Micro Focus Joins Microsoft Solution Providers Program at Partner Level

Palo Alto, Calif May 5, 1993 -- Micro Focus, the leading provider of
state-of-the-art programming tools and technology for business application
developers, today announced that the firm has reinforced its long-term
relationship with Microsoft by joining the Microsoft Solution Providers
program at the partner level. For the past five years, Micro Focus has
worked closely with Microsoft as the supplier of the COBOL technology that
is included in the Microsoft' COBOL Professional Development System. In a
separate announcement today, Microsoft announced the evolution of this
relationship. Micro Focus will provide the COBOL solutions for Microsoft
Windows and Microsoft Windows NT (Win32) by developing a broader range of
tools that exploit the operating systems and complement other Microsoft
product offerings, and by participating in the Solution Providers
program.

The Solution Providers Program is a flexible new support initiative that
provides vendors such as Micro Focus with direct access to Microsoft
information, training, tools and products, as well as the opportunity to
resell the Microsoft product line as part of the Microsoft Windows
solution for its customers. As a result of joining the program, Micro
Focus will be able to provide its customers with solutions that
incorporate the latest technological advances, including portability
across both Windows 3.X and Windows NT operating systems.

"Microsoft is excited to have Micro Focus, a recognized world leader in
workstation COBOL, as a Solution Providers partner," said John Neilson,
general manager, solutions marketing at Microsoft. "Micro Focus' broad
range of COBOL products provides a key element customers need to rightsize
existing legacy systems and develop new critical business solutions."

"The Microsoft Solution Providers Program will provide Micro Focus with
direct access to Microsoft tools and information that we will leverage to
more quickly deliver industrial-strength applications development
solutions for Microsoft's scalable operating systems to our customers,"
said John Beggs, president of worldwide sales for Micro Focus. "Through
this program, both companies will jointly promote the combined Microsoft
and Micro Focus range of products that offer the workstation solutions
that customers want today."

In March 1991, Micro Focus was the first company to deliver a COBOL
compiler that supported the development of applications for Microsoft
Windows. Micro Focus offers the premier development environment for users
to develop new client/server business applications for Windows-based
networks or to downsize legacy applications from the mainframe.

Micro Focus will offer a 32-bit COBOL for Windows NT and expects to make it
available in concert with the availability of Windows NT. In addition,
Micro Focus is planning to release an On-line Transaction Processing
System that will be used to migrate CICS applications to Microsoft's
scalable client/server platforms; create new state-of-the-art OLTP
applications; and distribute applications and data while preserving
integrity of the distributed data.

Micro Focus (London Stock Exchange "MICF' and NASDAQ "MIFGY") enables
enterprises that use information systems to benefit from adopting new
hardware and software technologies while leveraging available skills and
system resources. Micro Focus does this by providing state-of-the-art
programming tools to empower application developers, coupled with software
technology to enable them to create new industrial-strength applications,
and bridging software to access and enhance the value of existing systems.
Micro Focus is located at 2465 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, California
94303. Telephone: 415-856-4161.

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