Reynolds Metals Selects Microsoft Internet Explorer as Standard Browser For Intranet Solution

REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 22, 1997 —

Reynolds Metals Co.
, the world’s third-largest aluminum company, today joined a long list of corporations turning to Microsoft® Internet Explorer version 3.0 as their standard Web browser solution. After comparing its previous browser solution with Microsoft Internet Explorer, the company’s network services strategy team opted to make the change, citing the superior integration of Microsoft Internet Explorer with Reynolds’ multiple Windows® operating systems as a key factor in the decision.

“Reynolds Metals needed a browser solution that provided great integration with all the platforms we use,”
said George Cain, director of computing services at Reynolds Metals.
“Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 delivers that integration, and Microsoft’s plans for future versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer match perfectly with where our intranet strategy is headed.”

Reynolds Metals plans to distribute Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 to 5,000 desktops in the United States and will eventually make Microsoft Internet Explorer available on more than 6,000 personal computers worldwide.

While Reynolds Metals’ plans call for a complete migration to the Windows 95 and Windows NT® Workstation operating systems by mid-1998, many of the company’s desktops currently operate on Windows 3.1. The availability of a full-featured 16-bit browser from Microsoft was a critical element in the firm’s decision to standardize on Microsoft Internet Explorer. Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 for Windows 3.1 offers the widest access to Internet content, including HTML standards such as frames and tables, ActiveX
™Scripting (including the Visual Basic® programming system, Scripting Edition, and JScript
™
development software, Microsoft’s implementation of JavaScript) and Netscape plug-ins.

Reynolds Metals today uses its intranet to provide the latest information to its employees, including Forrester Research Inc. reports, company press releases, information technology strategic plans, stock quotes and policy manuals. Employees can also view the latest job openings and determine the latest offerings and schedules for information technology education. Before being available on the company intranet, research reports were limited to only a few copies that were hand-circulated. Providing these reports through the easy-to-use Microsoft Internet Explorer interface has proved more efficient and cost-effective for the company.

With Microsoft Internet Explorer , employees of Reynolds Metals now have much easier navigation capabilities and can instantly access the most current information from its many internal databases. The primary uses of the intranet include referencing information such as corporate policy, visiting the Web sites of customers, suppliers and competitors, and sharing vital information among multiple departments.

Reynolds Metals also intends to utilize the Microsoft Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK) to assist in the rollout of Microsoft Internet Explorer to their desktops. This software package, available at no charge (except for shipping and handling), makes it easy for corporations, ISPs and content providers to customize and deploy Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0. With the IEAK, Reynolds Metals can customize the browser with its company name or logo, as well as preconfigure and control user options, such as the home page and proxy server, within the company.

“To have a company such as Reynolds Metals select our browser as its worldwide standard is tremendously exciting,”
said Yusuf Mehdi, group product manager in the Internet client and collaboration division at Microsoft.
“We are particularly pleased that Reynolds continues to look to Microsoft as its strategic supplier of desktop-based software.”

Reynolds Metal joins the growing number of leading companies that have selected Microsoft Internet Explorer as their corporate standard, including Arthur Andersen, Sprint Corp., Compaq Computer Corp., Intergraph Corp. and Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.

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 , ActiveX , Visual Basic and JScript 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://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. To view Reynolds’ Web site please view (http://www.rmc.com/)

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