June 18, 1996
REDWOOD SHORES, Calif-Oracle Corp. today announced the immediate availability of PowerBrowser Release 1.5, the first browser on the market to offer support for both Java and Basic scripting. With this release, Oracle PowerBrowser adds support for Java(TM), Sun's cross-platform programming language that is designed for secure two-way, real-time interaction over the Internet. Java "applets" allow standard Web pages to come alive by adding live animation, expert graphics, live information updates and greater user interactivity with networked servers.
Designed from the ground up to meet the demands of corporate users and developers, Oracle PowerBrowser 1.5 is a full-function intranet client that incorporates state-of-the-art Web navigation, a drag-and-drop Personal Server, built-in Java and Basic scripting capabilities, and support for third-party applications called Network Loadable Objects (NLOs). It also includes an easy-to-use Database Wizard that helps users quickly create database-enabled Web applications.
"While the rest of the browser industry fights a language battle, Oracle is continuing its successful tradition of providing customers with a choice of programming languages," said Jeff Menz, senior product manager, in Oracle's PowerBrowser development group. "Millions of developers worldwide already know Basic, and many are excited by the new interactive possibilities offered by Java. Companies looking to build intranets for the long term need a choice of languages, and only Oracle PowerBrowser delivers that flexibility."
Oracle PowerBrowser 1.5 incorporates all the capabilities of a state-of-the-art Web browser and supports the standards now used on the Web-HTML version 2.0, as well as all of the major proposed extensions for HTML 3.0, including frames, tables and GIF animation. The extensible, flexible architecture allows the addition of multimedia capabilities, 3D navigation and emerging data formats.
Beyond traditional browsing capabilities, Oracle PowerBrowser's built-in Basic scripting and data publishing capabilities offer universal access to corporate information, whether it resides on a server or distributed clients. With Basic, users and developers can add intelligence to any Web page by embedding scripts written in the Basic language. Building Basic into the browser also brings standard forms-based processing to the Web, and automates routine, administrative tasks such as forms-based field validation and calculations.
For corporate users who are constantly slicing and dicing electronic documents and data, Oracle PowerBrowser's integrated Personal Server allows users to quickly publish this value added data to their "Webgroup" and enterprise.
This empowers content owners to become content providers on their corporate intranet. The Personal Server includes an Authoring Wizard so users can quickly and easily create their own Web pages.
Additional features include:
Network Loadable Objects (NLOs): Oracle PowerBrowser allows users to extend the browser's capabilities by downloading and executing third-party applications called NLOs. For example, PowerBrowser can execute video conferencing or existing client/server applications from within any Web page automatically. NLOs are installed transparently from secure servers and are also compatible with Netscape 2.0 Plug-ins.
Database Wizard: PowerBrowser users can quickly access and publish corporate data through their Personal Server. The Database Wizard leads the user through an easy, three step process to publish data by selecting data sources and query and result fields. The Database Wizard works with data stored in any Oracle or other ODBC- compliant database.
Secure Sockets Layer: Oracle PowerBrowser supports both SSL 2.0 and 3.0, providing data encryption and authentication to enable secure data communications over the Internet and intranets. Used in conjunction with the advanced security capabilities of Oracle WebServer 2.0 and Oracle(R) Universal Server(R), Oracle PowerBrowser provides the most secure platform for Web applications.
Oracle PowerBrowser 1.5 with Java is available for free from http://www.oracle.com, and runs on Windows 3.x, Windows 95 and Windows NT.
Oracle PowerBrowser is also available for rebranding and customization, so corporate customers can create and deliver specialized clients to their customers for accessing new types of interactive business applications.
Versions for Apple Macintosh and UNIX will follow the Windows versions.
For more information about Oracle, please call (415) 506-7000. Oracle's World Wide Web address is (URL) http://www.oracle.com/.
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