The Software Publishers Association Announces 11th Annual Codie Awards
Recognizing Excellence in Software

1996 Finalists Range from Software Giants to Start-Ups

WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 4, 1996 - The Software Publishers Association (SPA)
announced today the finalists of the 1996 Excellence in Software Awards
(the "Codies")- the 11th annual Codie Awards. The Codies are viewed as the
software industry's highest honor for outstanding product achievement and
creativity. Compared to Hollywood's Oscar Awards, the Codies nominees and
winners are considered by SPA's 1200 software industry members to be the
best of the year. These 1200 members will select winners from the 170
finalists in a final round of balloting which begins Jan. 5, 1996. Awards
will be presented during SPA's 11th annual Codies gala in San Francisco on
March 4, 1996.

For the past 11 years, the Codies selection process has produced nominees
and winners that truly represent excellent software the consumer can
trust. This year, new multimedia and Internet categories fueled a 50%
increase in nominations to over 900 titles this year. Over a seven week
span, more than 100 software reviewers from the software industry and
national technology media, such as NBC's Today Show and PC Magazine,
selected five finalists in each of the thirty-four categories. Since the
Codies are one of the best indicators of quality software for intelligent
consumers, this year's Codies finalists will proudly bear the Codies
Finalist Logo on their packages and promotional materials.

"This year's products show the great variety of products in the software
arena," said Michael J. Miller, editor-in-chief of PC Magazine. "The
Codies finalists include everything from general business applications to
programs designed for vertical markets to broad consumer titles, such as
educational product and games. The sheer number and quality of these
titles demonstrates the continued health of the software industry."

The 11th annual 1996 Codie awards reflect the rapid growth of the software
industry. SPA's software sales figures show that sales exploded this year
to $5.5 billion for the first three quarters of 1995 (a 25% increase from
the $4.4 billion registered in the first three quarters of 1994), with a
noticeable increase in figures for entertainment software and "bring work
home" areas. The increase in software sales is largely a reflection of the
steady growth of PCs in homes. It is estimated that nearly 40% of homes
have a computer which creates a high demand for multimedia CD-ROM titles
and opens up a world of opportunities for software publishers to create
easy Internet access. The Codie Award categories have been clarified and
redefined to reflect the shift to mainstream use of computers in the home,
schools and office. This year there are four all-new multimedia
categories, two new Internet/Online categories and new education-market
specific categories. Also new to the 1996 Codies are categories that
distinguish between new products and upgraded software programs.

The list of 1996 Codies finalists represents the best software available
from publishers both big and small. Finalists not only include large
publishers, like Microsoft, Broderbund, Netscape and Interplay but also
medium, small and new start-up companies. Some of the medium-sized
companies represented in the list of Codies Finalists are A.D.A.M.
Software, Dorling Kindersley Multimedia and smaller companies such as
Headbone Interactive and Theatrix. Also reflected in the list of Codies
finalists is the new wave of excellent software from start-up companies
such as Logic Factory - a father and son team.

"What's exciting about the Codies is that large and small companies alike
have an even chance," said SPA president Ken Wasch. "This year, products
from dozens of small companies were selected for the final ballot."

The Software Publishers Association is the principal trade association of
the desktop software industry, representing the leading publishers as well
as many start-up firms in the business, consumer and education markets.
Its 1,200 members account for 90 percent of the sales of the U.S. packaged
software industry. SPA is an international organization with offices both
in the United States and Europe. SPA press releases are available through
CompuServe (GO:SPAFORUM), on SPA's Web site at http://www.spa.org or
through Fax-on-Demand at (800) 637-6823.

Software Publishers Association
1730 M St, Northwest, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20036
202-452-1600,  Fax: 202-223-8756
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                  1996 CODIE AWARD FINALISTS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BUSINESS SECTION AWARDS

Best Business Software Program

Cashe -- Business Matters, Inc.
Microsoft Office for Windows 95 -- Microsoft Corp
Netscape Navigator LAN Edition -- Netscape Communications Corp
QuickBooks 3.1 -- Intuit
Windows 95 -- Microsoft Corp

Best New Business Software Program

Cashe -- Business Matters, Inc.
DecideRight -- Avantos Performance Systems, Inc.
OfficeBlox 95 -- AlphaBlox Corp
OfficeTalk -- Sareen Software Plc.
Select Phone Deluxe -- Pro CD, Inc.

