REDMOND, Wash. - Aug. 20, 1998 - Microsoft Corp. and DataChannel Inc. today announced that they have collaborated to deliver XML technology, specifically, an enhanced XML parser written in the Java language. Microsoft selected DataChannel for this effort because of the company's expertise in both XML and the Java language.

The goal of the collaboration is to develop and deliver XML technology that will allow developers to write XML-enabled applications on multiple platforms, taking advantage of Microsoft® XML functionality. An early beta version of the XML parser written in Java will be downloadable from http://www.datachannel.com/xml.html and http://www.microsoft.com/xml/ by the end of August.

"The Microsoft and DataChannel co-development is an example of what two companies can do to promote the wide adoption of XML-enabled applications," said David Pool, CEO and president, DataChannel. "DataChannel's co-development agreement with Microsoft will make possible a new class of server-side applications on platforms such as Sun Solaris, HP UNIX and Linux, enabling the tightest level of control and communications with the next generation of Microsoft operating systems and applications."

"The combined expertise of the DataChannel and Microsoft development teams will deliver the power of the world's best XML technology to Java developers," said Ben Algaze, manager of business development at Microsoft. "This will continue to accelerate the drive toward XML as the universal format for structured data on the World Wide Web."

The XML parser written in Java is XML 1.0-compliant. In addition, this early release also includes support for validation against a Document Type Definition, or DTD, and supports the Namespaces facility currently under development in the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

In addition, DataChannel's XML Server Technology together with the XML parser written in Java enables developers to do the following:

• Access a variety of data sources using XML interfaces including databases, mainframes, document management systems, ERP applications and Web resources.
• Rapidly develop and deploy next-generation XML-based applications using the DataChannel usability framework extensions that allows end users to publish, search and distribute content within corporate intranets.
• Manage access to applications and information with support for Windows NT 4.0 Server directory services and for Windows NT 5.0 Server Active Directory.

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© 1998 DataChannel, Inc.