Fulcrum to Support Microsoft ActiveX Architecture.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 12, 1996--Fulcrum Technologies Inc., a leading provider of information-retrieval software for the Internet and for the entire enterprise, today announced its support for Microsoft(R) ActiveX(TM).

Fulcrum(R) will support the Internet-enhanced ActiveX controls in a product that will allow developers to build powerful Web applications that access the full searching capabilities of Fulcrum Surfboard(TM), Fulcrum's software for search-enabling Internet and Intranet servers. Fulcrum will demonstrate a prototype of its product at the Microsoft Professional Developers' Conference, from March 12 to March 14 in San Francisco.

"We were the first information-retrieval vendor to support a number of the key Microsoft Corporation-based standards," said Peter Eddison, Fulcrum's vice president of marketing. "We were ahead of our competitors in providing developers' toolkits for Microsoft Visual Basic(R) and Microsoft Visual C plus plus(TM); we were ahead of them in delivering a product optimized for Microsoft Windows(R) NT(TM); and our core information-retrieval product has complied with Microsoft Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) - now an industry standard - almost since it was first introduced. Clearly, our support of Microsoft's ActiveX strategy is a natural step for us, and a key part of our aggressive move into the Internet and Intranet markets."

"Fulcrum provides information-retrieval software for industrial-strength applications," said Doug Henrich, director of developer relations and publications at Microsoft. "By continuing to work closely with Microsoft, Fulcrum can provide its customers with flexible and easy-to-use products that will allow them to extend their information-management applications to Internet and Web environments."

Fulcrum provides information-retrieval software that bridges the islands of information across an enterprise. This software can be used on computer networks, on CD-ROMs and on Internet and World Wide Web sites. Fulcrum counts major corporations and industry leaders like Microsoft, Compaq, CompuServe, and Novell among its customers. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Fulcrum has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Brookfield (CT), Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Toronto and Washington; European offices in France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom; and an office in Sydney, Australia. Fulcrum is publicly traded on the NASDAQ National Market ("FULCF") and on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("FUL").

Visit Fulcrum's home page on the Web: http://www.fulcrum.com

Fulcrum is a registered trademark of Fulcrum Technologies Inc. and Surfboard is a trademark of Fulcrum. Microsoft, ActiveX, Visual Basic, Visual C plus plus, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Fulcrum

Gillian Brouse, 613/238-1761

e-mail: [e-mail]

or

Alana Gentle, Rourke & Co.

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