Oracle Corporation announces Oracle Card for Pen Computing; first application development tool for pen-based client/server computing

April 27, 1992 — Oracle Corporation, the world’s largest supplier of database software and services, today announced its first tool for building pen-based client/server applications, Oracle Card for Pen Computing. Oracle Card is Oracle’s premier portable, graphical client/server application development environment for Microsoft’s Windows, Apple’s Macintosh, and now Microsoft’s Windows for Pen Computing operating system.

Oracle Card for Pen Computing allows application developers to build client/server applications using the new generation of pen computers as clients. Oracle Card for Pen Computing includes the ability to store “ink” generated by pen-based operating systems into Oracle databases. Ink is a new datatype integrated into pen-based operating systems that displays the strokes of the pen and stores them as they are created by the user.

“Oracle Card for Pen Computing allows applications developers to quickly develop pen-based applications that communicate with ORACLE databases,” said Marc R. Benioff, corporate vice president of Oracle’s New Technology Division. “Oracle Card developers will be able to leverage their existing investment in applications and training while maximizing the power of the pen.”

APPLICATIONS WILL TARGET MOBILE MARKETPLACE

Oracle Card for Pen Computing is targeted for application developers building solutions for mobile field and office workers, an expanding market not yet fully reached by existing desktop and notebook PCs. Oracle Card for Pen Computing applications will offer users a new level of ease of use, while allowing developers to compete in a market that has few competitors. Oracle Card’s object-based development environment and built-in jump-start tools facilitate rapid application development.

“Mobile pen-computer users will require powerful yet easy-to-use tools to access information and data. Oracle Card for Pen Computing reflects Oracle’s experience with providing a multitude of database and data access tools combined with the power and flexibility of Windows for Pens,” said Mike Maples, executive vice president, Worldwide Products Group at Microsoft. “We are extremely excited about Oracle’s commitment to supporting Windows for Pen Computing and this new class of users.”

Oracle Card for Pen Computing was demonstrated for the first time by Bill Gates at Microsoft’s introduction of Microsoft Windows for Pen Computing on April 7th, 1992.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS, PRICING, AND AVAILABILITY

Oracle Card version 1.1 requires an 80386 pen-based computer, Microsoft Windows for Pen Computing, four megabytes of RAM, and an ORACLE database. Oracle Card for Pen Computing will be available in the fourth quarter of 1992. Pricing will be announced upon shipment.

Oracle Card recently won PC Week Lab’s multiplatform database shootout. Ziff-Davis’ PC Week Newspaper hosted the leading database management companies at Networld/Dallas. Oracle Card competed against Borland’s dBASE IV, Blyth’s Omnis, and Fox Software’s Foxbase. Oracle Card scored first after a detailed evaluation in 35 data management categories by a panel of corporate judges.

ABOUT ORACLE

Oracle Corporation, headquartered in Redwood Shores, Calif., is the largest supplier of DBMS software and the third largest software and services company in the world. Oracle develops and markets an integrated line of software products for database management, computer-aided systems engineering (CASE), applications development, decision support and office automation, as well as families of financial, manufacturing and human resource applications. Oracle products are available on PCs, minicomputers and mainframes, and Oracle is the first and only open relational database to run on massively parallel supercomputers. The company offers its products, along with related consulting, education and support services, in 92 countries around the world. Oracle is a publicly held corporation whose shares are traded on NASDAQ/NMS with ticker symbol ORCL.

Oracle Card is a client/server development environment that uniquely delivers portability, adaptability and productivity to application developers committed to leveraging their investment in networks and staying on the competitive edge of new technology as they build modern distributed applications.

For further information about Oracle, call Oracle world headquarters at (415)506-7000, or write to Oracle Corporation at 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, Calif., 94065.

A screen shot of Oracle Card Version 1.1 for Windows is available by calling 415-506-3499.

note to Editors: ORACLE and Oracle Card are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. Oracle Card is an extension of technology of Spinnaker Plus. IBM and DB2 are trademarks of IBM Corporation. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows for Pen Computing are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Other companies own numerous trademarks throughout.

CONTACT:
Oracle Corporation, Redwood Shores
Marc Benioff, 415/506-3610 Set Marketing On
Susan Spiner, 212/989-3131