UK based software component supplier, ComponentSource, is launching its latest CD with over 250 ActiveX controls, software components and companion products into the rest of Europe. The announcement has been timed to co-inside with the launch of Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0, which now enables active web content to be embedded into Internet applications.

Said ComponentSource Managing Director Adrian Robinson. "The ability of IE 3.0 to host ActiveX controls without doubt gives developers the best platform to deliver component based web applications."

Since its launch at the beginning of the year, ComponentSource has concentrated on the UK software developer market and now hopes to repeat its success in other European countries such as Germany, France, Sweden, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Italy and Spain as demand for re-usable software components increases.

The company is the first to securely encrypt full retail product versions of software components on a freely distributed CD.

Robinson continued. "Europe represents a significant portion of the $250* million component market, a figure estimated to rise to $2 billion by the year 2000. With the advent of ActiveX technologies, the variety and number of components now available for developers to build with, has more than doubled in the last six months and is fuelling a rapid take-up by European software houses and corporates of component based programming."

"What we offer through our CDs is the ability to instantly try and buy from the largest selection of robust and commercially proven components available. The results for us in the UK so far have been high customer satisfaction and a positive sales graph. A position we would like to build on for the rest of Europe with the publication of our latest CD."

The new CD which is being despatched over the next two weeks into eleven European countries includes over 50 categories of software components including: Artificial intelligence, button design and control, database tools, graphing tools, grid controls and text controls. Within the categories there are over 250 components to choose from. These range from language specific VBXÆs to 16 and 32 bit OCXÆs to the latest generation of independent, multi-platform and extendible ActiveX controls. For example, VSFLEX a leading grid control from US based VideoSoft, NetPack Professional from Crescent - Division of Progress Software, and Graphics Server 4.0 from European company Bits Per Second.

The full retail versions of each component are encrypted onto the CD, with demonstrations freely available. Developers can purchase products directly from the CD by telephoning the ComponentSource European sales office. In exchange for payment details, ComponentSource issue a unique unlock key that deciphers and downloads the full product versions of selected components in a matter of seconds.

ComponentSource is providing CDs free of charge to European developers who register their details with the company. An express registration service is available by calling +44 (0) 118 958 1111.

ComponentSource is a UK based company specialising in the supply of software components, companion products and add-ons. It is the first company to offer component vendors secure encryption of their full retail products on a freely distributed CD-ROM aimed specifically at component users.