FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Carmen Delessio, President
Black Dirt Software
914-651-1599
914-651-0015
http://www.blackdirt.com

Black Dirt Software releases Visual Basic to Java Conversion Tool

GOSHEN, NY -- March 27, 1997 (INB) -- Black Dirt Software announced today
the release of Convert 1.0 - a Visual Basic to Java Converter. Convert 1.0
is available immediately for purchase and electronic delivery from
ObjectTiger. The price is set at $59.99. The initial version provides a
true graphical rendering of the original Visual Basic screen - including
sophisticated user interface elements such as Frames and Tabbed dialogs.

Black Dirt also provided details about their next generation conversion
software. The new version is written entirely in Java. The object oriented
features of Java allows this new converter to be extended by third party
vendors. Carmen Delessio, President of Black Dirt, noted that there are
"over 400 VB Controls in existence today. There is no way that we can
convert them all. So we have built an infrastructure that will allow third
parties and end users to create their own conversion classes. We expect to
lay a foundation so that this market can take off in the same way that the
original Visual Basic VBX components took off."

A beta version is expected in the next several weeks.

Convert 1.0 - Features
----------------------
Convert 1.0 allows Visual Basic professionals to quickly create
high-powered, sophisticated Java Applets and Applications. VB screens are
translated directly into Java Source code. There is extensive online help
and many examples to put developers on a fast track to Java Development.

Convert 1.0 includes Java Classes for Tabbed Dialogs and VB Style Frames as
well as features for creating e-mail surveys.

The following Java Classes are included with Convert 1.0 and are available
at the Black Dirt Web Site.

* BDTab - A Tabbed Dialog Box
* BDFrame - A VB style frame
* BDPanel - for Picture Boxes, Images, and Panels
* BDLayout - a layout manager that repositions and resizes

About Black Dirt Software
--------------------------
Black Dirt Software is a privately held Java software company based in
Goshen, NY.

Black Dirt's mission is to become the software industry leader for moving
legacy systems onto the Java platform.

Contact: Carmen Delessio
http://www.blackdirt.com
Phone: 914-651-1599
FAX: 914-651-0015

About ObjectTiger
-----------------
ObjectTiger is a Michigan-based software distributor specializing in
electronic sales and delivery of products to object-orientated developers.
The company seeks to bring developers and vendors together in a single
environment where development problems can be solved quickly and
efficiently. ObjectTiger is located on the world wide web at
http://www.objecttiger.com