Micro Focus NetExpress Integrated Development Environment Supports Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0

Business Wire, Sept 2, 1998

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 2, 1998--

IT Professionals Can Build Next-Generation Business Applications Using the Latest Windows Distributed interNet Applications (Windows DNA) Architecture

Micro Focus (NASDAQ:MIFGY) has announced today that its NetExpress integrated development environment (IDE) fully supports the Microsoft(R) Visual Studio(tm) 6.0 development system.

The combination of NetExpress(tm), the popular Micro Focus business application development tool, and Visual Studio 6.0, Microsoft's software development tools suite, lets enterprise application programmers use their COBOL programming skills to quickly create leading-edge distributed business applications. With NetExpress, IT organizations can bridge mainframe and desktop application technologies to proactively tackle their mounting demands for business applications.

"Organizations need to build applications quickly that integrate with their existing technology infrastructures," said Paul Gross, vice president of development tools at Microsoft Corp. "The open, extensible environment of Visual Studio and Micro Focus NetExpress, along with the enabling foundation of Windows(R) DNA, make this ease of integration a reality."

Through the extensive use of wizards, or pre-programmed rules and code-generating templates, NetExpress shortens the development cycle by eliminating the need for programmers to understand the complexities of networking, the Web environment, application componentry and database access. Programmers can begin to use NetExpress to reduce the time required to deliver complete and tested business applications, allowing them to focus on business processes, rather than underlying technologies.

"Micro Focus is committed to helping our customers leverage their skills and investments in legacy code with state-of-the-art technologies," said Chris Sanders, senior vice president of product operations at Micro Focus. "Through our support of the Microsoft Visual Studio Enterprise Edition, our customers have an effective solution for their desktop-to-data center development needs."

The relationship between Micro Focus and Microsoft comes under the auspices of Microsoft's Enterprise Development Tools Partner program, which promotes the joint integration of Microsoft and partner development tools. Participation in the program affords Micro Focus early access to Microsoft platform technology and directions. This enables mutual customers to readily exploit the value delivered by both companies' offerings.

About Microsoft Visual Studio

Micro Focus is one of many companies announcing support for Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0. Visual Studio 6.0 Professional Edition is a comprehensive suite of industry-leading development tools for building business applications for the Windows NT(R) Server network operating system, including client/server, multitier and Web-based solutions.

Visual Studio 6.0 Professional Edition features the Visual Basic(R) 6.0 development system, the Visual C (R) 6.0 development system, the Visual J (tm) 6.0 development system for Java, the Visual InterDev(tm) 6.0 Web development system, the Visual FoxPro(R) 6.0 database development system, Windows NT Option Pack and the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN(tm)) Library CD-ROM.

Visual Studio 6.0 Enterprise Edition is the complete suite for rapidly building scalable enterprise solutions. The Enterprise Edition comes with all the components of the Professional Edition and also includes key enterprise and team development features designed to help developers rapidly build scalable, distributed applications that can be easily integrated with existing enterprise systems and applications.

More information on Visual Studio 6.0 is available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/.>About Microsoft's Enterprise Development Tools Partner Program

Micro Focus is a member of Microsoft's unique Enterprise Development Tools Partner (EDP) program. A premier tier of the MSDN ISV program, the EDP program is a strategic alliance of Microsoft and vendors of enterprise development tools. Working together with Microsoft, the Enterprise Partners deliver premier tools to corporate development customers, helping them build enterprise-class solutions with Visual Studio and the Windows NT platform.

For more information about the program, visit the http://www.microsoft.com/edevpartner/site.>About Micro Focus

Micro Focus (NASDAQ:MIFGY; London Stock Exchange: MICF) provides solutions for developing and managing enterprise applications that run on mainframes. The company's solutions focus on leveraging the value of the mainframe application base into newer distributed computing technologies such as the Internet. The company's products and services deliver outstanding value and shorten time-to-solution through an analysis and understanding of mainframe applications.

Micro Focus solutions include mainframe application development and maintenance solutions, Year 2000 compliance solutions and distributed computing solutions for UNIX, Microsoft Windows NT and the World Wide Web.