Symantec Corporation (Nasdaq: SYMC) announced today the availability of Visual Cafe for Java 2.0 Database Development Edition, an open standard, multi-platform, Rapid Application Development (RAD) tool for developing Java applets and applications. Visual Cafe for Java 2.0 Database Development Edition is the third generation release of Symantec's award winning Cafe line behind Cafe and Visual Cafe, and is designed for use by developers who need to write, debug and deploy Java applications that interface with relational databases.

Visual Cafe for Java 2.0, Database Development Edition includes Symantec's powerful Java IDE, Symantec's dbANYWHERE middleware server solution, Symantec's Visual Page HTML authoring application, Netscape FastTrack Web server, Netscape Communicator Web browser, 100 plus JavaBeans including database enabled beans, 20 database templates, JFC, JDK 1.1, native compilation, incremental debugging, and is the most complete solution for Java development.

Visual Cafe for Java 2.0, Database Development Edition provides a powerful upgrade path for current owners of Symantec Visual Cafe Pro through the integration of the development power provided by the latest Java technology and the most complete set of tools that enable Java applications to interface with relational databases. The dbANYWHERE full server included with Visual Cafe for Java 2.0, Database Development Edition provides native support for Informix, Oracle, MS-SQL Server and Sybase, with a 25-connection limit which can be upgraded to allow unlimited database connection, and the capability of running in NT service mode.

"Visual Cafe for Java 2.0, Database Development Edition is a blend of Symantec's industrial strength drag-and-drop Java IDE and database connectivity components, and is designed for corporate Internet and Intranet application developers," said Mansour Safai, Vice President of Symantec's Internet Tools Division. "We are providing a powerful one-stop shop for anyone who needs to interface Java applications with large databases."

Visual Cafe for Java 2.0, Database Development Edition is a part of Symantec's suite of Java development tools, which also provides a super set of the functionality of Visual Caf? for Java Professional Development Edition and Visual Cafe for Java Web Development Edition.

Visual Cafe for Java 2.0, Database Development Edition enables Java developers to assemble complete Java applications with database connectivity from a library of standard and third party components, and to create Java applications with database connectivity using components, templates and JavaBeans. It includes Version 2.0 of Symantec's Visual Cafe Integrated Development Environment (IDE), which now offers incremental debugging and native compilation of Java source code to x86 platforms, as well as support for JDK 1.1 and JavaBeans. The full version of dbANYWHERE Server enables drag-and-drop visual programming through a database form wizard, native support for Informix, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase relational databases, and includes a database-aware component library and database application templates.

Antone Ritter, an Intranet Development Engineer at Computer Sciences Corporation, in Fort Worth, TX, currently uses Visual Cafe Pro and dbANYWHERE to design a distributed engineering application in Java. He feels the new power features of Visual Cafe for Java 2.0 Database Development Edition will dramatically shorten his development time. "I'm writing Java applets, so being able to debug incrementally, without subsequently recompiling to test my changes, will add up to some significant time savings during development and testing," he stated.

Key Features

In addition to the enhancements made to Visual Cafe itself, Visual Cafe for Java 2.0, Database Development Edition includes Symantec's Visual Page for Windows HTML authoring application, dbANYWHERE Server middleware a number of third party applications, making it the most powerful, complete and robust solution for professional database developers. Key features in this release include:

Native compilation

The Native Compiler allows developers to take 100% pure Java source code and compile it directly to native x86 code automatically generating a fast Windows executable application;

Incremental debugging

Incremental debugging enables the developer to make changes to the source code while debugging and dramatically reduces development time by eliminating the typical edit/save/recompile/debug cycle;

Support for JDK 1.1

The powerful functionality found in JDK 1.1 has been incorporated throughout Visual Cafe for Java 2.0 Database Development Edition including the source editor, interaction wizard/assistant, form editor, parser, debugger, and compiler;

JavaBeans support

JavaBeans can be incorporated into applications by inserting or by dragging and dropping them, and all components (over 100) included with the product are now JavaBeans. Properties within third party JavaBeans can be viewed and modified. JavaSoft's JFC library also is included;

Conversion of JDK 1.02 to JDK 1.1

Visual Cafe for Java Database Development Edition helps developers automatically convert source files from JDK 1.02 to JDK 1.1;