Best Niche Market Software Program

Easy Business Cards -- Claris Corp
Kiplinger's Small Business Attorney (MultiMedia)
    -- Block Financial Corp./Teneron Corp.
Process Charter -- Scitor Corp
Select Street Atlas -- Pro CD, Inc.
StreetFinder 1996 Edition -- Rand McNally

Best Numeric or Data Business Software Program

DecideRight -- Avantos Performance Systems, Inc.
Microsoft Access for Windows 95 -- Microsoft Corp
Microsoft Excel for Windows 95 -- Microsoft Corp
Visual Basic 4.0 Enterprise Edition -- Microsoft Corp
Visual FoxPro 3.0 -- Microsoft Corp

Best Text or Graphics Business Software Program

Microsoft Publisher CD Deluxe -- Microsoft Corp
Pagemaker 6.0 -- Adobe Systems, Inc.
trueSpace2 -- Caligari Corp
Visio 4.0 -- Visio Corp
Word for Windows 95 -- Microsoft Corp

Best Vertical Market Software Program

BankFinder -- Instasearch Corp
Crane Companion -- ABZ, Inc.
RUMBA Access/400 -- Wall Data Incorp
Wall Street Analyst -- Omega Research, Inc.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSUMER SECTION AWARDS

Best Adventure/Role Playing Software

Full Throttle --LucasArts Entertainment Company
In The 1st Degree -- Broderbund Software, Inc.
Oregon Trail II -- MECC
Phantasmagoria -- Sierra On-Line, Inc.
Stonekeep -- Interplay

Best Action/Arcade Software Program

3-D Ultra Pinball -- Sierra On-Line, Inc.
Battle Beast -- 7th Level, Inc.
Dark Forces -- LucasArts Entertainment Company
F/X Fighter -- GTE Entertainment
Hexen -- GT Interactive Software

Best Consumer Software Program

A Passion for Art: Renoir, Cezane, Matisse and Dr. Barnes
    -- Corbis Corp
Netscape Navigator Personal Edition -- Netscape Communications Corp
Passage to Vietnam
    -- Against all Odds/Interval Research/Ad Hoc Interactive
Quicken Financial Suite -- Intuit
Star Trek: Omnipedia -- Simon & Schuster Interactive

Best Consumer Software Upgrade

America Online -- America Online, Inc.
Microsoft Encarta 96 Encyclopedia -- Microsoft Corp
Microsoft Money -- Microsoft Corp
Quicken Deluxe (v. 5 for Windows) -- Intuit
TripMaker 1996 Edition -- Rand McNally

Best Home Creativity Software Program

3D Kitchen -- Books That Work
3D Movie Maker -- Microsoft Corp
Hollywood -- Theatrix Interactive, Inc.
Opening Night -- MECC
Studio M -- Gold Disk Inc.

Best Home Learning Program for Children*

A to Zap! -- SUNBURST Communications
Get Ready for School Charlie Brown! -- Virgin Sound and Vision
JumpStart First Grade -- Knowledge Adventure, Inc.
Lamb Chop Loves Music -- Philips Media / Media Station
Pantsylvania -- Headbone Interactive, Inc.
Richard Scarry's How Things Work In Busytown -- Viacom New Media

Best Home Learning Program for Adolescents

Adi's Comprehensive Learning System -- Sierra On-Line, Inc.
Elroy Goes Bugzerk -- Headbone Interactive, Inc.
Lost Mind of Dr. Brain -- Sierra On-Line, Inc.
One Small Square: Backyard -- Virgin Sound and Vision
"What's the Secret?" Volume II -- 3M

