At that time, C++ was just beginning to replace C for development of commercial software, driven by the rising of the Windows platform and the rapid adoption of object-oriented design.

In this version of OWL, the proprietary DDVT extension was replaced by response tables, a macro-based solution compatible with standard C++ and similar to MFC in use.

AppWare Foundation was an API designed by Novell to be cross-platform, allowing the deployment of applications on Mac, Windows and Unix clients and with several network services.

In the same year, Software UNO offered a commercial port for OWL 2.0 to several platforms: AIX 3.2.5, DEC OSF/1 AXP, HP-UX 9.03, Linux 1.2, Solaris 2.x, Sun OS 4.1.x, and SVR4 for x86.

By then, Visual Studio had already eclipsed Borland C++ in shipments, and it was clear that OWL was losing ground to MFC.

OWL was included on the Companion CD that shipped with C++Builder, but Borland ended maintenance and further development of the library.

Shortly after Borland ended the development of OWL, maintenance was taken over by a group of users led by Yura Bidus.