Visual Page HTML authoring and publishing tool

Applets and HTML files from Visual Cafe can be opened and previewed within the recently released Visual Page, allowing developers to easily integrate and drag and drop Java applets into a web page;

Project management features

Project file management features have been added through the new File View in the Project Window. Sub-folders can be dragged and dropped and JAR files can be created as output. Projects from Symantec Cafe and Microsoft's Visual J++ can be imported. Sub-projects are also supported in the Project Window;

Bundling and JAR (Java archive) support

Reduces the size of applications and applets by employing JAR compression for easy distribution;

Enhanced JIT compiler

Enhancements have been implemented in the JIT compiler to make it even faster -- it is now the fastest shipping JIT compiler, and is included in both Sun's JDK 1.1 and in Netscape Communicator 4.0;

Insert Class Wizard

New Insert Class Wizard gives developers the ability to extend classes and override methods easily.

Database development features

Visual Cafe for Java 2.0, Database Development Edition also includes the following components specifically designed for professional database developers or for developers who are designing a Java-based front end to existing databases. With this release, Symantec has, for the first time, united the most complete collection of tools for Java development and database connectivity in one application environment:

* dbANYWHERE Server is a 100% JDBC-compatible Windows 95 and Windows NT platform middleware server solution comes with fully licensed drivers and unlimited sessions for Sybase SQL Anywhere Professional and Microsoft Access. It offers a three-tier architecture, providing light client configurations while off-loading network and database traffic. Only a Java-enabled browser is required on all of the users' machines. Direct drivers for Oracle and Sybase databases, Microsoft SQL Server, and ODBC are also included with a 25- connection limit. (Full licenses with unlimited connections are available from Symantec);

* Sybase SQL Anywhere development and runtime environments: A powerful relational database that allows developers to not only develop with the database but also to deploy it within a workgroup;

* Netscape FastTrack Server: A powerful Web server from Netscape Communications Corp.

Other third party additions

The following third party tools are also included:

* Netscape Communicator 4.0;

* Object Space's JGL: A collection of high quality algorithms and containers for use by professional developers;

* Object Design's PSE: A personal object database, which allows developers to write applications and applets with persistence.

Pricing and Availability

Symantec's Visual Cafe for Java 2.0, Database Development Edition is expected to sell for an Estimated Retail Price (ERP) of $499.95. Upgrades from Visual Cafe Pro are available from Symantec for $99.

About Java

Java is a programming language developed by Sun Microsystems for developing cross-platform applications across the public Internet and corporate Intranets. Sun Microsystems, Inc.'s Java, is the de facto standard platform for network computing.

About Symantec's Internet Tools Group

The Symantec Internet Tools Division pioneered the Java development tools market by delivering the first development product for Java in March 1996, and is currently the market leader in Java Development Tools. The division continues to develop, market and support a complete line of Java development tools worldwide, which takes advantage of the latest advances in Java technology.

The company's line of Windows and Macintosh products, including, Cafe, Visual Cafe for Java, and Visual Page have garnered widespread industry acceptance and have won numerous industry awards, including JavaWorld Editors' Choice Award, Java Developer's Journal World Class Award, ZD Internet Net Best, Jolt Cola, Byte Best of Comdex, PC Magazine Editor's Choice, c/net Best of the Net, Web Techniques Best Java Tool of the Year Award, among many others.

About Symantec

Symantec Corporation helps make users productive and keeps their computers safe and reliable, anywhere and anytime. Symantec offers a broad range of solutions and is acclaimed as a leader in both customer satisfaction and product brand recognition. The company is focused on addressing customer needs in three main application areas: the Norton product line of anti-virus and PC-assistance products; the pcAnywhere, WinFax and ACT! product lines that cater to remote user productivity; and the Cafe product lines in Internet development tools.

Founded in 1982, the company's global operations span North America, Europe, Japan and several fast growing markets throughout Asia Pacific and Latin America. Traded on Nasdaq under the symbol SYMC, Symantec Corporation is based in Cupertino, California and employs more than 2,000 people. Information on the company and its products can be obtained by calling (800) 441-7234 toll free, (541) 334-6054 or accessed on the World Wide Web at http://www.symantec.com.