Best Home Learning Program for Adults

Cartopedia -- DK Multimedia
Eyewitness History of the World -- DK Multimedia
How Animals Move -- Discovery Channel Multimedia
Le Louvre -- The Palace and Its Paintings
    -- BMG Interactive Entertainment
Nile: Passage to Egypt -- Discovery Channel Multimedia

Best Home Productivity Software Program

Compton's Complete Reference Collection 1996 -- Compton's NewMedia
Microsoft Bob -- Microsoft Corp
Quicken Financial Suite -- Intuit
Resume Maker Deluxe CD -- Individual Software, Inc.
The Doctor's Book of Remedies -- Compton's NewMedia

Best Sports Program

3-D Table Sports -- Time Warner Interactive
APBA Presents Baseball for Windows with Ernie Harwell Broadcast Blast
    -- Miller Associates, Inc.
IndyCar Racing II -- Papyrus Design Group, Inc.
Quarterback Attack -- Digital Pictures, Inc.
Virtual Pool -- Interplay

Best Strategy Software

Ascendancy -- The Logic Factory
Command & Conquer -- Virgin Interactive/Westwood Studios
Jewels of the Oracle -- DISCIS Knowledge Research, Inc.
Monopoly CD-ROM -- Parker Brothers
Zoop -- Viacom New Media
---------------------------------------------------------------------
EDUCATION SOFTWARE AWARDS

Best Curriculum Based Education Program

A.D.A.M. The Inside Story -- School Edition A.D.A.M. Software, Inc.
Imagination Express, Destination: Ocean -- Edmark Corp
Math Processor -- Computer Curriculum Corp
MathKeys Unlocking Geometry Volume I -- MECC
Vital Links -- Davidson & Associates, Inc.;
               Addison Wesley Publishing Co.; and
               the L.A. County Office of Education

Best Early Childhood (K-3) Education Software Program

A to Zap! -- SUNBURST Communications
Bumptz Science Carnival -- Theatrix Interactive, Inc.
My Make Believe Castle -- LCSI
Snootz Math Trek -- Theatrix Interactive, Inc.
Trudy's Time & Place House -- Edmark Corp

Best Education Software Program

A.D.A.M. Comprehensive -- Student Edition -- A.D.A.M. Software, Inc.
Cartopedia -- DK Multimedia
Choosing Success -- Computer Curriculum Corp
Thinkin' Things Collection 3 -- Edmark Corp
"What's the Secret?" Volume II -- 3M

Best Education Software Upgrade

Davidson's Kid Works Deluxe -- Davidson & Associates, Inc.
Microsoft Encarta 96 Encyclopedia -- Microsoft Corp
Picture Atlas of the World -- National Geographic Society
Type To Learn -- SUNBURST Communications
World Discovery Deluxe -- Great Wave Software

Best Education Program for Middle School

A.D.A.M. The Inside Story -- School Edition -- A.D.A.M. Software, Inc.
How Your Body Works -- Teacher's Edition -- Mindscape
Juilliard Music Adventure -- Theatrix Interactive, Inc.
The Science Sleuths Series -- Videodiscovery, Inc.
The Multimedia Workshop Bilingual -- Davidson & Associates, Inc.

Best Education Program for Secondary/Post Secondary

A.D.A.M. Comprehensive -- Student Edition -- A.D.A.M. Software, Inc.
BBC Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet -- Attica Cybernetics, Inc.
Discovering Shakespeare -- IVI Publishing, Inc.
How Your Body Works -- Teacher's Edition -- Mindscape
Inside the SAT -- The Princeton Review
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ON-LINE AWARDS

Best Internet/On-line Product or Service

America Online Greenhouse Service -- America Online, Inc.
Apple Internet Connection Kit -- Apple Computer, Inc.
Netscape Navigator LAN Edition -- Netscape Communications Corp
WebPublisher -- SkiSoft, Inc.
WebSite -- O'Reilly and Associates

