SAN FRANCISCO - March 12, 1996 - Please join Bill Gates, chairman and CEO of Microsoft Corp., and Steve Case, chairman and CEO of America Online Inc., today at 9:15 a.m. PST for a conference call announcing a new strategic alliance between their companies. A news release explaining the announcement will be distributed over PR Newswire at 8 a.m. PST.

You may join the conference call by calling (800) 857-5045 at 9 a.m. PST. International media may join the call by calling (402) 592-0356. Instruct the operator that you want the Microsoft call. A replay of the conference call, available until March 13 at 9:15 a.m., can be accessed by calling (800) 593-1435 in the United States (pass code 1435). International callers please call collect
(319) 375-1930 and tell the operator that you want the Microsoft replay.

Microsoft is either a registered trademark or a trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.