SoftArc Announces FirstClass 3.5 -- Major Upgrade to Fourth-Ranked
Groupware/E-mail Solution

SAN JOSE, Calif., February 20, 1996-SoftArc Inc., the number four developer
of LAN-based e-mail and groupware worldwide, today announced FirstClass
3.5 at EMail World, San Jose. Scheduled to ship in the third quarter of
this year, FirstClass 3.5 offers a number of new enhancements to both
existing Windows and Macintosh clients and servers-and marks the
introduction of new products into the FirstClass family. 

New to FirstClass 3.5 clients and servers is "Client Extension" technology.
New developer tools with FirstClass 3.5 will enable independent software
vendors to create products such as collaborative whiteboard add-one, voice
or video conferencing modules, or services such as World Wide Web
browsing. These new extensions will be available to users from within
FirstClass.

Among the most-awaited features in FirstClass 3.5 is the ability for users
to work offline. The new version will give FirstClass clients the ability
to read and write mail and conference postings while disconnected from the
FirstClass server. Offline work will be enabled by a new SoftArc product,
FirstClass Personal-a personal replication agent for users of FirstClass
Clients for Windows and Macintosh. 

In addition to providing support for the Web, FirstClass 3.5 servers for
both Windows and Macintosh will be enabled for new server-level protocols,
including SMTP, MIME and NNTP. These new, high-end Internet
services-specifically optimized for use with FirstClass and scheduled to
ship shortly after the release of FirstClass 3.5-will provide real-time
publishing and mail delivery to and from the Internet, as well as MIME
support for international language translation and attachments.

"With FirstClass 3.5, SoftArc has implemented the features most sought
after by our current client base, such as work offline, enhanced database
access and extended directory synchronization capabilities," noted Steven
Asbury, SoftArc president. "More importantly, 3.5 illustrates our
commitment to seamless communication, delivering tighter Internet
integration than ever before and new Web connectivity. In fact, 3.5's
Client Extension Toolkit gives FirstClass an extensible architecture that
will enable both SoftArc and third-party developers to dramatically and
rapidly add to the product's functionality." 

As with all upgrades to FirstClass clients and servers, version 3.5 will be
made available free-of-charge on SoftArc Online to registered owners.
End-users of the freely distributable FirstClass client software will be
able to obtain the new 3.5 client versions from their FirstClass
Administrator, SoftArc's public FirstClass server, or SoftArc's World Wide
Web site (upon the software's availability). 

Pricing of the FirstClass 3.5 server for new sites will remain the same as
existing Windows and Macintosh servers. Each server is available for $495,
including five user licenses. Additional user licenses will also remain
unchanged, ranging from $35-$79, based on volume.

FirstClass is a client/server workgroup communication system that
integrates advanced e-mail with replicable discussion databases, remote
access, forms processing, enterprise database access and online
information services. The product offers a number of unique features
designed to improve information communication and management. FirstClass
offers the same ease of use, functionality and robust performance over
network or modem, and operates in Windows, Macintosh, DOS, OS/2 and
terminal emulation environments. The product is available in 12 languages
and is used by businesses, educational institutions, governments and
private individuals at more than 20,000 sites in 30 countries. SoftArc is
supported by a worldwide network of Certified Consultants. The Company is
headquartered in Markham, Ontario, Canada. 

SoftArc Inc
100 Allstate Parkway
Markham, Ontario
Canada L3R 6H3
905-415-7000,  fax 905-415-7151
 
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