November 24, 1995 NCOMPASS ANNOUNCES WINDOWS 95 OLE CONTROL PLUG-
IN FOR NETSCAPE 2.0 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: EXCITE CENTER, SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY 

In September 1995, ExCITE's NCompass team released the first World 
Wide Web browser to support OLE controls.  Now the NCompass team 
at ExCITE has created a plug-in which allows OLE controls to work 
inside Netscape 2.0.  By integrating two key industry standards -
Microsoft's OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) and the Internet's 
HTML (the World Wide Web's programming language) - this new technology 
allows software developers to rapidly create robust component-based 
applications for distribution on the Internet. 

Using NCompass' OLE control plug-in, real-time interactive multimedia 
on the Internet becomes a reality.  Now, service-based software applications 
ranging from three-dimensional action games to groupware, from resume 
design and layout to investment planning, is possible over the Internet. 


The possibilities are limitless. For instance, a company which creates 
tax preparation software would make use of this new technology to 
avoid packaging and distribution cost and make its application available 
over the Internet for a small service fee. 

With the NCompass technology any computer application can be downloaded 
quickly and effortlessly from a World Wide Web site, as long as the 
application is designed in small components using OLE controls.  
These types of controls are already an integral part of the Windows 
development environment.  If you're investing in development of Windows 
95 applications, a single development effort can support both shrink-
wrap and Internet versions of your software.  This means that not 
only can the NCompass technology deliver the highest quality desktop 
applications, but it can use OLE to seamlessly integrate Internet-
based applications with Windows 95 desktop applications such as word 
processors and spreadsheets. 

"We're introducing an open standard around the most powerful and 
ubiquitous development tools available," says NCompass development 
team leader, Kerem Karatal. "Both Microsoft and NCSA (Mosaic) support 
the open standards path we're taking," says Dr. Gerri Sinclair, ExCITE's 
director.  "We're really excited about the potential for applications 
using OLE on the Internet." 

NCompass opens up a world of new possibilities in Internet computing. 

For more information on NCompass, and examples of what can be done,
check out: http://www.excite.sfu.ca/NCompass/ 
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