At Milia '99, Microsoft Shows How DirectX Can in Cannes!

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 22, 1999--

Microsoft to host a seminar showcasing DirectX on the 10th

and sponsoring the first Techno Party on the 11th,

to launch DirectMusic(TM)

Reed Midem Organisation today announced that Microsoft's Developer Relations Group (DRG) is exhibiting for the first time at Milia / Milia Games '99, to be held from February 9-12, 1999 at The Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France.

Microsoft's DRG is taking advantage of the gathering of all major software developers and publishers at Milia / Milia Games '99 to host a half-day seminar to be held on February 10th in Auditorium A from 9am until noon. This seminar, which will highlight the future of the Microsoft Windows(R) family of operating systems as a major games and multimedia platform, will feature a keynote speech from Morris Beton, Director of the Developer Relations Group for the Microsoft Corporation, alongside a DirectX 7.0 round-up and third party testimonials.

In addition, we are pleased to announce that Microsoft is also sponsor of Milia's first Techno Party, following the ECCSELL Awards Ceremony - to take place on February 11th at The Martinez Hotel - as part of the launch of DirectMusic, the latest component upgrade in the DirectX suite.

"Milia is an ideal event for Microsoft's Developer Relations Group, as it represents the first significant European industry get-together of 1999," says Mike Gamble, European Product and Evangelism Manager. "We look forward to using the show to renew acquaintances with a number of old colleagues and, hopefully, to develop a series of new relationships."

Microsoft(R) DirectX(R) Profile

Microsoft DirectX is a group of technologies designed by Microsoft to make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running and displaying applications rich in multimedia elements such as full-colour graphics, video, 3-D animation, and surround sound. Built into the Microsoft Windows(R) family of operating systems, DirectX is an integral part of Windows 98 and Windows 2000, as well as Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0. DirectX components may also be automatically installed on your system by advanced multimedia games and applications written for Windows 95.

Microsoft's goal in developing DirectX was to provide developers with a common set of instructions and components that would accomplish two things.

- First, DirectX would allow developers to be confident that their multimedia applications would run on any Windows-based PC, no matter what the hardware, and at the same time ensure that their products take full advantage of high-performance hardware capabilities to achieve the best possible performance. This was accomplished through the DirectX Foundation layer.

- Second, DirectX would make life easier for developers by giving them tools that simplify the creation and playback of multimedia content, while at the same time making it easier to integrate a wide range of multimedia elements. DirectX does this with the DirectX Media layer.

DirectX provides developers with new opportunities for creativity and innovation by allowing them to focus on building unique features for their application without having to worry about which display adapter, sound card, or 3-D accelerator chip is installed in the target PC. And, because DirectX was designed to support future innovations in software and hardware, developers and consumers can be confident that they will continue to get the best possible performance from their applications as technology advances.

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