

Twenty-one Companies Announce Joint Support 
for Standard Licensing Specification 

	SAN FRANCISCO -- May 21, 1992 -- The License Service API was
jointly announced by more than twenty industry leaders today at the
Software Publishers Association (SPA) meeting in San Francisco.  License
Service API is a specification that will provide one consistent way for
application developers to incorporate software licensing into their
applications.  This, in turn, will help companies ensure compliance with
licensing agreements when using developers' software. 

	The API enables software publishers to develop applications that
cooperate with the different licensing systems that will support the
standard.  The application program is isolated from the details of license
management.  A License Service API-compliant application simply requests
permission to run. The underlying licensing system, in turn, grants or
denies permission based on the availability of a license for the requesting
application. 

	The specification, which embodies five functions, standardizes one
aspect of software licensing: the API used by applications software to
access licensing services.  There are further areas that can be defined
that include standardization of license policies and the license format. 
License Service API is designed to "facilitate" the most common policies
such as concurrent use, personal use and many others. Strong Industry-Wide
Support 

	The Microcomputer Managers Association (MMA), together with the
SPA, has identified a need for automating license compliance.  Software
licensing systems assist MIS managers and network administrators in
tracking the number of applications in use within their companies.  MIS
managers will benefit in that maintaining license conformance will be aided
by the License Service API-compliant applications.  The terms of current
paper license agreements are difficult to manage manually. 

	Companies joining in support of License Service API include Apple
Computer, Inc., Banyan Systems, Brightwork Development, Compuserve, Digital
Equipment Corporation, Funk Software, Gradient Technologies, Inc.,
Hewlett-Packard Company, Highland Software, Interworks, Lotus, Micrografx,
Microsoft Corporation, Netware Masters Group, Novell, Inc., Open Software
Foundation (OSF), Oracle Corporation, Symantec, Inc., Tangram Systems
Corporation, WordPerfect and XTree. 

	"The cooperation of leading PC software publishers in our industry
to standardize the License Service API is a highly valuable service to the
industry and users," said Ken Wasch, executive director of SPA.  "Corporate
users are moving toward sophisticated networks as a standard method for
managing software licenses, so this specificaiton is not only imperative,
but a win-win for the industry and its customers." 	

	"We are happy to be a part of this ongoing effort to provide an
effective, versatile, efficient management tool," said Priscilla Tate,
executive director of Microcomputer Mangers Association.  "The MMA views
the License Service API as the basis in an evolving plan to allow the
proper management and control of software licenses.  We feel this API will
become a deciding factor in software selection by both our members and
others." 

	"We are pleased that such an important step forward has been taken
in formulating a standard for licensing software in a growing complexity of
networking software," said Keith Herron, manager of Microcomputers at Weil,
Gotschal & Manges.  "Our goal is to provide our employees with the most
flexibility possible that is transparent to them, resulting in ease of use
and increased productivity. The License Service API specification provides
this." 

	By providing a standard API, license systems will be able to track
the use of all compliant applications.  Currently, applications are either
bound to a particular license system, incorporate their own license
management, or provide no license management at all.  Several software
publishers already implement their own systems for tracking licensed
applications, having previously lacked standards to simplify the job.
Availability 	Specifications are available now from licensing vendors
supporting this standard. ######### 



License Services API Support Statements


"Apple enthusiastically supports the License Service API.  The legal use of
copyrighted software is a significant business issue for developers of
software for the Macintosh and other platforms.  Our studies indicate that
most customers strive to comply with software licensing agreements, but
they need effective tools to manage this effort.  The License Service API
is a good step in this direction." 

	Roger Heinen
	Senior Vice President and General Manager, 
	Macintosh Software Architecture Division
	Apple Computer, Inc.


"Banyan Systems applauds the efforts of the standards board in developing a
License Service API. The move towards a common API is a positive step
toward providing application developers with consistent licensing
capabilities. Licensing technology is of great importance to the users of
Banyan VINES networks, as they require the utmost flexibility and
independence in managing software applications throughout a network." 

	Bob Nuber
	Product Line Manager, Network Services
	Banyan Systems, Inc.


"The License Service API will accelerate the compliance of software
management and control by providing network administrators with an industry
standard API.  Brightwork Development has been the leader of software
license management since 1988, and has delivered on this commitment through
the development of SiteLock.  The License Service API will prove to be a
positive platform for the deployment of software applications in network
environments." 

