Microsoft and Dassault Systemes co-operate to deliver CATIA Version 5, CAD/CAM/CAE Solutions on Windows NT.

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 13, 1998--Microsoft and Dassault Systemes (NASDAQ: DASTY) announced today that they are working together to develop and support the CATIA Version 5 product line for the Microsoft Windows NT platform. As a result, organizations in the manufacturing industries will benefit from advanced, high-end CAD/CAM/CAE technologies natively developed on Windows NT and capable of supporting the needs of the entire enterprise.

With CATIA Solutions developed natively on Windows NT, engineers will now be able to work on high performance NT-based workstations, while benefiting from a single enterprise-wide platform for all their engineering and business applications. For small and medium-sized manufacturers, the Windows NT platform offers a cost-effective, scalable architecture that can grow with their business.

"This is great news for manufacturing and engineering organizations worldwide," said Steve Ballmer, President of Microsoft Corporation. "With CATIA Version 5 native implementation on Windows NT, engineers will be able to run technical, standard office and business applications in a single and unified environment. Companies will be able to integrate data from digital designs into other business processes such as inventory management. This will greatly improve the productivity of individuals, workgroups and departments."

Ballmer added, "We are committed to supporting Dassault Systemes developments to take full advantage of Microsoft technologies. It's a great example of the scalability, ease of use, reduced cost of ownership and enhanced productivity that the Windows platform brings to this marketplace."

"Providing CATIA Solutions running on Windows NT is a strategic step towards making fully scalable solutions widely available for all manufacturing companies," said Bernard Charles, President of Dassault Systemes. "Through this native implementation, CATIA provides easy access to innovative technologies, making the latest concepts in digital product creation and product life management, affordable to enterprises of all sizes and in every function. Close collaboration with Microsoft will play a key role in extending the standards of the industry."

Complementing the CATIA product line, CATIA Version 5 is a completely re-engineered CAx offering which utilizes next generation object technologies and leading-edge industry standards. It delivers an innovative and intuitive user interface and a platform independent architecture for native Windows NT and UNIX systems. The result is an easy to install, fun to learn system, which is as natural to use as if the model was physically in the designer's hand. Its native OLE and Internet/intranet web compliance facilitates integration within the office environment and across the digital enterprise. It delivers breakthrough, scalable applications for companies at all levels of experience in design automation. At its core, CATIA Version 5 builds on powerful smart modeling concepts enabling the capture and re-use of corporate engineering knowledge and the implementation of generative rule-based product development processes. Version 5 offers compatibility with Version 4. This allows both systems to be used together and provides a smooth progression for existing users.

Dassault Systemes is the worldwide-recognized leader in CAx and PDM II markets. CATIA-CADAM Solutions with Deneb, the digital manufacturing company, address the CAD/CAM/CAE process-centric market. SolidWorks, a Dassault Systemes company, addresses the CAD design-centric market, with its flagship native Windows NT product and its dedicated distribution channel. In the network-computing environments, the Java-based CATweb product line provides a graphical window into native enterprise product data. For the PDM II market, ENOVIA Corp., a Dassault Systemes company, provides with its ENOVIAVPM and ENOVIAPM product lines a new multi-CAD collaborative and innovative environment for virtual product and process modeling and management across the extended enterprise.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ: "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

CATIA press releases and general information on CATIA are available on the CATIA home page at http://www.catia.ibm.com. For the latest company information, visit Microsoft on the World Wide Web at http://www.Microsoft.com.

CATIA is a registered trademark of Dassault Systemes SA. Microsoft and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.