Microsoft Ships Enterprise Solutions With Microsoft Visual J++ 6.0

Premier Development Environment for Java for Building and Deploying High-Performance Solutions for Windows and the Web Is Now Shipping

REDMOND, Wash. - Oct. 6, 1998 - - Microsoft Corp. today announced the immediate worldwide availability of the Microsoft® Visual J++™ development system for Java version 6.0. The latest version of Microsoft Visual J++ is the fast way to harness the productivity of the Java language and the power of the Microsoft Windows® operating system to build and deploy complete Windows-based and Web solutions. Using Visual J++ 6.0, developers can visually design feature-rich applications, components and middle-tier business objects for Windows and the Web.

"With Visual J++ 6.0, developers can build powerful enterprise solutions that take advantage of all the great features of Windows and BackOffice®," said Bill Dunlap, lead product manager for Visual J++, Microsoft. "With Visual J++ 6.0, Microsoft has delivered on the promise of the Java language by bringing developers the ease of Java and the power of Windows so that they can build compelling applications for Windows and the Web."

Visual J++ 6.0 allows developers to build powerful commercial-quality business applications using Windows Foundation Classes (WFC). This object-oriented framework encapsulates, simplifies and unifies the Win32® API and Dynamic HTML programming models, enabling developers to create high-performance, feature-rich, native Windows-based applications in the Java language using prebuilt sets of classes and components. In addition, WFC lets developers build their own components that can easily interoperate with components written in other programming languages.

Build Complete Enterprise Solutions for Windows and the Web

With Visual J++ 6.0, developers can build ActiveX® Components and COM components that can be used from the most popular Windows-based applications, including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and the Microsoft Visual Basic® development system. With Visual J++, developers can use Java as a first-class language for creating applications and components for Windows and the Web that take advantage of existing business logic.

"Visual J++ is vital in the development and deployment of ActiveForum, our customizable online community builder software," said Zor Gorelov, CEO and president of IntraActive Software Corp. "Our development team selected Visual J++ with its Windows Foundation Classes and J/Direct™ API for the development of ActiveForum to achieve high performance in Java code. We think there is simply no better tool for development of COM components in Java. Its streamlined process for code sharing, debugging and deployment significantly reduced the time required for developing and testing."

Developers can also use Visual J++ 6.0 to create powerful, scalable Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) objects. MTS, part of Windows NT® Server, combines the flexibility and low cost of desktop applications with the mission-critical transaction-processing features normally found in high-end mainframe systems. MTS is a component-based transaction processing system for developing high-performance, scalable, robust enterprise applications. Microsoft Transaction Server defines an application programming model for developing distributed, component-based applications.

In addition, developers can build complete Web solutions using the Dynamic HTML class library included with WFC. Now developers can program the logic behind their HTML pages using a high-level, object-oriented language that promotes reuse and component-based development. Once the Web application is completed, Visual J++ 6.0 allows developers to easily package, sign and deploy an entire application to a remote file or Web server.

Visual J++ 6.0 is tightly integrated with the Microsoft Visual Studio® development system version 6.0, the comprehensive suite of industry-leading development tools for building business applications for Windows NT Server, including client/server, multitier and Web-based solutions.

Pricing and Availability

Visual Studio 6.0 and Visual J++ 6.0 are available now. A 30-day-trial edition of Visual J++ 6.0 is available for free download (connect-time charges may apply) at http://msdn.microsoft.com/visualj/. Visual J++ 6.0 Standard Edition has an estimated retail price of $109, and Visual J++ 6.0 Professional Edition has an estimated retail price of $549. Significant discounts are available to developers upgrading from previous editions of Visual J++ as well as other Java tools and SDKs. The estimated retail price for Visual J++ 6.0 Standard Edition upgrade is $59 ($39 for licensed users of Visual J++ 1.1), and the estimated retail price for Visual J++ 6.0 Professional Edition upgrade is $219 ($119 for licensed users of Visual J++ 1.1). In addition, a coupon for the released version of Visual J++ 6.0 is included in the Visual Studio 6.0 box. Customers can redeem the coupon for a copy of Visual J++ Professional Edition.

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, Visual J++, Windows, BackOffice, Win32, ActiveX, Visual Basic, J/Direct, Windows NT and Visual Studio 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.

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