Best World Wide Web Site

ESPNET SportsZone -- Starwave Corp
macromedia.com -- Macromedia
Star Trek: Voyager Online -- Viacom Interactive Services
Virtual NY -- Polymedia Publishing and Distribution
ZDNet / World Wide Web Edition -- Ziff-Davis Interactive
---------------------------------------------------------------------
MULTIMEDIA AWARDS

Best Overall Multimedia Production

A Passion for Art: Renoir, Cezane, Matisse & Dr. Barnes -- Corbis Corp
In The 1st Degree -- Broderbund Software, Inc.
Le Louvre -- The Palace and Its Paintings -- BMG
    -- Interactive Entertainment
Passage to Vietnam
    -- Against all Odds/Interval Research/Ad Hoc Interactive
The Residents' Bad Day on the Midway -- Inscape

Best Use of Live Performers in Multimedia*

C.E.O. -- I Motion, Inc.
Charlton Heston's Voyage Through The Bible -- Jones Interactive, Inc.
In The 1st Degree -- Broderbund Software, Inc.
Leonard Nimoy--Science Fiction: The Gold Collection Vol. I
     -- Global Media Net Corp
Pantsylvania -- Headbone Interactive, Inc.
The Daedalus Encounter -- Virgin Interactive Entertainment

Best Use of Music or Sound in Multimedia

Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Interactive -- Graphix Zone
Haight-Ashbury in the Sixties! -- Rockument, Inc.
Juilliard Music Adventure -- Theatrix Interactive, Inc.
MTV Unplugged -- Viacom New Media
Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge Interactive -- GTE Entertainment

Best Use of Visual Arts in Multimedia

A Passion for Art: Renoir, Cezane, Matisse & Dr. Barnes -- Corbis Corp
All This Time -- Starwave Corp
Arcade America -- 7th Level, Inc.
Eastwood -- Starwave Corp
The 11th Hour: The Sequel to the 7th Guest -- Trilobyte, Inc.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
GENERAL AWARDS

Best Debut of the Year

APACHE -- Interactive Magic
Ascendancy -- The Logic Factory
EasyPhoto Version 1.0 -- Storm Software
Flight Unlimited -- Looking Glass Technologies, Inc.
Time's Up! -- The Fresh Software Company

Best New Use of the Computer

3D Movie Maker -- Microsoft Corp
EasyPhoto Version 1.0 -- Storm Software
Life Form -- Fitnesoft, Inc.
Netscape Navigator Personal Edition -- Netscape Communications Corp
OfficeBlox 95 -- AlphaBlox Corporation

Best Programming Tool

Delphi -- Borland International, Inc.
Norton Navigator for Windows 95 -- Symantec Corp
Oracle Power Objects -- Apple Computer, Inc.
QuickTime VR -- Apple Computer, Inc.
WinHelp Office 95 -- Blue Sky Software Corp

Best Simulation Software Program

APACHE -- Interactive Magic
Flight Unlimited -- Looking Glass Technologies, Inc.
IndyCar Racing II -- Papyrus Design Group, Inc.
Mechwarrior 2 -- Activision
Virtual Pool -- Interplay

Best Software Program for People with Special Needs

Blocks in Motion -- Don Johnston Inc.
Choosing Success -- Computer Curriculum Corp
Creative Cartoons (creature cartoons) -- Laureate Learning Systems
Waterford Early Reading Program -- Waterford Institute
World of Words -- RES Software, LLC

*Six products nominated denotes a tie-vote in the category.
 
 =========================================================
 From the 'New Product News' Electronic News Service on...
 AOL (Keyword = New Products) and Delphi (GO COMP PROD)
 =========================================================
 This information was processed from data provided by the
 company/author mentioned. For additional details, please
 contact them directly at the address/phone# indicated.
 Trademarks are the property of their respective owners!
 =========================================================
 All submissions for this service should be addressed to:
 BAKER ENTERPRISES,  20 Ferro Dr,  Sewell, NJ  08080  USA
 Email:   rbakerpc@delphi.com   --or--   rbakerpc@aol.com
 =========================================================
