"We encourage all software developers to register for this special JBuilder beta program," said Zack Urlocker, Borland's vice president of product management. "This initial preview is designed for select corporate developers and third-party ISVs to evaluate JBuilder and provide direct input to our development team. In the coming months, we will expand the program to invite more developers to join. Our goal is to deliver the most robust, most tested, and most productive development tool for Java."

Borland JBuilder is a scalable, visual Java development tool for creating high-performance, platform-independent client/server and multi-tier applications that span the enterprise. Scheduled for general availability later this year, JBuilder's highly productive, component-based environment is designed for all levels of development projects ranging from applets and applications that require client/server database connectivity to enterprise-wide, distributed computing solutions. As part of Borland's Golden Gate strategy to support major industry standards in all of its tools, JBuilder's open environment supports 100% pure Java, JavaBeans™, JDKÖ 1.1, ActiveX, JDBC™, ODBC, all major corporate database servers, and provides developers with the flexibility to incorporate add-ins, JavaBeans components, and third-party Wizards to greatly expand the capabilities of the tools.

Complete Support for JavaBeans & JDK 1.1
Borland JBuilder is one of the first Java development environments with complete support for JavaSoft's JDK 1.1 and JavaBeans component architecture. This support gives JBuilder developers a real advantage -- especially in the area of database connectivity.

"Borland's experience with object-oriented development environments has contributed to the development of the JavaBeans component model," said Jon Kannegaard, vice president of software products at JavaSoft, a business unit of Sun Microsystems Inc. "With Borland's help, we have been able to greatly extend the flexibility and robustness of the Java language. We recognize the importance of high-quality, component-based RAD tools like JBuilder to the continued success of Java."

Oracle Licenses Borland JBuilder Technology
As announced last month in a worldwide, non-exclusive agreement, Oracle Corp. will license Borland's Java and C++ development technologies for use with Oracle database systems and application development tools. Under the terms of this agreement, Oracle will integrate and distribute JBuilder and Borland C++BuilderÖ software tools with a number of Oracle's existing and future products.

Borland has also announced a licensing agreement with Visigenic Software, Inc. to integrate Visigenic's VisiBroker for Java Object Request Broker (ORB) into JBuilder's client/server and enterprise versions. VisiBroker for Java will enable JBuilder developers to use the Internet Inter-ORB Protocol (IIOP) and link distributed application objects on local servers or across the Internet.

"Visigenic shares our vision of enabling distributed applications using Web technologies," said Jeff Rudy, Borland's vice president of research and development. "The integration of Visigenic's ORB into JBuilder's Client/Server Suite will provide our customers an infrastructure that facilitates the communication between Web-based applications and intranet enterprise applications using IIOP. As a leader in high-performance application development tools, Borland is continuing to align with industry leaders like Visigenic and Oracle."

By licensing Visigenic's Java ORB and its implementation of IIOP, Borland will allow developers using JBuilder to build open, distributed applications based on an industry standard. IIOP is the object messaging protocol for communication between Web-based client/server software programs and enterprise applications based on CORBA standards.

"We are excited to see Borland selecting Visigenic's ORB technology for its future JBuilder development tool," said Rod Butters, senior director of object technology for Oracle Corporation. "Oracle's goal with Network Computing Architecture is to establish a standards-based framework for distributed object computing, and this agreement between Borland and Visigenic helps further that goal."

Borland: Making Development Easier
Borland International, Inc. (NASDAQ:BORL) is a leading provider of high-quality software products for software application developers worldwide. Borland is distinguished for its award-winning family of rapid application development tools and scalable middleware technology for desktop, client/server, Internet/intranet, and enterprise systems. The Company's products are supported through comprehensive corporate and independent developer programs, value added resellers, and systems integrators. Founded in 1983, Borland is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California.

Note: Forward-looking statements in this release, including but not limited to, those concerning Borland's future financial performance, product availability dates, and the potential features of or benefits to be derived from the Company's products, involve a number of uncertainties and risks, and actual events or results may differ materially. Factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially include, among others, the following: possible disruptive effects of organizational or personnel changes, shifts in customer demand, market acceptance of the Company's new or enhanced products, delays in scheduled product availability dates, actions or announcements by competitors, software errors, general business conditions and market growth rates in the client/server and Internet software markets, and other factors described in the Company's S.E.C. reports on forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and the Borland prospectus relating to the acquisition of Open Environment Corporation.

Java, JavaSoft, JavaBeans, JDK and JDBC are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the US and other countries. Borland product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Borland International, Inc. Other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of the party using such names.