REDMOND, Wash. -- March 16, 1992 -- Microsoft Corporation today introduced
the Professional Toolkit for Visual Basic, the company's highly successful
programming system for the Microsoft Windows operating system. New
programming tools and controls in the Professional Toolkit make it easier
for programmers to access the newest technology in Windows -- including
multimedia, handwriting recognition, and object linking and embedding.
Also included are a collection of custom controls that allow programmers
to quickly plug advanced features and functionality into their programs
such as graphing, spreadsheet-like grids, and graphical 3-D user-interface
components.

Professional Toolkit for Visual Basic Extends Feature Set

"The Professional Toolkit for Visual Basic makes incredibly powerful
functionality and the latest and greatest Windows operating system
features accessible to programmers at all levels," said Michael Risse,
product manager, Professional Toolkit for Visual Basic, at Microsoft. "The
unique custom control mechanism in Visual Basic makes these features as
accessible as the click of a mouse."

Combining the Professional Toolkit with Visual Basic provides a
single-source solution for a broad range of full-featured Windows-based
applications. Professional programmers can use it to enhance existing
applications created with Visual Basic as well as to create new ones. The
new features include controls to enhance applications with the following
technologies:

 Object linking and embedding technology (OLE). Microsoft's OLE technology
lets developers easily create applications that can combine spreadsheet,
word processing, graphics and other OLE server functionalilty into an
application that's customized for specific business uses.

. Pen-based computing. Programmers can extend their current applications --
or write entirely new ones -- for Microsoft Windows for Pen Computing. The
Professional Toolkit includes controls to create text boxes that can hold
pen input as an ink data type or provide automatic access to the pen
recognition engine.

. Multimedia. Developers now can easily write or enhance applications for
Microsoft Multimedia Extensions version 1.0, including video, animation,
CD-quality audio and other multimedia elements.

 Graphing. Pie and bar charts in 2-D or 3-D, in addition to nine other
charting styles, can now be added to applications easily with a complete
graphics package in the Professional Toolkit.

 Grids. Information can be presented in a table complete with resizeable
rows, columns and scroll bars. This makes the display of tabular data a
snap for programmers.

 Multiple Document Interfaces (MDI). The MDI control allows the developer
working with Visual Basic to create applications with multiple child
windows that are contained in a single parent form.

In addition, the Professional Toolkit gives programmers easy access to the
following tools and features:

 More than 15 new controls, including 3-D interface components; animated
buttons, gauges and spin buttons; and access to commonly used dialog
boxes.

. The Windows Help Compiler, to create the custom, online Windows Help
files that users of Windows now expect in their applications.

 The Windows API Online Reference, an accessible guide to Windows
application programming interfaces (APIs) that makes it easier for
programmers to maximize their use of Windows.

 A setup kit that helps developers create standard installation programs
for their applications, plus sample applications, bitmaps and a business
clip-art library.

 Coupon for a free copy of Rumba Tools for Visual Basic, from Wall Data,
Incorporated, which uses custom controls and 3270 emulation to
automatically create Windows-based front-ends to mainframe applications.

 Custom Control Development Kit. Complete documentation and sample code
for creating custom controls for Visual Basic with a compiler such as
Microsoft C 6.0 or later, or Microsoft Quick graphical development system
for Windows.

Visual Basic Custom Controls Provide Highly Integrated Reusable Components

"The custom control mechanism in Visual Basic delivers on the concept of
elegant, efficient code reusability," said Tom Button, group product
manager for the applications programmability group at Microsoft. "While
some development tools force programmers to grapple with
hard-to-understand concepts and high training costs, Visual Basic provides
reusable objects that are as intuitive as Visual Basic itself." More than
60 third-party vendors are currently supporting Visual Basic programmers
by supplying custom controls and other tools that take advantage of the
extensibility in Visual Basic. "We are thrilled to see the unprecedented
growth and excitement in the third-party community for Visual Basic," said
Button.

Background on Visual Basic

First released in May 1991, the Visual Basic programming system has quickly
become one of the most popular dedicated programming tools for Windows.
Using an event-driven programming model designed specifically for fast
programming for Windows, Visual Basic combines graphical interface design
tools with the world's most popular programming language.

The Visual Basic programming system is also one of the most cost-effective
tools of its type, with run-time and royalty-free implementation that
makes it less costly for developers to distribute finished applications to
customers.

Designed for Broad-based Professional Use

The Professional Toolkit for Visual Basic is designed for MIS staff,
corporate programmers, analysts, consultants, value-added resellers (VARs)
and independent software vendors (ISVs) writing vertical market programs
for business, professional or entertainment use.

"Visual Basic is very intuitive," said Walther De Petris, senior technical
consultant at Marathon Systems Inc. "With the availability of the
Professional Toolkit for Visual Basic, we can easily enhance the
environment via the variety of custom controls provided. "

"The Professional Toolkit for Visual Basic provides me with a great set of
custom controls," said Ted Young, president of The Young Software Works.
"Now I can get an application up and running in record time, giving me
time to make the application more powerful and easier to use."

Microsoft teamed with six independent software developers -- Crescent
Software, Desaware, MicroHelp, OutRider Systems, Pinnacle Publishing and
Sheridan Software Systems --to provide the new tools and controls in the
Professional Toolkit. "The ability of these developers -- and more than 40
others -- to quickly create add-ons for Visual Basic demonstrates the
value of the extensibility built into Visual Basic and Windows," said
Risse.

Pricing and Availability

The Professional Toolkit for Visual Basic is available now for the
suggested retail price of $299. Microsoft Visual Basic with Professional
Toolkit is available for the suggested retail price of $495.

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