	Greg Gianforte
	President
	Brightwork Development



"We heartily endorse the License Service API and the industry cooperation
that led to it. Customers know that their software investment is a major
asset, and they need to manage it well.  They are looking for the ability
to do so in their multi-vendor computing environments. Digital is proud to
have participated in the development of the License Service API.  we will
do more than adhere to it-- we will use it as a building block in our own
software asset and license management technology." 

	Bill Johnson
	Vice President, Corporate Marketing
	Digital Equipment Corporation


"The License Service API brings a consistent approach to the distribution
and management of software licenses, and is a standard that both corporate
users and software publishers can embrace." 

"License metering and enforcement products that support the API will enable
corporations to better manage their software assets, while assuring
publishers of license compliance.  Funk Software will incorporate support
of the API in future releases of its software metering product, AppMeter." 

	Joseph D. Ryan
	Vice President
	Funk Software, Inc.


"Gradient Technologies fully supports the License Service API as a minimal
set of licensing functions aimed principally at supporting developers of
applications for personal computers. Gradient has always believed strongly
in the need to provide industry standard licensing methods because it
provides end users and developers with the benefits of software deployment
control and fair usage based pricing schedules.  We are pleased to have
been a major technical contributor in the defining of the License Service
API." 

	Len Halio
	President
	Gradient Technologies, Inc.



"To Hewlett-Packard Co., network licensing is a strategic and key enabling
technology required to fulfill the promise of distributed computing.  HP's
support of the License Service API announcement reaffirms our commitment to
create licensing standards and to extend our UNIX system licensing
activities to the PC world." 

"HP has a goal of supporting multiple end-user sites with software
licensing.  Until recently, software licensing had been most prevalent in
engineering application networks, where a single expensive software
application is licensed across 20 workstations.  The experience gained in
the engineering market is now being applied to enterprise-wide networks,
where HP supports licensing of 10 or more applications, on 200 or more
machines, in multiple cities.  The License Service API work will be
instrumental in driving licensing into departmental PC LANs, thus
completing the full spectrum of end- user sites requiring software
licensing." 

	Peter Duffey
	Product Line Manager
	Hewlett-Packard Company


"License management's importance is clear, by its broad acceptance in the UNIX 
marketplace -- the License Service API will accelerate the adoption of license 
management in the PC markets."

	Richard Mirabella
	Executive Vice President
	Highland Software


"InterWorks supports the License Service API for two reasons:  1)  It
creates an opportunity for both suppliers and user to economically enjoy
the license policy flexibility they have both wanted for years.  2) It
establishes sufficient consistency to enable more useful resource
management products to emerge." 

"InterWorks developed and supports the SPAudit program for the SPA, and
markets the new NQiR pc management software product. Adoption of the API
will help us build new value into our computing resource management
products. Personal computer users will be able to more effectively manage
the configuration of the technology supporting their workgroups." 

	David Mosby
	President
	InterWorks Software, Inc.


"Lotus is pleased to have participated in this industry effort to create an
open and common application programming interface for the licensing of
application asoftware across local area networks.  This APIs will enable
software vendors to explore new ways of licensing software to meet the
changing needs of customers and end users." 

	Alex Morrow
	General Manager, Cross Product Architectures
	Lotus Development Corporation


"As we stated in our position paper Network Software Licensing, the MMA
views the License Service API as the basis in an evolving plan to allow the
proper management and control of software licenses.  We are happy to be
part of this ongoing effort to provide an effective, versatile, efficient
management tool.  The API, we feel, will become a deciding factor in
software selection by both our members and others." 

"We urge licensing system providers to plan incorporation of licensing API
calls.  We recommend, however, caution in the development of this software
so as not to adopt a pejorative stance that will impair local processing
options or legal second use alternative, such as a laptop." 

"We endorse the legal use of software the License Service API will support.
We also ask for caution so as not to hamper the majority of honest users in
order to thwart the lawless few." 

	Joanne Witt
	President
	Microcomputer Managers Association


"Micrografx enthusiastically endorses the SPA effort to standardize
software licensing practices in PC networking environments.  We have been
working closely with the SPA and other leading independent software vendors
to address this issue and are very pleased at the progress this
announcement represents." 

"Micrografx is committed to supporting the License Service API in all of
our applications." 

"Many of our customers have requested a standard approach to monitoring
software usage in networked environments and we are convinced that the SPA
approach will meet the needs of both customers and vendors." 

	J. Paul Grayson
	Chairman and CEO
	Micrografx, Inc.


"Microsoft fully supports the License Service API, which will move the
industry towards the standardization of licensing practices.  With the
development of a common licensing API, not only will software license
management be made easier for the end-user and MIS managers, but vendors
will also be able to reap the benefits of writing to one standard API. 
Furthermore, the development of this API marks the next step in the
evolution of the Windows Open Services Architecture (WOSA)." 

