Fujitsu Software Corporation Emphasizes Importance Of COBOL In "COBOL Survivor" Sweepstakes.

Business Editors

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--October 10, 2000

"Only the strong survive" theme promotes Fujitsu

COBOL support for Microsoft's .NET Framework.

In its fourth year as a platinum sponsor of Microsoft Developer Days, Fujitsu Software Corporation will demonstrate its endorsement of the Microsoft philosophy that programmers want and need to be able to use the language best suited to their application. To underscore the importance of COBOL in the enterprise computing landscape, Fujitsu Software Corporation is holding a "COBOL Survivor" sweepstakes -- with the theme "Only the Strong Survive"-- in conjunction with the Developer Days event.

Fujitsu's support of the Microsoft .NET Framework will deliver a practical, cost-effective business solution to organizations that use COBOL by giving programmers access to a wide variety of new technologies. These include .NET class libraries and Active Server Pages + (ASP+) , Microsoft's successor to ASP, as well as the ability to work seamlessly with developers of code in other languages such as Visual C++, Visual Basic, Eiffel, and APL. As additional languages support the .NET Framework, they will immediately be accessible to COBOL programmers.

"The most important elements of the .NET Framework are its support for multi-language development, its support for the most important Web standards and protocols, and its ability to help developers easily build applications for the next generation of the Web while allowing them to preserve their existing skills investments," said Chris Atkinson, vice president of the .NET Developer and Enterprise Group at Microsoft Corp. "We are extremely pleased that Fujistu Software, a leader for COBOL tools, is providing the ability for COBOL developers to take full advantage of the .NET Framework."

"With an estimated 70 percent of production business applications written in COBOL, COBOL is clearly a key language in enterprise application development. The key to enhancing those applications lies not in throwing out the COBOL, but in finding better ways to make it do new things." said Ron Langer, Director COBOL Sales and Marketing, for Fujitsu Software Corporation. "Fujitsu Software has always been committed to ensuring that COBOL programmers have the tools they need to develop applications using the latest technologies. Support for the .NET Framework lends assurance to that commitment."

According to Basim Kadhim, Chief Architect, COBOL Product Group, for Fujitsu Software Corporation, understanding the benefits of the Microsoft .NET Framework for COBOL programmers begins with appreciating the value of the Microsoft .NET Framework's common language runtime. The runtime is a unifying architecture that provides the building blocks for language interoperability, security, and robustness.

The common language runtime exposes an object-oriented type system and an intermediate language, called MSIL, that programming language vendors can target to work with the Microsoft .NET Framework. Fujitsu is constructing a new COBOL compiler to target the common language runtime so that COBOL programmers have seamless access to all that the .NET Framework has to offer.

All of the programming languages in the Microsoft Visual Studio family and other languages supported by third parties will also be capable of targeting the .NET Framework. "By supporting the .NET Framework, Fujitsu COBOL will have the best solution for language interoperability of any COBOL vendor in the market," said Ron Langer, Director COBOL Sales and Marketing, for Fujitsu Software Corporation.

Targeting the .NET Framework is also a prerequisite for direct language support of ASP+. ASP+ uses an architecture that compiles web pages which results in tremendous performance gains. This architecture opens the door for compiled languages, such as COBOL, to be used directly in Web pages where previously only interpreted languages were usable. Similarly, Microsoft's new Web Services can be built using languages that target the .NET Framework. "We are very excited about providing COBOL developers with the tools to build end-to-end business applications on a variety of platforms, all in COBOL," said Langer.

For more information about Fujitsu COBOL, send an email to [e-mail].

About Fujitsu Limited

Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) is a leading provider of Internet- based information technology solutions for the global marketplace. Comprising over 500 group companies and affiliates worldwide -- including ICL, Amdahl and DMR Consulting -- it had consolidated revenues of 5.26 trillion yen ($49.6 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2000. Fujitsu's pace-setting technologies, world-class computing and telecommunications platforms, and global corps of over 60,000 systems and services experts make it uniquely positioned to unleash the infinite possibilities of the Internet to help its customers succeed. Altogether, the Fujitsu Group has 188,000 employees and operations in over 100 countries. Internet: http://www.fujitsu.com/

About Fujitsu Software Corporation

Fujitsu Software Corporation ("FS"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited ("Fujitsu"), was established in July 1991. FS is engaged in software research and development, software product and technology procurement, and software product sales. FS markets and sells the following products: Program Products, such as Fujitsu's network management application package, SystemWalker; Enterprise application server software products, INTERSTAGE; Work Flow products, i-Flow; web site management, QoEtient; COBOL language products; and Fujitsu's Japanese-language and translation software products, including Atlas and TransLinGo!.

Fujitsu Software Corporation ("FS") and Fujitsu Limited are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fujitsu Limited of Tokyo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.