March 24 1997.Today, ComponentSource™ confirmed its continuing partnership with Microsoft® to include its CDs with all new copies of Visual Basic 5.0 (English International Edition) sold throughout Europe.

A ComponentSource wallet, containing two CDs, will be included free with each new and upgraded Visual Basic 5.0 box sold, giving developers an electronic æsupermarketÆ of over 450 third party ActiveXTM controls, software components, and tools to try, buy and use with their Microsoft development tool. The new wallet which carries the Microsoft ActiveX logo on the front updates the previous ComponentSource wallet distributed with Visual Basic 4.0.

The new CDs are designed to give developers information and instant accessibility to the largest range of commercial software components available. The component products included on the CDs deliver powerful add-on functionality to MicrosoftÆs latest range of visual development tools.Together with Visual Basic, developers can create sophisticated, component based PC and web applications in a fraction of the time and cost taken to create the same software from scratch.

New products included in the Visual Basic 5.0 ComponentSource wallet include Sheridan SoftwareÆs top-selling application designer, ActiveThreed (3D), together with VideosoftÆs brand new database tool, VSDATA and Logic WorksÆ creative data modelling product, ERwin Open.

The CDs also include up-dates to previous versions of best-selling software components such as GeoView from Blue Marble Geographics, Faxman from Data Techniques, and Crescent Internet Toolpak from Crescent.

As well as content, ComponentSource has also updated its CD technology. Enhancements include a new 32Bit version of the browser which provides a number of important new benefits. For example, a new find facility helps users to search for all new products and updated versions of software immediately. With these features, ComponentSource provides a comprehensive, user-friendly interactive library of third party components.

Said Andrew King, Marketing Manager for the Developer Customer unit at Microsoft, "Our vision is to make it easy for developers to integrate client/server and the Internet by building applications using ActiveX components. Visual Basic 5.0 is the worldÆs most popular rapid application development tool, and with the inclusive gallery of ActiveX components provided on the ComponentSource CDs, it adds up to a powerful and productive combination."

Said Adrian Robinson, Managing Director of ComponentSource, " We are delighted to be part of the Visual Basic 5.0 launch. The ActiveX control creation capabilities now part of Visual Basic will mean thousands of new components with diverse functionality becoming available through ComponentSource for businesses to incorporate into their applications."

ComponentSource CDs are available to developers free of charge. To receive an introductory welcome pack and regular CD updates, developers should register at: http://www.componentsource.com or call the companyÆs express registration service on: +44 (0) 118 958 1111.

ComponentSource specialises in the supply of software components, companion products and add-ons to global enterprise and software businesses. It is the first company to offer component vendors secure encryption of their retail products on a freely distributed CD-ROM aimed specifically at component users. ComponentSource CDs are distributed with all new and upgrade sales of Microsoft Visual Basic (English international edition), and to the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) in Europe.