KL Group's New JClass 3.6 JavaBean Suite and JClass SwingSuite Enhance Rapid Development and Deployment in Sun's JDK 1.2.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 8, 1998--KL Group Inc., a leading provider of Java components and advanced development tools, announced today a new release of its complete 100% Pure(TM) JClass JavaBean Suite including JClass SwingSuite, a new set of extensions and enhancements for Swing in Sun Microsystems, Inc.'s Java(TM) Development Kit (JDK(TM) version 1.2).

The release continues KL Group's industry-leading tradition of providing common API support across all major JDK environments and coincides with Sun's announcement of the availability of JDK 1.2 made today during the Java(SM) Business Expo(SM) in New York.

"The release of JClass 3.6 underscores our commitment to the Java platform as well as to the advancement of Java technology," said Dewaine Miller, VP Marketing for KL Group. "We have worked closely with Sun to ensure that our customers get 100% compatibility for their development projects, and that our 100% Pure JClass 3.6 Suite, as well as our JClass SwingSuite, support JDK 1.2."

JClass JavaBeans are well-known for providing industry leading JDK support with easy-to-use components for building professional graphic user interfaces. JClass JavaBeans are available in many popular Java IDEs and are the essential components used by professional and corporate developers around the world. JClass 3.6 includes "J" versions, which work with the javax.swing package enabling the development and deployment with JDK 1.2 today.

Also released today is the newest JClass product, JClass SwingSuite: the essential set of extensions and enhancements for Swing in JDK 1.2. Developers can quickly improve the look and quality of Java applications with one easy to use, robust collection that adds features such as MDI to manage multiple windows inside applications and sophisticated Wizards to guide users through complicated tasks. JClass SwingSuite includes over 20 thread-friendly, lightweight components for adding features such as proper resizing behavior to applications, an advanced multi-column outliner, progress manager, enhanced tree-views and spin boxes.

"Developers using JClass in previous releases of the JDK will find it easy to migrate their applications to JDK 1.2 and Swing," said Lee Garrison, Java product marketing manager for KL Group. "JClass 3.6 and JClass SwingSuite will provide huge time savings for developers working with the newly released Swing component kit and JDK 1.2, not to mention the solid foundation they provide for future deployment."

The JClass family includes: -0-

--   JClass HiGrid, the innovative RAD outline-grid for hierarchical
     dynamic data

--   JClass DataSource, a robust, hierarchical, multiple-platform data
     source

--   JClass SwingSuite, the "must-have" set of extensions and
     enhancements for Swing in JDK 1.2

--   JClass LiveTable, the essential Java grid/table to easily display
     and manipulate tables and forms

--   JClass Chart, a powerful component to embed sophisticated graphs
     and charts

--   JClass Field, complete input and validation for popular data
     types including calendar

--   JClass BWT, a Java GUI toolkit that enhances and extends AWT with
     over 20 components.

     Additional information is available on KL Group's web site at
http://www.klgroup.com/jclass.

     JClass 3.6 Features

--   Common API with other versions of JClass for easy migration
--   New "J" version works with javax.swing package in JDK 1.2
--   Free update to registered users of JClass 3.5

     JClass SwingSuite Features

--   The "must-have" extensions and enhancements for JDK 1.2/Swing,
     designed to take full advantage of JDK 1.2/Swing features like
     PLAF, Drag & Drop, and collection functions.

--   For a limited time, free with purchase of selected JClass
     products or Suites

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About KL Group

KL Group has been making software developers more productive since 1989. KL Group develops and markets the award-winning XRT family of GUI components for Motif, Olectra components for Windows, JProbe Profiler for advanced Java profiling, and the JClass family of 100% Pure Java certified JavaBeans. Recently cited by Arthur Anderson as one of Canada's "50 Best Managed Private Companies," KL Group has received numerous awards, including the 1997 UNIX Review Editor's Choice Award Company of the Year.

Additionally, for the last three years in a row, KL Group has been recognized by PROFIT magazine as one of the 100 fastest growing Canadian companies and was named a "Java Innovator" by Information Week in 1997. Several products from KL Group's JClass family of JavaBeans have recently been selected and bundled by popular Java IDE publishers. This group includes Inprise, IBM, Symantec PowerSoft, NetBeans, SuperCede, Progress, and Sun.

Products are sold and supported through a worldwide network of qualified resellers, and from KL Group's European headquarters in Amsterdam and worldwide headquarters in Toronto. Visit KL Group on the World Wide Web at: http://www.klgroup.com.

Note to Editors: JProbe, JClass, Olectra and XRT are trademarks of KL Group Inc. All other brand names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders.

Sun, Sun Microsystems, Java, 100% Pure Java, and JavaBeans are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.