CA-VISUAL OBJECTS BRINGS NEW POWER TO XBASE DEVELOPERS; Full Object-Orientation Combined With Familiar Language Leverage Developers' Existing Knowledge And Code; Ships With Over 20 ODBC Drivers To Support Leading Client/Server Databases Including CA-OpenIngres.

ISLANDIA, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--December 5, 1994--Computer Associates today began shipping CA-Visual Objects, the first application development tool that provides complete object-orientation, GUI support and client/server architectures combined with existing Xbase technologies and databases.

"CA has adeptly picked up the Xbase baton that Borland dropped," said Peter Kastner, vice president, Aberdeen Group, Inc., Boston, MA. "CA-Visual Objects sets a new standard for object-oriented programming without losing the enormous investments in Xbase programs."

CA-Visual Objects combines the ease of visual programming, through intuitive design tools within a repository-based graphical workbench, with the power of an object-oriented Xbase language that compiles to high-speed native code. Developers can easily make the transition to graphical event-driven programming by leveraging existing skills through a familiar Xbase language.

CA-Visual Objects includes more than 20 ODBC drivers that allow access to a wide variety of LAN and server-based SQL databases including CA-OpenIngres. Users can rapidly prototype and develop business applications with support for CA-Clipper, dBASE IV and FoxPro databases.

"CA-Visual Objects is a strategic defining point in the evolution of Xbase," said Marc Sokol, CA vice president of product strategy. "Xbase began as an immature language for small projects. Now with CA-Visual Objects, Xbase has grown into a language capable of implementing mission-critical applications."

Developers are highly recommending CA-Visual Objects:

Kevin J. Farley, senior software engineer, MCI Development Labs, Richardson, TX: "With CA-Visual Objects, we found a tool to help us develop applications rapidly and which will allow us to turn those prototypes into industrial-strength applications."

Larry Dysert, project estimator, Eastman Kodak, Rochester, NY: "CA-Visual Objects provides an easy migration path to move forward, not just from DOS character-based applications to graphical Windows applications, but also from DBF-based data access to full client/server. Its object-oriented architecture is particularly appealing, both in the simplicity of its syntax, as well as its flexibility and power."

Kevin Pray, senior systems analyst, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., New York, NY: "We need to move to a graphical environment and I think CA-Visual Objects is the tool we've been looking for. The development environment is well laid out, class creation is really easy and I have the flexibility I had with CA-Clipper." CA-Visual Objects contains:

o A language that includes all the benefits of working in an object-oriented programming environment, such as class creation, inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, extensible class libraries and helpful class browsers.

o Intuitive visual design tools for creating forms, menus, toolbars and reports that generate all the object-oriented code necessary to create and display them, so less code needs to be written and maintained.

o A native-code compiler that produces very fast and robust programs.

o Class libraries that provide transparent access to CA-Clipper, dBASE IV, FoxPro and more than 20 leading ODBC-compliant database formats including CA-OpenIngres.

o An active repository with an automatic Make facility for incremental compilation that decreases time spent compiling and linking and leaves developers more time to design business logic and application flow.

o Open architecture and API-based subsystems that facilitate the integration of third-party tools within the product. This provides users with the opportunity to choose the tools that will specifically fit their unique applications.

o CA-Visual Objects contains Xbase compatibility that inherits the Xbase syntax from CA-Clipper and provides a quick and easy migration path for moving DOS-based applications to Windows.

CA-Visual Objects developers can distribute their application EXEs and DLLs royalty-free.

Pricing

CA-Visual Objects is available through leading resellers for a suggested retail price of $895.

From desktop to mainframe, Computer Associates International, Inc. (NYSE: CA), leads the world in client/server software. Guided by CA90s open architecture, 8,000 dedicated employees in 30 countries develop, license and support more than 300 integrated products that include systems and database management, application development, financial and manufacturing applications and consumer solutions. The world's major industrial, government and research organizations depend on CA, whose fiscal 1994 revenues exceeded $2.1 billion. -0-

All product names referenced herein are trademarks of their respective companies.

CONTACT: Computer Associates International Inc.

Bob Gordon, 516/342-2391