XSoft Division of Xerox Debuts Innovative Document Management Software for
Windows

First commercial implementation of advanced Xerox document management and
visualization technology

PALO ALTO, Calif., April 11, 1994 - XSoft, a division of Xerox Corporation,
today introduced Visual Recall, an innovative document management system
for Novell NetWare-based workgroups. Visual Recall provides comprehensive
document management capabilities for networked PC Windows users, enabling
them to quickly and easily locate, view and make effective use of all the
documents they need to do their jobs.

Visual Recall is the first commercial implementation of two different
technologies originally developed at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center
(PARC): TextDataBase and Information Visualization. The TextDataBase
engine uses advanced linguistic comprehension techniques that enable users
to perform sophisticated indexing and searching for the content of an
information file (word processor, spreadsheet, database, etc.). This
linguistic comprehension capability also allows complete multi-lingual
indexing and searching. The Information Visualization technology applies
two- and three-dimensional modeling and graphics to the results of
document searches, providing a highly intuitive, visual way of
understanding those results.

Visual Recall also incorporates powerful browsing capabilities that allow
users to view any retrieved document instantly, and -- without requiring
the application in which it was created -- print or fax the document with
basic formatting intact.

Jamie Popkin, program director of Office Information Systems with Gartner
Group, Inc., a Stamford, Conn.-based consultancy, said, "Workgroups need
to be able to access and share documents created in a variety of
applications and distributed across different departments. In evaluating
their options, companies should consider systems that provide not only
traditional document management services such as library and version
control functions, but allow users to easily deal with distributed
documents as a true on-line information resource, regardless of their
native applications."

"Visual Recall was designed to allow people to find and use information
immediately, even when they don t know exactly what they are looking for
or where it is stored," stated Ira Scharfglass, general manager of XSoft's
Document Management Products group. "And the visualization feature
provides an intuitive graphical perspective unavailable in any other
document management solution today. Seeing the results of a search in a
visually engaging format can give users great insight into the scope of
their document resources."

The Visual Recall document management system comprises four key areas of
functionality: the user interface; conversion services and library
management; visualization of search results; and intelligent indexing,
search and retrieval.

The Visual Recall User Interface

Visual Recall's graphical user interface provides an intuitive workspace
for conducting sophisticated document queries and making use of the
results. The workspace is divided into separate windows for formulating a
search, viewing the results, and saving documents for work at a later
time. End users can easily customize the workspace to organize documents
according to preference and individual work habits. Pull-down menus enable
users to quickly set their search criteria based on content or specific
attributes, such as department, date, and author. The interface also
provides icon-based toolbars to help users define and execute a search.
Once a search has been executed, users can choose between several
customizable screen views for analyzing and browsing document hierarchies
and clusters.

Conversion Services and Library Management

Visual Recall's conversion services provide great flexibility in using the
text found as a result of a search. Along with converting the text to
standard ASCII format for rapid indexing, Visual Recall allows quick
cutting and pasting of text to the Windows clipboard for re-use. Visual
Recall also can display text in a special format that allows the user to
view and print the document with its basic formatting intact -- even if
the native application of the document is not present. In addition, users
are given the option of converting a document to an alternate application
(e.g., converting an MS Word document to WordPerfect). These capabilities
apply to documents created in thirty of the most popular word processing,
spreadsheet, database and other programs.

Library management and system administration services provide powerful
access and concurrency control as well as file locking and versioning
functions to manage and track group revisions over time.

Visualization of Search Results

Visual Recall's visualization function provides a highly intuitive way of
viewing, browsing, and understanding relationships between documents in a
given search. The system uses an animated "Tree" view that rotates to show
the hierarchical relationships among documents, and a three-dimensional
"Grid" view to display clusters of documents. Users can switch between
these modes in real time to obtain a different "bird's eye" view of
document relationships. Users can also display their search results in a
more traditional list view.

The Tree visualization highlights the relationships between documents
(often by organization structure, department, authorship, date, etc.),
helping users to narrow their search and quickly find the precise
information they need.

The Grid enables users to see the relationships between different
documents, often displayed on a time axis. This allows users to identify
patterns and detect anomalies among document clusters by visualizing
relationships that would otherwise not be visible in a typical list

Intelligent Indexing, Search and Retrieval

Visual Recall's intelligent search and retrieval system enables users to
find information quickly and easily on Novell NetWare servers and local
drives. With the ability to index and search for both text and image
files, the TextDataBase engine allows users to perform simple or
sophisticated queries based on content and/or descriptive document
attributes. Users can easily and automatically index individual or
multiple documents, assigning a virtually unlimited number of properties.
If desired, an entire set of documents being indexed can be "stamped" with
any number of pre-assigned properties. Users can also customize, save, and
re-use document search criteria, an important feature for complex and
frequent queries.

Visual Recall supports content-based similarity searches, full Boolean and
proximity searches and "snippet" viewing, which allows users to move
directly to their search terms in the text. The product's advanced
document indexing features include linguistic stemmers that deliver
comprehensive full-text search results by finding words and their
derivations automatically (e.g., a search for mice" would also find
"mouse").

Pricing and Availability

Visual Recall will begin shipping to end users through XSoft resellers in
June, 1994 with a suggested retail price of $395.

XSoft

Headquartered on a campus with PARC, the renowned Xerox research center in
Palo Alto, Calif., the XSoft division of Xerox provides software that
improves the way people create and use documents to capture, manage and
communicate ideas and information.

The company develops and markets a broad range of products that support its
vision of an Open Document Environment. They include document management
and workflow solutions, user-interface utilities, office productivity
packages, content-based search and retrieval systems, and
structured-document publishing applications. In addition, XSoft enables
workgroup collaboration through a series of shared document services
products. The company also offers extensive product support, training and
consulting services.

XSoft's products and services are available on multiple operating systems,
networks, and computer platforms. They are sold through a worldwide
network of direct sales and reseller partners.

XSoft
3400 Hillview Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94304
800-428-2995,  fax 415-813-7499

 ============================================================
 From the  'New Product Information'  Electronic News Service
 ============================================================
 This information was processed from data provided by the
 above mentioned company. For additional details, contact 
 the company at the address or telephone number indicated.
 OmniPage Pro is now used for converting all printed input! 
 ============================================================
 All submissions for this service should be addressed to:
 BAKER ENTERPRISES,  20 Ferro Dr,  Sewell, NJ  08080  U.S.A.
 Email: RBakerPC (AOL/Delphi), rbakerpc@delphi.com (Internet)
 ============================================================
