ActiveState Supports Microsoft .NET Framework; Perl .NET & Python .NET Cross-Language Interoperability

Business Wire, July 11, 2000

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

Microsoft PDC

O'Reilly Open Source Conference

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 11, 2000

ActiveState, a leading supplier of Internet programming software and services, announced today support for Microsoft Corp.'s next generation .NET Framework software with Perl .NET and Python .NET. Their benefits include easy interoperability between languages, cross-language inheritance and they will enable programmers to simply create, extend and consume .NET components.

The .NET Framework is a multi-language, component software architecture from Microsoft that is XML-based, supports SOAP, is scalable, includes error handling and debugging capabilities, and will reduce the amount of 'plumbing' code programmers will need to write.

"As the leader in open source programming languages, we're delighted to provide more options for the millions of Perl and Python developers," said Dick Hardt, CEO, ActiveState. "The Microsoft .NET Framework removes the technical barriers of true cross-language development enabling Perl and Python programmers to leverage components built with other languages and vice versa. This allows programmers to use the language they're most familiar with and that's best suited for the task."

"Microsoft is excited to see the .NET Framework supported by these popular open source scripting languages," said John Montgomery, group product manager, Microsoft .NET Framework at Microsoft. "The combination of ActiveState's Perl .NET, Python .NET and Microsoft's .NET Framework will make it easy for programmers to create Web applications and Web services."

"The .NET Framework fits Perl's motto of 'making easy things easy and hard things possible.' It allows you to directly use components developed in other programming languages without having to write any kind of glue layer," said Jan Dubois, senior developer, ActiveState. "The new Perl .Net compiler also allows you to create .NET Framework components, making the expressive power of Perl available everywhere."

ActiveState will be doing demos of Perl .NET and Python .NET software at the Microsoft PDC conference in Orlando, Fla. and the O'Reilly Open Source Conference in Monterey, Calif.

About ActiveState

ActiveState is at the forefront of open source infrastructure software, providing Internet programming products and services for all popular operating systems including Windows, Linux and Solaris. ActiveState's key technology platforms are Perl, the Internet's most popular programming language and Python, a user-friendly scripting language. ActiveState solutions provide enterprise-wide deployment of Perl, improved programmer productivity, and seamless integration with other technologies. ActiveState believes in the evolution of core Perl and Python technologies and is committed to broadening the appeal of Perl and Python by making available easy to install packages for popular operating systems.

For more information visit www.ActiveState.com.

The information contained in this document relates to prerelease software product that may be substantially modified before its first commercial release. Accordingly, the information may not accurately describe or reflect the software product when first commercially released. This document is provided for informational purposes only, and Microsoft and ActiveState make no warranties, express or implied, with respect to this document or the information contained in it.

Note to Editors: ActiveState, Perl .NET and Python .NET are trademarks of ActiveState Tool Corp. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.