Press Releases - 1999

SAN MATEO, CA, November 1, 1999 — PointBase today announced an agreement to bundle the PointBase 100% Pure Java™ relational database with future releases of Symantec's VisualCafé™, the award-winning, number-one selling Java development tool. With this announcement, PointBase and Symantec extend their leadership for Java developers, who can now easily create Java applications that require relational database support at any level, from server to hand-held appliance to network device. VisualCafé applications written with PointBase's standards-based Java relational database can now be easily migrated to any corporate database systems that support both SQL and JDBC.

"PointBase continues to evolve its product strategy with announcements that integrate data management functions from embedded device applications all the way through to back-end servers for e-commerce" said Carl Olofson, Research Director for International Data Corp. "Clearly its relationship with Symantec makes it much easier for developers to access tools for developing Internet data management applications that will be hosted at all levels on the Net."

Seamless integration streamlines development
The small-footprint PointBase database offers developers full relational database functionality, integrated installation with VisualCafé, data synchronization and near-zero administration, enabling the creation of extremely portable multi-threaded applications that can function autonomously on a wide variety of platforms. VisualCafé automatically configures the database as part of a developer's standard environment. This includes establishing the appropriate settings for database connections, users, files and network addresses. Developers can use the standard VisualCafé interface to write, test and debug their database application code. Furthermore, they can use the familiar, standard VisualCafé windows and menus to establish and monitor database connections during application development and testing.

"Bundling the PointBase Java database in the VisualCafé development environment strengthens our ability to deliver tightly integrated solutions to developers building server-side and database-intensive applications," said Mansour Safai, vice president of Symantec's Internet Tools Division. "Now, Java developers can focus on writing application code without the headaches associated with installing and configuring a separate database."

Easy migration to other SQL database systems
PointBase provides a scalable and robust database supporting key industry standards including Java, SQL, JDBC, and XML. PointBase has implemented the standard SQL-92 and SQL-99 interfaces used by all major databases. As a result, VisualCafé applications written with PointBase can be easily migrated without change to existing corporate database systems that support the SQL standards.

"With PointBase, developers can jump-start their efforts with the assurance that their applications will be compatible with virtually any SQL database environment," added Safai. "They can develop, test and implement their application using PointBase and then implement the solution, without making any changes, on their existing database system, such as Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server."

"From the start, PointBase and Symantec set a goal to deliver the best out-of-the-box experience to the over 50,000 registered developers using VisualCafé," said Bruce Scott, CEO of PointBase "Our collaboration means that both best-of-breed technologies will seamlessly interoperate to provide the most productive development environment possible."

About PointBase The PointBase family of 100% Pure Java embedded data management products enables a new class of Java-based networked applications to support e-commerce, Web-based mobile workers, and Internet devices such as Web/cable set-top boxes. PointBase provides the lowest cost of ownership by delivering robust, platform-independent data storage with breakthroughs in ease of use, data synchronization, near-zero administration, and portability. PointBase was established in 1998 by Bruce Scott, co-founder of Oracle Corporation and Gupta/Centura Software, and Jeff Richey, one of the key developers of the Sybase SQL database server. The management team includes industry veterans from IBM, Oracle, Sybase, Hewlett-Packard and Sun Microsystems. More information about PointBase can be obtained on the World Wide Web at http://www.pointbase.com.

About Symantec's Internet Tools Division
The Symantec Internet Tools Division pioneered the Java development tools market by delivering the first integrated development environment (IDE) for Java in March 1996 and has been the #1 selling Java application environment for three years running. Symantec continues a tradition of innovation that distinguishes VisualCafé as the market share leader in JavaTM development technology. Symantec announced June 10 that it will establish the Internet Tools Division as an independent company focusing on providing solutions for e-commerce and technology for Web-enabling business systems and legacy applications. See entire press release at www.visualcafe.com.

About Symantec
Symantec is a world leader in Internet security technology and technology solutions that help companies manage and support workforces that use laptop computers and other mobile devices. The company is a leading provider of software products for the consumer market and is rapidly growing its presence as a provider of solutions to enterprise organizations. For additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, visit www.symantec.com.
 

PointBase is a trademark of PointBase Java and all Java based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Symantec and the Symantec logo are U.S. registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation. VisualCafé is a trademark of Symantec Corporation. All other product, trademark, company or service names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT: This press release contains forward-looking statements. There are certain important factors that could cause Symantec's future development efforts to differ materially from those anticipated by some of the statements made above. Among these are the anticipation of the growth of certain market segments, the positioning of Symantec's products in those segments, the competitive environment in the software industry, dependence on other products, changes to operating systems and product strategy by vendors of operating systems, and the importance of new Symantec products. Additional information concerning those and other factors is contained in the "Risk Factors" section of the company's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 2, 1999.