OLE

Microsoft replaced DDE with OLE, a more robust means of integrating applications. DDE allowed "live links" between copied data in different applications or on different systems, but DDE-enabled applications had to know everything about the data format to work properly. OLE lets users copy objects between applications, with each object containing enough information about its format and its creation application to work in a variety of OLE-enabled applications. For instance, clicking an OLE image in a word processing document activates the application the image was created in. OLE 2.0 takes OLE even further by allowing in-place editing. Instead of starting an entire new application when an OLE object is activated, the user simply sees a new set of tools or menu items.