REDMOND, Wash. - April 14, 1999 - Microsoft Corp. today announced that Microsoft^® MapPoint™ 2000 business mapping software, the newest member of the Microsoft Office family, was released to manufacturing. The product is scheduled to be available to volume license customers in May and to be broadly available to retail customers on June 10, 1999, coinciding with the availability of Microsoft Office 2000. On May 3, customers will have an opportunity to receive a free* trial version of the product on the MapPoint Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/mappoint/ and through participating retailers.

By providing the core functionality that customers value in a business mapping product - finding addresses, illustrating information on maps, integrating maps with Microsoft Office documents and data, and identifying business trends - Microsoft MapPoint 2000 delivers previously inaccessible functionality to the Office desktop. Designed for everyday business use, MapPoint 2000 puts once-hard-to-use map analysis functionality into the hands of business users, giving them the ability to use maps to penetrate new markets effectively and capture new customers. For example, a user of MapPoint could accurately plot customer addresses from the Microsoft Outlook^® messaging and collaboration client on the included street map, add sales information from Microsoft Excel and present the resulting map using the Microsoft PowerPoint^® presentation graphics program.

"We are extremely pleased with the early industry support and positive response we are receiving for MapPoint 2000," said Robbie Bach, vice president, Home and Retail Division, Microsoft. "Microsoft MapPoint 2000 expands our family of mapping products to provide customers with the productivity tools they need to be successful in business."

Industry Support Continues to Grow

In a recent flash fax to its client base in November, IDC #17683, "Microsoft Enters the Spatial Information Market with MapPoint 2000," International Data Corp. noted, "Microsoft has done an excellent job of designing MapPoint to deliver appropriate business mapping functionality using high-quality data in the familiar Office framework." This early support for the product continues to grow throughout the mapping industry.

Scott Elliott, publisher for Directions Magazine (http://www.directionsmag.com/), an online publication dedicated to delivering news, analysis, commentary and product information about geo-demographic trends and the tools to analyze them, said, "MapPoint 2000 has the potential to greatly expand the desktop mapping marketplace. We want to support and extend that process however we can."

Pricing and Special Introductory Offer

MapPoint 2000 will be offered for an estimated retail price of $109. For a limited time, as part of the Office 2000 companion product promotion during the launch of Office 2000, customers will receive a complimentary copy of the Bookshelf^® 2000 CD-ROM reference library and a $30 mail-in rebate** with Microsoft MapPoint 2000. MapPoint is also available through Microsoft's volume licensing programs.

System Requirements

To use MapPoint 2000 users need a personal computer with a Pentium 90MHz processor or higher; Microsoft Windows^® 95 or Windows NT^® Workstation version 4.0 with Service Pack 3 or later; 20 MB of RAM on the Windows 95 or Windows 98 operating system or 36 MB on the Windows NT Workstation 4.0 or later; 135 MB of available hard disk space (hard disk usage will vary depending on configuration); a quad-speed or faster CD-ROM drive; a Super VGA 256-color monitor supporting 640x480 or higher resolution; and a Microsoft Mouse, IntelliMouse^® or compatible pointing device.

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.

* Shipping and handling charges will be the responsibility of the customers.

** The rebate is valid in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada only. The offer expires Oct. 31, 1999. Good to all purchasers.