrates Microsoft’s recognition of the open, standards-based directory access LDAP brings to users and the industry. The new standard is a key part of Microsoft’s strategy for delivering next-generation Internet communication features. In addition to its inclusion in Internet Mail and News, LDAP support is also supported in the current beta release of Microsoft’s real-time audio, data and video communications client for the Internet, NetMeeting
™
conferencing software version 2.0 beta 2, as well as its companion directory server, the Internet Locator Server. Microsoft has already announced it will include LDAP server support in its forthcoming Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0, making it easy for Microsoft Exchange Server users to create LDAP-accessible directories.
LDAP support for versions of Internet Mail and News for Windows 3.1 and Macintosh is planned for a future release. This new white pages lookup feature is available now for download as part of the new release of Internet Mail and News for Windows 95 and Windows NT from Microsoft’s Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/ie/
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 and NetMeeting are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Note to editors : If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.