	Jon Lazarus
	Vice President, Systems Marketing
	Microsoft Corporation


"Our corporate customers have been asking for ways to implement licensing
reqirements acrosss our line of Microsoft applications products.  The
License Service API now represents the industry standard in this area and
we plan to support it in future application releases." 

	Peter Higgins
	Vice President, Desktop Applications
	Microsoft Corporation


"The License Service API represents a significant step towards an industry
wide standard for software licensing services.  As a founding member of the
API initiative, Novell is in full support of the goals described.  The API
calls are both powerful and easy to use, and provide an excellent
foundation for robust licensing systems.  The wide participation and spirit
of cooperation that underscored the License Service API effort is a clear
sign that support for this standard is market driven.  As the market leader
in network computing, Novell is committed to providing the industry with a
complete, open, and standards based licensing solution." 

	Darrell Miller 
	Executive Vice President, Strategic Development
	Novell, Inc.


"OSF views the License Services API as an important and useful extension to
the Network Server technology provided by the DME offering.  We are
currently investigating including a vendor-neutral implementation of this
specification in the DME technology offering." 

	Kathryn DeNitto
	DME Technology Manager
	Open Software Foundation

"The standardization of the License Service API  is extremely valuable to
the industry and users.  As corporate users move towards sophisticated
networks as a standard method for managing software licenses there is an
increasing need for automating license compliance.  The development of this
specification presents a win-win situation for both the industry and
customers." 

	Ken Wasch
	Executive Director
	Software Publishers Association


"We plan to interface our AM:PM Asset Management Systems, an automated
system that inventories and tracks the usage of PC software, with the
License Service API to enhance the product's ability to track software
usage more effectively.  As more software vendors embrace the License
Service API, our product will help customers maintain software license
compliance throughout their entire organization." 

	Steve Kuekes
	Vice President of Development
	Tangram Systems Corporation


Other Companies Supporting the License Service API:
	Compuserve
	Netware Masters Group
	Oracle
	Symantec, Inc.
	WordPerfect Corp.
	XTree

###########################

Microsoft Announces License Service API 
for its Windows Open Services Architecture

	REDMOND, Wash. -- May 21, 1992 --  Microsoft Corporation announced
today that it will incorporate the License Service Application Programming
Interface (API) within the WindowsTM Open Services Architecture (WOSA). 
The License Service API is a specification that allows software publishers
to build licensing capabilities into their applications and remain
independent of a particular licensing system or policy.  The License
Service specification was announced earlier today by more than 20 software
and systems vendors at the Software Publisher's Association regional
meeting in San Francisco. 

What the License Service API Brings to WOSA

	Introduced by Microsoft in February, the Windows Open Services
Architecture is an evolving set of specifications that allows applications
for the Windows operating system to seamlessly access information in a
multivendor distributed computing environment.  There are WOSA
specifications for most of the primary areas of computing, such as
communications, database management, filing, printing and security. The
License Service API fulfills a key part of WOSA by offering a standard
interface through which MicrosoftR Windows-based applications can access
different licensing services. 

	"The goal of WOSA is to shield programmers, network administrators
and users from the enormous complexity of multiple network systems and
services," said Jim Allchin, vice president of advanced systems for
Microsoft.  "The License Service API fits perfectly into the WOSA framework
because it shares the same goals as WOSA and provides the same degree of
transparency for applications to access licensing services. 

	"The License Service API is yet another addition to the growing
list of interface specifications available today in WOSA.  It joins the
ODBC specification for database access, the MAPI specification for
messaging and the other WOSA specifications to provide a strong framework
for developing Windows-based applications in a multi- vendor computing
environment." 

What WOSA Brings to the License Service API 

	WOSA will place the License Service API into a larger framework
that allows further transparency as well as more power and flexibility for
applications across a broad range of services.  As implemented in WOSA, the
License Service API will allow Windows-based applications to be independent
of any particular licensing system.  This feature offers information
systems managers the utmost flexibility to plug in new licensing services
without having to change applications on their client PCs. 

	WOSA allows License Service API-compliant applications to interact
with licensing services transparently in a multivendor networked
environment.  This means that applications can access licensing systems
over a variety of networks, easing the development process for programmers
and increasing installation options for information systems managers.
Industry Support 

	Like all other WOSA standards, the License Service API has received
broad industry acceptance.  More than 20 software and systems vendors have
already announced their support for the License Service API specification
and more are expected during the coming months.  The License Service API
specification is available through Microsoft. 

	Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") has become 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. 

##########

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