Bluestone announces Sapphire/Web 3.0 availability -- Delivers Oracle Web Request Broker Cartridge.

MT. LAUREL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 4, 1996--Bluestone Inc. a leader in Web application development tools, professional services and training, Monday announced the availability of Sapphire/Web version 3.0.

With this release, Sapphire/Web becomes the industry's first product to commercially support Oracle's Web Request Broker Cartridge technology, representing the first commercially-available component of Network Computing Architecture.

"Using Oracle Web Request Broker and Network Computing Architecture as a platform for database applications makes Sapphire/Web a more open and scaleable tool," said Bob Bickel, director and general manager of Bluestone's Products Division.

"We evaluated the Web server application programming interfaces, and determined that Oracle Web Request Broker provides outstanding safety and extensibility. The high-performance features of Oracle Web Request Broker enable Sapphire/Web applications to execute optimally," continued Bickel.

"We have identified Bluestone Sapphire/Web as the leading Web application development tool. We believe that Bluestone's acknowledgment of Oracle Web Request Broker as the leading platform for the middle tiers of Internet applications is the latest evidence that Oracle is the best positioned server company moving into the information age," said Mark Jarvis, vice president of Oracle Server Marketing.

"By adopting Oracle Web Request Broker, Sapphire/Web is truly integrated into Oracle's environment," continued Jarvis.

Oracle Web Request Broker has several features that distinguish it as an extremely stable and high-performance platform for Web application development. Sapphire/Web employs Oracle Web Request Broker-API as a substitute for the Common Gateway Interface (CGI) and other Web server application programming interfaces.

Oracle Web Request Broker-API separates extensions to the Web server, dubbed Web Request Broker Cartridges, as separate UNIX and Windows NT processes. Separating Web Request Broker Cartridges from the Web server process makes the server extension more robust and less likely to impact the performance of the Web server.

Also, as a Cartridge Sapphire/Web will execute much faster because Oracle Web Request Broker activates continuously running Cartridges, bypassing the lengthy startup time associated with CGI. Oracle Web Request Broker can also scale more efficiently than other Web server extension schemes.

Multiple copies of Web Request Broker Cartridges may be utilized by Oracle Web Request Broker, allowing Webmasters to take advantage of multi-processor UNIX and Window NT systems. Web end-users benefit through greatly enhanced response times when dynamic information is requested from a database.

Network Computing Architecture is a common set of technologies that enables all PCs, Network Computers and other client devices to work with all Web servers, database servers and application servers over any network. It offers a high level of openness and flexibility for developing and deploying network-centric applications seamlessly across the corporate enterprise and the Web.

Network Computing Architecture's universal connectivity to any client-----including Netscape ONE, Microsoft Active X/DCOM, network computers, as well as Oracle Universal Server, other data servers and legacy systemsand its support of defacto standards such as Java, browser plug-ins and ActiveX objects allow organizations to leverage new technologies while protecting current technology investments.

Sapphire/Web

Sapphire/Web, Bluestone's leading Web application development tool, enables Webmasters and developers to intuitively design, install and operate dynamic, Web-based client/server database applications for the Internet and corporate intranets. Sapphire/Web's open approach leverages today's and tomorrow's best technology without fear of lock-in.

Bluestone, included in each of the last three years on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies, focuses on the transfer of advanced application development technology. Bluestone provides its customers with powerful development tools, comprehensive support, training, and professional services. Productivity solutions from Bluestone are used by 85% of the Fortune 500 corporations and numerous government agencies. The company's headquarters are: Bluestone Inc. 1000 Briggs Road Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054 Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] email: [e-mail] URL: http://www.bluestone.com

CONTACT: The Garfield Group, Trenton

Bonnie Lieb, 609/396-0946, x 12

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Bluestone Inc., Mt. Laurel

Jeffrey Whitney, 609/727-4600, x 1960

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